Morgan Lewis has a longstanding, nationally recognized Product Liability and Mass Torts Litigation Practice.
We represent clients in class actions, individual lawsuits, and mass tort litigation, as well as in multidistrict litigation. Our lawyers were the original participants in asbestos property damage litigation that helped develop current national product liability and class action law.
National Presence
Morgan Lewis regularly serves as national coordinating counsel and national trial counsel on product liability cases and as lead counsel on mass, multidefendant toxic tort cases, including high-profile community exposure cases.
We actively benefit from our network of local trial counsel and scientific experts when assessing initial risks and creating a consistent strategy, whether through full-scale litigation culminating in trial or fiscally sound settlement.
Recognizing that it is vital that we work seamlessly with other defense counsel across the country, our team has the proven capability to operate in different models of national counsel. We also consistently reduce indemnity and legal costs while raising efficiency on all levels.
We list among our strengths:
- Integrated teams of toxic tort litigators, trial lawyers, and class action specialists with attorneys from our Environmental, Regulatory, and Insurance Recovery Practices.
- National network of top scientific, medical, and economic experts in oncology, teratology, epidemiology, toxicology, potable water distribution, contaminant fate and transport, geology, and hydrogeology, among others.
- Knowledge of specific toxins and chemicals and background in defending toxic exposure and property contamination matters involving myriad toxins and chemicals.
- Cutting-edge case management and trial technology, including web-based court calendaring systems and computer GPS systems for mapping plaintiffs' residences, water distribution systems, groundwater aquifers, and contaminant plumes.
Credible Trial Threat
First and foremost, we are trial lawyers. We know that the best strategy, the best facts, and the best legal briefs don't mean a thing if the opposing party does not view us as a credible, formidable trial threat.
Every law firm has litigators; we excel in the depth and breadth of our trial lawyers.
The depth of our skills, knowledge, and commitment, and our ability to deliver effective, long-term solutions to our clients have created the standard of excellence that is our business model.
Products
Our experience with a wide range of products regularly implicated in personal injury litigation includes:
- Asbestos Products
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical Devices
- Blood Products
- Chemicals
- Carpets
- Lead
- Latex
- Building and Construction Products
- Fire Safety Products
- Tobacco
Chemicals and Other Alleged Toxins
Our Mass Torts lawyers have successfully litigated cases involving all commonly alleged paths of exposure, including releases to soil, groundwater, and air, and exposure via workplace and industrial products and processes.
A sample of the toxins/chemicals with which we have a proven background include:
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1,4-Dioxane
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Benzene
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Ammonium Perchlorate
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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons(PAHS)
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Carbon Tetrachloride (Carbon Tet)
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Diesel Exhaust (PM 10s)
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Diesel Fuel
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Dioxins and Dibenzofurans
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Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
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Ethyl Benzene
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Formaldehyde
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Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium 6)
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Jet Fuel (JP-8)
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Lead
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Methane
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Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK)
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Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE)
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Naphthalene
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N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
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Perchloroethylene (PCE)
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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
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Radioactive Waste
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Sulfur Trioxide
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Toluene
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Trichloroethylene (TCE)
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Unrefined Crude Oil
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Vinyl Chloride
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VOCs
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Xylene
Related Practices
Our Product Liability and Mass Torts lawyers routinely draw on the resources of our Life Sciences, Environmental, Corporate Investigations, and Insurance Recovery Practices to handle specific regulatory and coverage matters, defend against parallel government investigations, and provide additional strategic advice with regard to risk management.
Media Management
Working closely with our clients and, as appropriate, public relations consultants, we've been successful in limiting unfavorable media coverage, occasionally even using publicity to our clients' benefit.
With experience dealing with grass roots organizations, town hall meetings, and the press, we've often been able to control or diminish adverse publicity and local antagonism otherwise focused on our clients.