Mass Torts and Product Liability Litigation

"These lawyers are prepared for everything. When litigation strikes, they make sure that we are ready." Chambers USA

Leading companies choose Orrick’s global Mass Torts and Product Liability practice when they face "bet-the-company" litigation with millions (or even billions) of dollars at stake. These cases include nationwide mass tort and product liability actions requiring national coordination as well as a strategic plan, a successful trial track record and appellate skills. From our experience winning precedent-setting cases to our role as trusted advisors counseling corporations on risk mitigation, we protect clients who value our deep expertise and remain with us for the long term.

Our team represents some of the world’s leading chemical, pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Clients such as The Dow Chemical Company, Wyeth (now Pfizer), Union Carbide Corporation and American Cyanamid regularly turn to Orrick to defend complex lawsuits in state, federal and appellate courts. We offer the legal insight, courtroom experience, industry knowledge and practical business sense our clients need to prevail in cases critical to their businesses.

Orrick's reputation in mass torts and product liability litigation stems from our:

• Deep bench of trial attorneys
• Winning record in high-stakes litigation
• Experience devising national defense strategy for large, multijurisdictional matters
• Focus on early case assessment and risk mitigation strategies
• Ability to minimize liability from potentially catastrophic liabilities

Winning Trial Team

Our litigators have a record of success in some of the most plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions in the country, including courts in California, Illinois, New York, Texas and West Virginia. Our readiness to try cases presents a credible threat that is often powerful in resolving disputes short of trial. Yet our clients never have to settle because of counsel’s reluctance to try a case. We win complex cases at the state, federal and appellate levels, and we have secured important decisions on issues such as preemption, jurisdiction and the admissibility of expert witness testimony.

Recent Team Honors

Law firm directories and publications regularly recognize our team for its robust product liability experience. Recent honors include:

• Orrick's product liability practice was recognized among the leading practices in the United States by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2011. Chambers has applauded our product liability team for its "impressive technical knowledge of scientific and medical issues, which regularly includes developing both pretrial and trial strategies around causation."
• Benchmark Litigation 2012 ranked our team as one of the leading product liability practices in the United States.
• PLC Which lawyer? Life Sciences (U.S.) 2011 ranked our team as "recommended" for our work in product liability.
• According to The American Lawyer 2010, our team "amassed a sterling appellate record for product liability defendants, including vaccine and lead paint makers and The Dow Chemical Company in an Agent Orange case."

Depth of Product Liability Experience

Orrick has represented defendants in lawsuits in state and federal courts throughout the United States with respect to the following products:

• Acne medication
• Alcoholic beverages
• Antibiotics
• Anti-convulsants
• Anti-malarials
• Asbestos
• Blood products
• Breast implants
• Childhood vaccines
• Contraceptive devices
• Fertilizers and pesticides
• Industrial chemicals and solvents
• Lead pigment in paint
• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription medications
• Silica air filter products
• Vaccines
• Vitamins and supplements

Orrick also has a unique Public Policy and Government Affairs group dedicated to assisting our clients in communicating the story of a product defect or product recall to the public in a timely and responsible fashion. Working closely with clients, our lawyers investigate and report accurately on the facts and can help limit the potential negative impact on company and brand image.

Contact Us

For more information regarding Orrick’s Mass Torts and Product Liability practice, please contact:

Laurie Strauch Weiss
212-506-3749
lstrauchweiss@orrick.com

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