Leveraging a deep bench of pharma-focused product liability experts, based primarily out of the firm’s New York and Washington DC offices, Arnold & Porter has the strength-in-depth, subject matter and procedural expertise to effortlessly handle a sizeable array of concurrent high-profile mandates. The firm regularly acts as national coordinating counsel on large-scale class actions and MDLs, resourcing matters throughout the litigation life cycle with  a compelling mix of science, procedural and trial experts. In addition, a strong regulatory grounding, including regular interactions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ensures that clients are also well served from a risk management perspective, particularly in terms of bringing new drugs to market. As well as having deep regulatory knowledge, New York-based partner Anand Agneshwar  is regularly at the forefront of many of the firm’s key mandates, while head of the firm’s New York office, Arthur Brown frequently has a hands-on role directing and implementing overall litigation and trial strategy for key pharmaceutical clients, including AstraZeneca, which he represents as national counsel in relation to the sprawling Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) litigation. Washington DC-based partner Paige Sharpe  also continue to impress and is a vital member of the team, not least as a result of her ability to effectively represent pharma companies in private personal injury litigation, as well as in parallel actions brought by State Attorney Generals. Agneshwar co-heads the overarching product liability litigation group alongside Washington DC-based Daphne O’Connor.

Drawing upon a strong pool of experienced and up-and-coming talent on the East and West coasts, in particular, Dechert LLP is able to handle a wide variety and volume of defense matters for many leading pharma and medical devices clients, particularly in the context of large-scale MDLs/class actions. The firm regularly takes the lead role in such aggregated mandates, formulating core strategy decisions and regularly securing key victories through persuasive motions, as well as in litigation before juries. Mark Cheffo is regularly at the forefront of the highest-profile mandates handled by the firm, a reflection of the esteem with which he is held by clients as a result of his expertise through the litigation process, including at a motions stage – where he has briefed and conducted numerous Daubert/Frye challenges. Lauded as a ‘strong practitioner with excellent strategic smarts’, Los Angeles-based partner Kimberly Branscome is a key exemplar of the firm’s trial expertise, in particular, as well as its visibility throughout California. The vastly experienced Sheila L. Birnbaum  has amassed many successes at trial and motions stage throughout her long career and has had involvement in many key medical devices/pharmaceutical product liability matters, including as it relates to opioid medication, breast implants and mesh products. Cheffo, Branscome and Birnbaum co-head the team that also includes Paul LaFata, who has developed niche expertise in relation to the co-ordination of multi-jurisdictional elements of major product liability MDLs and class actions and Rachel Passaretti-Wu, who as well as her versatile core pharma and toxic tort litigation offering, is also adept at assisting clients with appropriate crisis management-related responses. All named practitioners are based out New York, unless otherwise stated.

Drawing upon the expertise of ‘industry leaders who take a strategic and proactive approach to managing mass tort and related product liability litigation’, DLA Piper LLP (US) is a popular choice among life sciences clients for critical and business sensitive disputes. The firm displays ‘a very collaborative process in how they approach cases’, and is able to very effectively lead major MDLs/class actions utilizing lawyers with ‘a deep understanding of the biopharmaceutical industry’, as well as core procedural prowess. The firm has secured ‘exceptional results’ for many clients regularly securing mass tort victories at an early stage through persuasive dispositive motions, including as it relates to striking out plaintiff experts through Daubert Motions. Recognized as ‘the pre-eminent leader and authority in the mass tort, product liability and life-sciences area’, New York-based partner Loren Brown  has been pivotal to many of these early successes, including his success, alongside ‘innovative thinker’ Raymond Williams , for Novo Nordisk at summary judgment in mass tort litigation involving claims that its diabetes medication Victoza causes pancreatic cancer. ‘Outstanding’ Atlanta-based product liability team head Christopher Campbell  leads from the front and is noted for his ‘excellent legal skills’ and ‘co-ordination skills’, including in the context of large-scale multinational matters. Based out of Boston, Matthew Holian co-chairs the firm’s life sciences sector and regularly forms a key member of national counsel roles the firm has in complex, multi-jurisdictional product liability suits. Also based in Boston, Katie Insogna continues to impress life sciences clients and is particularly effective developing expert witnesses, on discovery matters and in relation to dispositive motions. Other key members of the team include Lucas Przymusinski , whose ‘knowledge of science and medical aspects of a case is at the cutting edge of the industry’, and Dallas-based first-chair trial lawyer Lyn Pruitt .

