Elizabeth McInerney (Tolon)
Associate
Elizabeth (Liz) McInerney (Tolon) first joined Ropes & Gray as an associate in the litigation department in 2018. She returned to the firm in 2020 after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael J. Garcia of the New York Court of Appeals.
Liz maintains a diverse practice, focusing on white-collar defense, government investigations and corresponding litigation, cross-border investigations, risk compliance and due diligence, anti-corruption work, commercial civil litigation, and antitrust civil litigation. Liz has assisted companies and individuals with inquiries from federal and state authorities into alleged False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), securities fraud, and antitrust violations. Liz has experience representing multinational companies, higher education institutions, and individuals under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and other federal and state authorities.
Liz maintains a pro bono practice of representing clients on death row and seeking post-conviction relief, and clients facing eviction. Liz is the Co-Chair of the Black Women Lawyers Group.
During law school, Liz was a Notes and Articles Editor on the Fordham Law Review and a member of the Moot Court. Prior to law school, Liz worked in the wine industry and is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Sommeliers.
Experience
- Representing a higher education institution in large complex civil antitrust case alleging conspiracy among higher education institutions in their provision of financial aid.
- Conducting multiple internal investigations on behalf of a global pharmaceutical and medical device company in Europe and Africa regarding potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and related compliance policies.
- Defended major pharmacy company in cases alleging common-law fraud and violations of states’ consumer-protection statutes.
- Defending a non-profit medical organization in cases in federal and state court alleging employment discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and age.
- Conducted a policies and practices review for a high-profile association, and assisted with implementing a comprehensive multi-year diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy.
- Defended large multinational pharmaceutical company in civil investigations by state Attorneys General allegedly misleading direct-to-consumer advertising for opioids.
- Represented various financial institutions, including large global banks and investment management firms, in responding to SEC and DOJ investigations.
- Conducted internal investigations on behalf of a global animal health company following internal complaints of violations of U.S. law and company policies.
- Participated in advising a EHR software company regarding its compliance with OIG, the DOJ, and the government-appointed oversight organization.
- Representing a client on death row in his successive post-habeas petition.
- Successfully represented an individual seeking post-conviction relief on the basis of flawed DNA analysis (in partnership with the New England Innocence Project).
Publications
- Co-author, “Considerations for Protecting Privileged Documents if the IRS Comes Knocking: A Brief Exploration of Privilege Nuances in the Tax Context,” ABA: The Practical Tax Lawyer (Mary 2022)
- Co-author, “A Brief Exploration Of Privilege Nuances In The Tax Context,” Law360 (February 13, 2019)
- Elizabeth Tolon, Updating the Social Network: How Outdated and Unclear State Legislation Violates Sex Offenders' First Amendment Rights, 85 Fordham L. Rev. 1827 (2016)
Education
- JD, Fordham University School of Law, 2018; Articles and Notes Editor, Fordham Law Review
- BA (Political Science), cum laude, George Fox University, 2012
- BA (Music), cum laude, George Fox University, 2012
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- District of Columbia, 2023
- New York, 2019
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York