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While the substantive law of product liability is well-settled in the United States, the amendments incorporating electronic discovery into the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure add a level of complexity to product liability litigation, which in its own right is already complex. Litigants have little choice in the matter, however: electronic discovery in the federal courts is mandatory.
The product liability risks in Europe for product manufacturers are very different to those they face in the United States. There is no question that the risks of uncontrollable litigation do not exist in the same way in any European country as they do in the US. However, product manufacturers must now deal with an increasingly challenging legal and regulatory regime, and it is now recognised that the European product liability environment, while different to that in the United States, presents significant risks that need to be understood and managed. It is also a changing environment, with important developments emerging on a number of fronts, both at EU and national levels.
In January 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued regulations concerning prescription drug labelling. As part of the final rule, the FDA issued a formal statement of its position on a longrunning and hotly contested legal debate: pre-emption in pharmaceutical product liability cases.
This chapter identifies over 298 leading experts from 31 countries. Over two-thirds are based in the United States, and it is here that we begin the analysis of our findings.
Illinois has a reputation for first-rate litigation expertise, which extends to its product liability defence lawyers, not only from large firms, but also from high-profile boutiques. This spread is reflected in our research, which identifies 26 leading practitioners from 16 firms.
Product liability lawsuits are as frequent as ever in Florida and the state’s lawyers have an international reputation for excellence. The recent RJ Reynolds litigation, in which a $145 billion verdict was overturned, has brought Florida tobacco litigation into the limelight and many of the state’s lawyers are particularly well known for their work in this area.
Product liability proves to be an active legal area, with an extremely high volume of cases tried in California. Pharmaceutical and medical device litigation is especially lively and many lawyers from the state are called upon to give their expertise across the United States.
Texas remains a hive of activity for product liability litigation, dominated on the whole by established Texas firms. Beck Redden & Secrest LLP is one such example, represented by three lawyers in its Houston office. Its case record includes the defence of a multinational corporation in five recent trials, in which the plaintiffs alleged that the company defectively designed, manufactured and marketed respiratory equipment that had failed to protect them from exposure to silica dust. The client was held liable in none of the cases.
Our research in this area singles out lawyers from regional and national firms. Two firms, however, are represented by more than one professional in this chapter.
Click on the name of a lawyer below to view their profile. Lawyers shaded in purple have professional biographies in one or more practice areas.