The ‘extremely responsive’ team at litigation boutique Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP provides an ‘excellent work product’ to pharmaceuticals companies in the defense of high-profile product liability cases throughout the country. Noted for its ability to handle highly technical and scientific issues, the firm excels in dealing with expert witnesses. The firm’s depth and quality of trial lawyers ensures that it also regularly engaged on the eve of bellwether trials or towards the end of the discovery phase. Team head Tarek Ismail is ‘hands down one of the top trial lawyers in the country’, with a track recording featuring successes over the years for high-profile life sciences companies including Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie and Merck in bet-the-company cases. Shayna Cook is also rated as a ‘fantastic trial lawyer’, skilled at leading high-stakes MDL as as well as handling trials. In Dallas, Joe Tomaselli focuses on developing and implementing winning scientific theories of the case, where his ‘ability to learn just about any topic and shepherd the scientific aspect of the case through the litigation process is second to none’. Based out Santa Monica, Ken Baum  is also ‘extraordinarily good with expert witnesses’, with his persuasive depositions often paving the way for MDL-ending Daubert rulings. Of the more junior partners Jennifer Greenblatt continues to impress, regularly securing victories for clients at a dispositive motion stage, while the ‘incredibly bright and skilled’ Allyson Julian and Emma Ross , who is ‘extraordinarily good with expert witnesses’, are also key up-and-coming names. All named practitioners are Chicago based unless otherwise noted.

With a deep bench of product liability lawyers spread throughout the country, including a particularly focused degree of expertise within the pharmaceuticals space out of the firm’s Atlanta and New York offices, King & Spalding LLP remains a popular choice among leading life sciences clients, including GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Boehringer Ingelheim, to handle many of their most complex disputes. As well as procedural and core litigation capabilities, clients benefit from deep understanding of the underlying science involved in the cases, with a number of practitioners also benefiting from advanced science degrees. As well as regularly achieving success through compelling dispositive motions, the team is also adept trying cases, with a number of the lawyers within the group adept at providing persuasive arguments in jury and bench trials. One such lawyer is Atlanta-based partner Andrew Bayman , who has gained a strong reputation for trying cases, including in often complex and innovative matters; exemplified by his historical involvement for GlaxoSmithKline in the first “innovator liability” trial in the country. Recently recognized by the American College of Trial Lawyers, New York-based first-chair trial lawyer Morton Dubin is also key to the firm’s success at a trial stage and regularly works alongside Kristen Fournier in high-profile disputes, including for Janssen Pharmaceuticals in connection with the MDL concerning the prescription drug Elmiron. Atlanta-based partner Adam Spicer is also recommended.

Able to leverage specialists from the East and West Coasts, Reed Smith LLP excels in defending major pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in big-ticket product liability disputes, where its lawyers deploy ‘a nice mix of book smarts and street knowledge that they use to effectively develop and then implement on strategy’. Many of these take the role of sprawling MDL/class actions, and it is the firm’s deep subject matter knowledge and ability to field nationwide resource intensive teams that is a hallmark of the firm’s approach in the field. As well as effectively coordinating and providing strategic guidance throughout the course of large-scale mass torts, the firm also has a strong reputation for trying cases, regularly achieving notable successes in bellwether trials that pave the way for an improved outcome for defendant clients. Vastly experienced Los Angeles-based trial lawyer Michael Brown is a formidable opponent in the courtroom and has gained a richly deserved reputation as a leading authority in the area of federal pre-emption, in both trial and appellate courts. Other key first-chair lawyers include Philadelphia-based practitioners Barbara Binis, Stephen McConnell and Robert Nicholas. Princeton-based Melissa Geist leads the team and is particularly noted for her skill at helping company witnesses provide compelling testimony during depositions and at trial.

Able to mobilize ‘excellent lawyers from top to bottom’ – including practitioners with trial and appellate experience, and expertise of dealing with government investigations and litigation – Williams & Connolly LLP is well-positioned to provide all encompassing representation of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in big-ticket product liability disputes. The Washington DC-based litigation powerhouse has ‘superb strategic nous’, as well as deep industry knowledge, ensuring that it provides ‘very practical and focused advice’ and ‘avoids getting caught up in unimportant details’. ‘One of the best strategists in the industry’, Joseph Petrosinelli has ‘immense credibility with judges and opposing counsel’, developed over many years of operating at the very highest level of work in the space, particularly in the context of MDLs, co-ordinated proceedings and class actions. Recognized by a peer firm as ‘one the best brief-writers I have encountered’, Paul Boehm is accomplished at managing cases from the discovery phase through to trial, where he excels in digesting complex scientific information and presenting to juries in a compelling narrative. Neelum Wadhwani ‘s star is also in the ascendancy as a result of a varied caseload that has seen her involved in firmwide litigation teams relating to the opioid crisis, medical devices and alleged injury caused by chemotherapy medicine. The ‘superb’ Heidi Hubbard co-heads the team alongside Petrosinelli and is frequently brought in by major pharmaceutical companies to act as trial counsel in state and federal courts throughout the country.

