JoAnna Doherty is a partner in the Commercial Litigation, Franchise Law, Tort & Product Liability, Class Action, and Construction practice groups of GRSM. JoAnna is experienced in handling all stages of litigation involving contract disputes, franchise and manufacturer/dealer disputes, restrictive covenants, trademark claims, shareholder disputes, financial institution liability, product liability claims, false advertising and consumer fraud claims, breach of warranty claims, and construction defects. JoAnna also routinely defends and has prosecuted class action litigations, including nationwide and state class claims arising under consumer protection statutes and false advertising or unfair competition statutes.

JoAnna has comprehensive experience in handling all stages of litigation, having drafted pleadings, discovery documents, and all manner of motions; conducted and defended depositions; argued motions; participated in mediations and settlement negotiations/conferences in a wide range of disputes before federal and state trial courts; and served in a support role in two trials. 

Admissions

• New York
• New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

Memberships

• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association
• American Bar Association

• Obtained an appellate class action defense ruling against a claim that consumers could not dispense the full labeled quantity of thick, viscous makeup from the pump bottles in which L’Oréal packaged multiple lines of cosmetics. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that plaintiffs’ case violates the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act ("FDCA"), which expressly preempts any state law requirements that differ from federal law. For more information, click here.
• Obtained a complete class action dismissal of two-year pending case for L’Oréal against a claim of deceptively marketing a black women’s hair relaxer as scalp-protecting but instead caused burns and hair loss. For more information, click here.