Rideshare Sexual Assault Mass Tort: Intake, Theories, and the Bellwether Roadmap

Holly Dolejsi, Partner | Anapol Weiss

Holly brings over fifteen years of experience representing those injured by the negligence and misdeeds of corporations. She has represented hundreds of individuals harmed by defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals. In addition to advocating for her individual clients, Holly has also served in leadership roles in various cases, where she advocated on behalf of all plaintiffs. She was appointed as Co-Lead Counsel of the Farxiga MDL (In re Farxiga (Dapagliflozin) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2776) and appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee of the Invokana MDL (In Re: Invokana (Canagliflozin) Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2750). In late March 2026, Holly was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the newly formed Lyft MDL (In re Lyft, Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation).

• Education & Credentials

Holly earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law in 2009 and her B.A. from Northwestern University in 2003. She was admitted to the Minnesota bar in 2009 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota and the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

• Recognition & Leadership

In addition to representing injured individuals, she also has represented cities, counties, and Native American tribes in their public nuisance claims against the manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies in the chain of distribution of prescription opioids. (In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804, Case No. 17-md-02804.) Holly’s role in these cases was recognized by Minnesota Lawyer, which awarded her Lawyer of the Year for 2022.

Holly served as outside counsel for the State of Minnesota in its public nuisance claims against JUUL and Altria for Minnesota’s youth vaping epidemic. For her role on that case team, including a critical role on the trial team, she again was awarded Minnesota Layer’s Attorney of the Year Award for a second consecutive year.

• Professional Involvement

In addition to her work on behalf of her clients, Holly has shown consistent advocacy for the advancement of women in the legal field. Perhaps most significantly, she co-founded the Women Trial Lawyer Conference, an annual conference for women plaintiff lawyers in Minnesota. At the conference, women participate in networking, skills trainings, and education, with a goal of fostering a network that supports women in the law and helps them advance in their chosen field. In addition to co-founding the conference, Holly sits on the conference planning committee. This work resulted in her receiving the “Member of the Year” award from Minnesota Association for Justice in 2018.

Holly also has devoted substantial time to pro bono matters. She’s represented dozens of transgender and non-binary individuals in obtaining legal name and gender marker changes. More recently, she’s taken on the role of pro bono counsel to World Without Genocide, a non-profit dedicated to protecting the lives of innocent people and prevention of future genocide. Holly has demonstrated again and again her commitment to fairness, justice, and the dignity and humanity of all people through her pro bono work, and her work on behalf of injured individuals and municipalities.

• Experience

Currently, in addition to representing clients in their claims against Uber and Lyft in the Passenger Sexual Assault MDL and JCCP, she is also part of the team representing survivors of childhood sexual assault while detailed as juveniles as well as infants harmed by baby formula. Her work at Anapol Weiss continues to further her passion for helping others.

When not at work, Holly enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and friends. She enjoys all the wonderful cuisine and cultural opportunities that Minneapolis and St. Paul have to offer, but also loves quiet time spent reading a good book or game night with friends.

Meredith Drukker Stratigopoulos, Partner | Guerra LLP

Meredith Drukker Stratigopoulos is a partner at Guerra LLP in San Antonio, Texas, where she and a colleague lead the firm’s sexual assault and harassment practice. Her practice covers civil litigation, personal injury, commercial litigation, mass torts, and sexual assault cases, and she has extensive experience evaluating sexual assault and harassment claims and working directly with survivors.

• Education & Credentials

Meredith earned her B.A. in English from Texas Christian University and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, where she balanced her studies with work as a law clerk for Watts Guerra. On graduating, she joined the firm as an associate attorney.

• Recognition & Leadership

In 2022 the firm promoted Meredith to income partner in recognition of her work ethic, attention to detail, and results for the firm’s clients. She has since helped establish and now leads Guerra LLP’s sexual assault and harassment practice, an area in which the firm identifies her as a proponent of change on behalf of survivors.

• Professional Involvement

Meredith has partnered with Ransomed Life to present a seminar on sex trafficking and social media, addressing the dangers found in everyday online use.

• Experience

Meredith’s caseload spans sexual assault and harassment matters involving rideshare services, massage settings, workplaces, the entertainment industry, sports organizations, and premises liability, including matters involving high-profile individuals and institutions. In 2026, she filed suit on behalf of a client alleging sexual assault during a massage appointment at a Dallas business with a reported history of prior misconduct allegations.

SESSION 1 – Pleading and Proving Rideshare Passenger Assault Claims After the First MDL Bellwethers | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

This session examines what the first two Uber bellwether trials reveal about how these cases are decided: which liability theories succeeded and failed, how Judge Breyer’s April 2026 common-carrier ruling reshapes pre-trial strategy, and how master and short-form complaints are structured and tested at the dismissal stage. Attendees will leave with a working framework for evaluating, pleading, and litigating rideshare assault claims in federal and state court.

BREAK | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

SESSION 2 – Rideshare Assault – Lyft MDL: Screening, Evidence Gathering, Potential Impacts on Fees, Bellwether Considerations | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

This session covers the history and current posture of the Lyft JCCP and MDL. During the session, attendees will learn how to identify and vet valid cases for filing and what considerations come into play when deciding whether to file the case in the MDL or JCCP. The session will also address various state laws and proposed federal legislation aimed at limiting attorney’s fees in rideshare cases, as well as the fee assessments imposed by the Lyft Common Benefit Orders. Finally, applying the lessons learned from the Uber Bellwethers, the session will include a discussion on how to vet cases for bellwether consideration.