Appreciated for its ‘problem solving approach’, the result of many years’ experience handling work in the field, product liability-focused litigation firm Bowman and Brooke LLP is well-versed in developing ‘innovative and effective strategies’ for an impressive roster of pharmaceutical and medical devices clients. With litigators spread across many key nationwide offices, the firm is very effective at managing mass tort disputes, displaying a trial-ready approach resulting in some notable victories, including in key bellwether cases. Texas-based partner Randall Christian  has earned a strong reputation defending pharmaceutical manufacturers in cases heard before multiple federal and state courts; he continues to act as national co-ordinating counsel to Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo in its Injectafer litigation. Minneapolis-based trial lawyer Kim Schmid co-heads the team along with Christian and excels in handling medical device-related product liability cases.

 

 

With its roots in the Deep South but now increasingly national in scope, Butler Snow LLP continues to gain excellent traction in the market on behalf of medical device and pharma companies. The team works well with other law firms and has gained a strong reputation approach in the context of “virtual law firms” in the defense of mass tort litigation. The firm acted as national coordinating counsel for Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon in the sprawling pelvic mesh MDL led to a raft of work throughout the litigation life cycle – including for the motions sub-group, which oversaw and drafted a huge number of summary judgements and Daubert motions. Although the MDL is now closed, the firm continues to handle individual cases outside of the consolidated process, recently securing a series of back-to-back defense verdicts at trial. William Gage is vastly experienced both a trial level and in terms of his over overarching strategic prowess; he continues to manage the firm’s relationship with Johnson & Johnson in the pelvic and hernia mesh litigation. Although she is capable at all stages of the litigation process, Austin-based partner Kim Bueno  is particularly adept at trying cases. With many years’ private practice experience under her belt and also attuned to understanding the underlying business implications, as a result of her previous three-year secondment at a major pharma company, team head Alyson Jones is a popular choice among clients for managing MDLs as well as handling individual plaintiff cases. All named practitioners are based out of Mississippi, unless otherwise indicated.

 

Co-headed from Atlanta and Chicago by Sara Thompson and Gregory Ostfeld, respectively, and also drawing upon the expertise of many pharma and medical devices product liability experts throughout the firm’s extensive network of national offices, Greenberg Traurig LLP has the strength-in-depth to handle large caseloads on a national scale, while also deploying expert trial lawyers in challenging venues. Vastly experienced trial lawyer Lori Cohen has been key to the firm’s success over the years, taking the lead in many high-profile MDLs and mass torts, while also providing excellent mentorship of the firm’s younger attorneys. Cohen has successfully cultivated many longstanding and close relationships with leading life sciences/medical devices companies, including Becton Dickinson, who she represents as national and trial counsel across a range of high-profile product liability cases including as it relates to hernia and pelvic mesh. Glenn Kerner and Nilda Isidro are key names both on the litigation front, including for generic pharmacy manufacturer Teva, and in relation to risk management and counselling.

Lauded for its ‘deep legal, regulatory, and scientific knowledge’, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP provides ‘unparalleled client service’ to clients, often working collaboratively with other counsel in a “virtual law firm” setting to defend pharma and medical device companies against high-profile mass tort claims. The firm has also gained a market-leading reputation for its ability to effectively co-ordinate cross-border litigation, providing ‘very efficient, smooth and productive communication and work’, as a result of its ‘close familiarity with multinationals’ culture and requirements as well as with foreign law firms’. James C. Fitzpatrick  and Charles W. Cohen  have been key to this success and have both developed ‘vast international experience in different jurisdictions’ over the years. They both also ‘have exceptional skills to present creative and strong arguments’, with Fitzpatrick, in particular, noted for his ‘cutting-edge abilities on the scientific aspects’, and ability to effectively develop strong arguments working with medical and science experts. Robb Patryk  co-heads the team with Fitzpatrick and as part of his broad product liability practice regularly handles pharma-related disputes.

