Erin E. Connare

Partner Buffalo, New York City

Co-leader of Phillips Lytle’s Manufacturing Industry Team and a career litigator, Erin provides clients with dedicated and creative representation through all stages of a dispute, whether that be pre-dispute resolution, trial or appellate practice.

In addition to a wealth of experience in product liability, Erin’s extensive litigation practice encompasses complex commercial litigation, wrongful death and negligence actions, including those involving catastrophic injuries, environmental litigation and insurance disputes.

Erin’s experience includes representing product manufacturers in disputes in both federal and state courts throughout the United States, as well as assisting in the defense of such matters in the Province of Ontario. She has helped industrial and commercial product manufacturing clients achieve multiple early-stage voluntary dismissals, with prejudice, of all claims and cross claims and prevented the commencement of numerous litigation actions through targeted incident response strategies. Her experience includes representing her manufacturer and commercial lender clients through several state and federal court appeals, at both the intermediate and highest appellate court levels.

small-logo
award-icon

Honors & Awards

  • Named Upstate New York Super Lawyers® Rising Star, 2018-2024
  • Named to Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch®
  • Named to The United States District Court for the Western District of New York Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2021
  • Honoree of the New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel® Program for Pro Bono Work, 2018
small-logo
education-icon

Education & Admissions

Education
  • State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2015
  • State University of New York at Buffalo, B.A., summa cum laude, 2012
Admitted to Practice
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second and Ninth Circuits

Experience

Representative Matters
  • The Cincinnati Insurance Company v. Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc. (3d Dep’t 2023):  Successfully obtained affirmance of a Supreme Court decision dismissing plaintiff-appellant’s product liability complaint, which sought to recover for alleged property damage, on the grounds that plaintiff-appellant’s claim was barred by New York’s economic loss rule.
  • Secured a settlement on the eve of trial, requiring no monetary contribution, for a pressure valve manufacturer in an action in the Province of Ontario arising out of serious property damage caused by a flooded boiler system.
  • Successfully deterred, through aggressive pre-action inspection, investigation, and discovery, numerous potential lawsuits against a manufacturer of pressure and gas valves.
  • Successfully moved to dismiss a significant product liability claim brought against compressor manufacturer on grounds that such claim was barred by the economic loss rule.
  • Represented a global industrial products’ manufacturer, achieving summary judgment, in a product liability and negligence matter involving serious injuries.
  • Obtained the dismissal, with prejudice and without any settlement payment, of all claims and cross-claims against an industrial products’ manufacturer in a multimillion dollar product liability and negligence case.
  • Represented an industrial manufacturer in successfully opposing a writ of mandamus to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, whereby foreign companies sought to avoid personal jurisdiction and indemnification obligations arising out of a wrongful death action.
small-logo
speaking-icon

Speaking Engagements

View All
  • Moderator, Women at the Table Leadership Executive Forum: Manufacturing, Buffalo Business First, August 2024
  • Co-Presenter, “No One Ever Thinks They are Going to Be Sued,” Phillips Lytle Breakfast Briefing Webinar, February 2023
small-logo

Activities & Professional Associations

Present Activities

  • Leadership Buffalo Rising Leaders, Class of 2022
  • Zoological Society of Buffalo, ProZoo Board, Vice President

Past Activities

  • Buffalo Law Review, Executive Publications Editor
  • Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project, Rising Champions for Justice, Board of Directors
  • Phi Beta Kappa Society, Member

Professional Associations

  • American Bar Association
    • Litigation Section
    • Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
    • Young Lawyers Division
  • Bar Association of Erie County
  • Defense Research Institute
  • New York State Bar Association
    • Trial Lawyers Section
    • Women in Law Section
  • Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, WNY Chapter

Articles & Publications

Articles

  • Co-Author, “Keeping Your Business Safe Outside of the FTC’s Final Ruling on Non-Competes,” Buffalo Business First, June 2024