Biography: Life Sciences

Shook, Hardy & Bacon partner Marie S Woodbury has developed her expertise in the defense of complex litigation through more than 25 years of practice in this area. Marie has handled cases from coast-to-coast in numerous state and federal jurisdictions. Marie has served as national counsel for several pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, for whom she has developed and implemented defence strategies in broad-ranging litigations involving thousands of cases pending in multiple jurisdictions. Marie has tried cases, argued appeals and resolved cases through mediation and arbitration. She teaches and lectures on civil procedure and expert issues and is widely recognised for her expertise in pharmaceutical and medical device law as well as legal and trial strategy.

Marie has served as managing partner of the firm's pharmaceutical and medical device litigation division, as chair of the firm's search and training committees, and continues to be involved in the training and development of young lawyers. She organised the women's management council within the firm to address issues related to women in the practice of law.

She is a member of the Missouri Bar, the Kansas Bar Association, the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers and the Defense Research Institute. She is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

Marie has been listed as one the Best Lawyers in America and in The International Who's Who of Life Science Lawyers and The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers. Since 2005, she has been recognised as a "Super Lawyer" in Missouri and as one of the Top 50 Women "Super Lawyers" in Kansas and Missouri. In 2008, the Kansas City Business Journal recognised Marie as one of 25 "Women Who Mean Business" for her career accomplishments and her contributions to the success of other women in the community. The BTI Consulting Group has also named Marie a 2010 Client Service All-Star and she has been recognised in the 2010 editions of The Legal 500 United States and Expert Guides: Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers.

Marie received her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law and her bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. Area of specialisation: products liability

Biography: Product Liability Defence

Shook, Hardy & Bacon partner Marie S Woodbury has more than 30 years' experience in the practice of law and concentrates her practice in the defence of product liability claims.

She is a member of the firm's pharmaceutical and medical device litigation division and a past chair of the firm's search and professional development committees, and continues to be involved in the training and development of young lawyers. She organised the women's management council within the firm to address issues related to women in the practice of law.

Marie is a member of the Missouri Bar, the Kansas Bar Association, the Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers and the Defense Research Institute. She is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.

Marie has concentrated her practice on trial and appellate matters related to products liability claims, focusing principally on pharmaceuticals and medical devices. She has been national counsel for clients in mass tort proceedings involving contact lens solution, childhood vaccines, chemotherapy products and sleeping medications. In addition, she has been trial counsel in cases involving diet drugs and acne medications.

Marie has a particular interest in the admissibility and reliability of expert opinions and she frequently publishes and lectures on this topic. She has been successful in challenging the admissibility of expert opinions in numerous cases.

Marie has argued appeals before the Illinois, Kansas and NY appellate courts and the Fifth and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeal.

Since 2005, Marie has been named in the Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers list. She has also been named a Top 50 Women by Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers since 2006. Marie was featured on The National Law Journal's "Defense Hot List" in 2006 for her defence victory for Wyeth in Weston v Wyeth. She has been recognised by The Best Lawyers in America in 2008 and 2009. Kansas City Business Journal honoured Marie with a Women Who Mean Business Award in 2008.

Marie received her JD from the University of Kansas School of Law where she was an editor on the Kansas Law Review and a member of Order of the Coif. She received her bachelor's degree from Georgetown University.