 

 

Noted for its ‘highly strategic approach’, which combines first-chair trial skills, alongside deep subject knowledge and procedural expertise, Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a popular choice among life sciences and pharma companies facing down high-stakes, bet-the-company litigation. Jennifer Levy in Washington DC and Chicago-based Donna Welch have been pivotal to the firm’s success in the area, most notably for their ‘outstanding’ work on behalf of Allergan, as one of the defendants accused in private and government-led litigation for its role in fuelling the opioid epidemic in the US. ‘Well-respected’ Washington-DC-based trial lawyer Mike Brock is also a key member of the team and has notched up numerous successes for pharma and life sciences companies, particularly in product liability and mass tort cases.

With substantial litigation expertise at trial and appeal levels, combined with deep substantive knowledge of product liability issues within the sector, Mayer Brown is a popular choice for pharma and medical device companies on work throughout the litigation continuum. As well as regularly acting as liaison counsel for defense groups in MDLs, the firm has established a strong reputation in the successful defense of brand name pharmaceutical manufacturers against innovator liability claims. New York-based Henninger Bullock  is pivotal to much of the work handled by the team and as well his involvement, alongside Michael Olsen , for GSK in innovator liability defense work, is also currently advising Endo Pharmaceuticals on alleged discovery violations relating to the opioid litigation. Daniel Ring  co-heads the team alongside Bullock and Olsen. All named practitioners are based out of Chicago unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Leveraging the expertise of practitioners throughout the country with product liability, regulatory and government investigations prowess, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP advises pharma and medical devices companies, both from a risk management perspective as well as through the life cycle of litigation. The firm has been particularly visible in the high-profile opioid litigation, continuing to act for both Teva Pharmaceuticals and Rite Aid, as they seek to face down lawsuits filed by state attorneys general and local governments throughout the country. Pittsburgh-based litigator Wendy West Feinstein excels in jury trials, as well as securing summary judgment as a result of pretrial strategy and cross-examination of experts. Notably, in a nearly five-month trial conducted entirely over Zoom as a consequence of Covid-19, she obtained the first trial defense victory in the national prescription opioid litigation in California for Teva. Washington DC-based partner Paul Zevnik heads up the product liability, tort and insurance practice.

 

Noted, in particular, for its trial ready approach, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has a long and distinguished track record defending pharma and medical device companies in product liability litigation in courts all over the country. This capability has been further enhanced in recent years by some high-profile trial lawyers joining the firm’s ever expanding geographical footprint, thereby affording it the critical mass to handle a plethora of ongoing cases irrespective of location. South Carolina-based partner David Dukes is one of the “old guard” at the firm and remains a popular choice among clients in the sector as a result of his advocacy skills and aptitude at explaining complex scientific issues to lay jurors. Richard North in Atlanta and Baltimore-based Mike Brown are also seasoned litigators, with both regularly achieving success in bellwether trials throughout the country. Molly Jean Given is an experienced product liability litigator and has ‘broad experience in medical device products defense’. South Carolina-based partner Mark Jones heads the team.

D’Lesli M Davis heads up Norton Rose Fulbright‘s Texas-based life sciences and healthcare group that has national reach and provides comprehensive representation of clients in the sector in the defense of high-stakes litigation, as well as in relation to drug safety mandates. The team often has a lead role in large consolidated actions and MDLs and is able to marshal resources from its broader overarching product liability, mass torts and commercial litigation teams should the need arise. As well as handling conventional personal injury-related matters, Davis has been particularly effective in positioning the firm at the very pinnacle of cases relating to economic loss, not only behalf of affected consumers but also third party payers. Jonathan B Skidmore is noted for his trial expertise, as well as his ability to strategize in large-scale mass torts in the life sciences space, and senior associate Ellie Norris continues to impress for her pivotal work on big-ticket litigation, including on the discovery side, as well as working alongside expert and fact witnesses to ensure they persuasively advance the defense narrative.

Co-headed by Steven Brody and Sabrina Strong from Washington DC and Los Angeles, respectively, O'Melveny & Myers LLP‘s product liability and mass tort team has developed a strong reputation within the life sciences sector and is adept at defending clients in both private class actions, as well as in relation to investigations and enforcement actions initiated by state attorneys general. The team has regularly been involved in the defense of public nuisance claims. Appellate lawyers often form part of the firm's broader trial team, ensuring that potential appealable issues are spotted early.

