Public Client

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When corporations harm the public interest through deceptive, dishonest, or dangerous business practices, DiCello Levitt assists state and local governments in recovering the public’s damages, penalizing corporate wrongdoing, and enjoining future harm.

DiCello Levitt’s attorneys have a deep understanding of the public client perspective. We have worked alongside government attorneys and investigators in high-profile cases like the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the Takata airbag litigation, and several DiCello Levitt attorneys began their careers as government prosecutors. Our clients include the City of Baltimore in legal actions addressing the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the State of New Mexico in consumer protection and antitrust litigation, and the states of Michigan and Illinois in historic litigation over environmental contamination with the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.

When we work with public clients, we maintain an unwavering focus on what is best for them today, tomorrow, and years into the future. We approach our work as a joint venture, where we provide support through active, ongoing collaboration while drawing on our own significant legal, scientific, and technological resources to aggressively pursue justice and bring about meaningful social change.

Representative Matters

State of New Mexico, ex rel. Hector H. Balderas v. Volkswagen Group of America

DiCello Levitt represented the State of New Mexico against Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche in litigation arising from the automakers’ sale of vehicles with “defeat devices” that the manufacturers installed to evade emissions standards. DiCello Levitt achieved a settlement per vehicle that far exceeded the damages any other state received in related litigation.

State of New Mexico v. Takata Corporation, et al.

DiCello Levitt obtained more than $25 million on behalf of the State of New Mexico against Honda, Ford, and other automobile companies for the marketing and sale of vehicles with Takata airbag inflators susceptible to rupture and capable of causing death and severe injury.

State of New Mexico, ex rel. Hector H. Balderas v. Solvay Pharmaceuticals, et al.

DiCello Levitt secured a $24 million settlement on behalf of the State of New Mexico in an action relating to the deceptive marketing of a testosterone therapy supplement as a “cure” for aging men.

People of the State of California v. Kraft Heinz Company Inc., et al. 

DiCello Levitt represents the City of San Francisco in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against major food manufacturers—including Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé USA, Kellogg, Mars, and ConAgra—alleging that these corporations engineered and marketed ultra-processed foods designed to be addictive despite having little nutritional value. The complaint seeks to enjoin deceptive marketing practices and secure restitution and civil penalties, aiming to hold defendants accountable for contributing to widespread adverse health outcomes and a public health crisis. 

PFAS Litigation on Behalf of the States of Michigan and Illinois

The States of Michigan and Illinois retained DiCello Levitt in their multibillion-dollar fights against the manufacturers of the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS for contaminating the states’ air, water, and soil. The amount of contamination at issue makes these matters among the largest environmental pollution cases in U.S. history.

Litigation on Behalf of Baltimore City, Maryland

DiCello Levitt represents the City of Baltimore in multiple high-impact actions addressing corporate misconduct affecting public health, safety, and economic stability. These matters include claims arising from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, litigation against Philip Morris International and Swedish Match for allegedly marketing Zyn nicotine pouches to minors through deceptive practices, and a lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel alleging the companies exploit individuals with gambling disorders through targeted inducements and unfair practices. The firm also represents Baltimore in groundbreaking actions against X Corp. and xAI over the alleged generation and dissemination of non-consensual sexualized deepfake content through the Grok AI system and against major social casino operators for allegedly operating illegal online gambling platforms disguised as lawful sweepstakes in violation of consumer protection laws.