Robins Kaplan LLP is pleased to announce that Tara Sutton has been selected to receive the 2025 Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Iowa College of Law, honoring her outstanding contributions to trial litigation and decades-long commitment to justice, public health, and advocacy.
In the letter notifying her of the award, Todd E. Pettys, University of Iowa College of Law Dean and Joan V. White Chair in Civil Litigation, said: “The Alumni Achievement Award recognizes alumni for significant accomplishments in their law careers and significant service to the College of Law. Tara’s achievements leading historic settlements with national implications nicely exemplify the spirit of this award.”
Sutton, who graduated from Iowa Law in 1992 and the University’s College of Liberal Arts in 1989, is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and Chair of Robins Kaplan’s National Mass Tort Group. Her legal career spans landmark litigation against some of the world’s largest corporations. She was part of the trial team in a historic Big Tobacco case, which led to a $6.6 billion settlement for the State of Minnesota in 1998. More recently, she served as lead trial counsel for the State of Minnesota in its litigation against e-cigarette makers JUUL and Altria, resulting in a $60.5 million settlement. She also played a central role in the national opioid litigation on behalf of Native American Tribes, helping secure over $1.5 billion in settlements.
In addition to her groundbreaking litigation work, Sutton has been an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. She served on Robins Kaplan’s Executive Board for 10 years and previously held the role of Diversity Champion at the firm. She is a longtime member and past President of the Public Justice Foundation, a national non-profit legal advocacy organization, and continues to serve on its Executive Board.
Sutton’s accolades include being named one of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Lawyers in America” for eight consecutive years and earning recognition as a “Lawdragon Legend” in 2024. Other honors include being named one of the “Top 10 Minnesota Attorneys” by Super Lawyers, Minnesota Lawyer’s “Attorney of the Year” for the past three years, a “Litigation Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal, and a three-time honoree of Law360’s “Product Liability MVP.”
She will be formally recognized at the University of Iowa College of Law’s Alumni Awards Brunch on Sunday, September 28, at Hancher Auditorium.
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