 

Leveraging the expertise of product liability lawyers spread throughout the country, including in key offices centered in Miami and Kansas City, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP often acts as regional or national counsel in large-scale class actions and MDLs, in which it regularly achieves favorable outcomes for clients as a result of aggressive discovery, at a pre-trial motion stage or in trial. Often working alongside the firm’s unique cadre of in-house research analysts, the trial team is very effective at handling cases with complex technical and scientific information. Miami-based trial lawyer Hildy Sastre  is very effective at conveying complex technical information to juries and is a popular choice among clients to represent them in high-stakes bellwether cases and cases of first impression. Sastre co-heads the team alongside Miami-based trial lawyer William Geraghty  and Kansas City-based practitioner Katie Gates Calderon , who as part of their wide-ranging product liability also regularly handle work in the pharma and medical device sector.

Troutman Pepper is well-positioned to handle major product liability cases in courts throughout the country. The team, which has a particularly strong presence out of Philadelphia, combines deep industry knowledge with procedural and strategic smarts, ensuring that pharma and medical device companies are effectively represented throughout the litigation process. As well as regularly being engaged as national and trial counsel, the firm has a ‘particular strength in the strategic resolution side of mass torts’ and is consequently regularly appointed as national settlement counsel on MDLs and class actions. Although he is also an accomplished litigator, Sean Fahey ‘s ‘greatest asset lies in the strategic resolution space’, where he is praised for his ability to ‘work well with plaintiffs to reach a resolution for a fair price’. Fahey heads up the health sciences litigation practice that also includes ‘first-rate litigator’ Barry Boise  and Ronni Fuchs, who ‘is very good at handling the science issues and working with experts’. All named practitioners are based in Philadelphia.

Primarily based out of the firm’s Chicago and Cleveland offices, led by Sherry Knutson and Tariq Naeem, respectively, Tucker Ellis LLP‘s health and life sciences group regularly defends leading pharmaceutical and medical device companies in both single plaintiff and aggregated proceedings, from initial investigation, to pleadings and dispositive motion briefing, to discovery and depositions, through settlement, trial, and appeals. In Cleveland, Charissa Walker is regularly involved in defense work in the sector, both in state and federal courts throughout the US, often taking a key role at the motions stage, as well as managing the co-ordination of large-scale MDLs, where she works closely with co-counsel to ensure a consistent approach is maintained. The firm also has strength on the West Coast, where Los Angeles-based trial lawyer Michael Zellers has a strong reputation serving as national, state, and trial counsel to clients on individual and mass tort pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.

Co-headed by Kathleen Hardway  and Jason Rose , Venable LLP‘s Baltimore-based product liability and mass tort team has a strong reputation in the life sciences space where it combines deep industry and technical knowledge with excellent strategic awareness and regulatory expertise to good effect in many big-ticket consolidated disputes. The team is commonly brought in to act as national counsel on MDLs and is very adept at working in a collegial fashion with other counsel in “virtual law firm” settings. A member of the American College of Trial lawyers, Craig Thompson  is a key member of the team, particularly in the context of trial work, where he displays an excellent ability to distil complex scientific information into a compelling and simplified narrative for juries. The firm also has niche expertise defending vaccine manufacturers against claims of vaccine injury, an area that Dino Sangiamo is particularly accomplished.

Although the scope of its work does include some national mandates, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner‘s St Louis-based team has developed a particularly strong reputation for handling regional product liability defense work in the Midwest. In this context, the team regularly forms an integral part of national counsel and trial teams with a significant nexus to work in the region and is noted for its ability to work ‘very collaboratively with other firms’.  Bettina Strauss often defends pharmaceutical and medical device companies in high-profile product liability litigation, where she is noted for her core trial skills as well as her aptitude at preparing company witnesses for trial and striking down opposing plaintiff experts through Daubert motions. The vastly experienced Dan Ball is praised as a ‘first-rate trial lawyer’. Other recommended practitioners include ‘very strong advocate’ Liz Blackwell and San Francisco-based Lee Marshall, who is lauded as a ‘skilled appellate advocate’. Strauss co-heads the firm’s pharma and medical devices class action and mass tort team alongside Timothy Hasken . All named practitioners are based out of St Louis unless otherwise indicated.  

 

Drawing upon the expertise of litigators spread throughout its national network of offices, the ‘first-rate‘ team at Jones Day is ‘excellent at developing case themes and strategies’ for life sciences clients as defendants in a range of individual wrongful death and personal injury claims, as well as consolidated litigation. On the MDL front, the team continues to represent Walmart as one of the defendants in the sprawling nationwide opioid litigation; to date successfully securing victory in numerous bellwether trials. Recognized as a ‘first-chair litigator’, Chicago-based partner José Isasi ‘delivers persuasive oral arguments’ in the courtroom and is one of many well regarded trial lawyers, at both first instance and appellate level, including Atlanta-based team head Stephanie Parker .

