Biography: Product Liability Defence

Greg Fowler is a partner in Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP's global product liability group and co-chairs the SHB international litigation and dispute resolution practice. He has extensive experience in the management and litigation of individual product liability claims and mass tort litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States and internationally in Asia, Australia, Latin America and western Europe. He has counselled US, Asian and European manufacturers on developments in products liability law and regulatory issues arising in those regions as well. He has represented US and international clients in CPSC recalls. Greg has completed postings in the firm's London office and in Melbourne, Australia.

Greg is the general editor and author of the book, International Product Liability Law – A Worldwide Desk Reference (Aspatore, 2004). He is a contributing editor of the book, Getting the Deal Through: Product Liability (Law Business Research Ltd). He is a contributing author of the book, Getting the Deal Through: Product Recall (Law Business Research Ltd.). In 2008, he received a Burton Legal Writing Award for 'Product Manufacturers, Take Heed: International Markets Bring International Regulatory Oversight, Safety Standards and Liability Concerns,' which was published in the January 2007 issue of the Bloomberg European Business Law Journal. He has been an invited speaker in the United States and internationally on issues relating to product liability litigation, product safety, international litigation, comparative law, general tort law and electronic discovery. He has published on these topics as well.

A member of DRI and the American Bar Association, Greg co-founded the pharmaceutical and medical device subcommittee of the ABA section of litigation's products liability and mass torts committees. He is also an officer of the International Bar Association's product law and advertising committee and served as a session chair at the 2010 IBA Annual Conference, where he moderated a panel titled 'Legal trends and developments in consumer product law.' Greg currently serves as chair of the Missouri Bar's international law committee. More locally, he is a director and secretary/treasurer on the board of directors for the Police Foundation of Kansas City.

Greg has been recognised as an expert in the field of product liability law in: Expert Guides: Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010); Who's Who Legal - The International Who's Who of Product Liability Lawyers (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010); and Benchmark, The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011).

Greg has represented the firm's tobacco, pharmaceutical and consumer product clients in all phases of litigation since 1986. In tobacco litigation, he has represented Philip Morris and Lorillard Tobacco Company in individual lawsuits throughout the United States and was trial counsel in the first union trust fund class action reimbursement case, which resulted in a defence verdict in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He continues to manage and litigate individual cases and mass litigation for the firm's tobacco, pharmaceutical and other consumer product clients.

Greg has represented US and international consumer product manufacturers in recalls before the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and in related liability matters.

Greg has managed litigation working directly with in-country counsel in the defence of product liability and other complex litigation in Australia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and various other countries. He has also counselled the firm's clients and provided assistance with regard to regulatory issues, developments in products liability and product safety laws as well as other issues of significance, in Asia, western Europe and North America.