 

 

Primarily centered out of its Richmond headquarters, McGuireWoods LLP is well-versed in defending clients from a range of sectors, including life sciences, in high-stakes product liability-related disputes. The firm’s trial ready approach has led to a raft of victories in state and federal courts throughout the country, while also ensuring that it is well-placed to secure early dismissals and favorable settlements. Key members of the versatile team, include Samuel Tarry  and Davis Walsh , who as well as handling fee-earning work, recently edited the American Bar Association’s Guide on Infectious Disease Litigation – particularly pertinent in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Diane Flannery heads the team.

Leveraging broad-based overarching life sciences prowess, which includes litigation, regulatory and patents expertise, Morrison Foerster is a popular choice among pharma and medical devices manufacturers, handling work throughout the product life cycle. Most of the firm’s strength in the sector is centered around its West coast offices, with San Diego-based partner Erin Bosman  regularly acting as national coordinating and trial counsel in life sciences class action cases, including her ongoing work for MicroPort Orthopedics, both nationally and throughout Europe, in product liability cases relating to alleging injuries from hip or knee replacement implants. Leveraging significant private practice experience, as well as strong technical understanding she developed in her previous role as a medicinal chemist at Pfizer, ‘exceptional’ San Diego-based partner Julie Park has excellent credibility with clients in the sector. New York-based partner David Fioccola co-heads the class actions and mass torts team alongside Bosman.

Drawing upon the expertise of lawyers with former governmental experience at the FDA and DOJ, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP‘s Washington DC-centered life sciences and healthcare group provides focused and comprehensive advice to clients in the sector across the full scope of their work, from a risk management, product launching and litigation perspective. The firm has a strong record in disputes pursued in a multi-pronged fashion both in terms of civil litigation, as well as government investigations and enforcement actions. In addition, the firm’s separate Washington DC and New York-based mass torts, insurance and consumer litigation practice is a popular choice among clients in the sector engaged in large-scale class actions and MDLs relating to personal injury allegations. John Beisner heads this team and is adept at handling large-scale class actions at both a trial and appellate level. Both based out of New York, trial lawyer Allison Brown  has throughout her career secured many product liability-related jury victories, including for Johnson & Johnson in alleged personal injuries arising from the use of its baby powder, while Richard Bernardo is particularly noted for his pre-trial work including discovery, fact and expert witness preparation and juror research. On the enforcement and regulatory side, newly promoted partner Avia Dunn  has an excellent reputation, as does of counsel Karen Carallo, who has additional credibility due to her pervious role in-house at the FDA. Jennifer Bragg heads the life sciences and healthcare team. All named practitioners are based in Washington DC, unless otherwise noted.

 

Leveraging the expertise of litigators and regulatory practitioners spread throughout its national offices, including in New York and Washington DC,    Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is well-versed in handling work for life sciences clients throughout the full spectrum of their needs, including in the context of multi-pronged actions initiated by the plaintiffs’ bar as well as government agencies. Under the guidance of the ‘vastly experienced and skilled’ first-chair trial lawyer Diane Sullivan, the firm has gained most acclaim for its trial skills and is frequently parachuted in to act as trial counsel on the eve of important bellwether trials. For example, Sullivan recently led an all-female trial team, including Texas-based Liz Ryan  and Chantale Fiebig, in Washington DC, that secured a favorable mid-trial settlement for Giant Eagle in the first bellwether trial involving pharmacy defendants in the national opioid MDL. Working closely with the firm’s market-leading insolvency offering, the team is also well-placed to handle work for defendants which have chosen to undertake a “Texas Two-Step” bankruptcy process. Silicon Valley-based partner David Singh co-heads the overarching product liability and mass tort team alongside Sullivan.

With strong core product liability expertise and also able to provide enhanced resources by virtue of its accomplished commercial litigation team, Winston & Strawn LLP has the strength-in-depth to handle large-scale MDLs and class actions for life sciences clients throughout the litigation process. The firm has a successful record both at first instance and at an appellate level, an approach that has elicited excellent results at an early stage through effective dispositive motions and in trials before juries. Although he is best-known for his work on patent-related disputes, esteemed trial lawyer George Lombardi has also had numerous victories in jury trials in product liability matters, as has San Francisco-based team head Sandra Edwards .