Whether in the context of single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, or mass-consolidated litigation, Stephen has extensive experience defending manufacturers against product liability claims, both in Louisiana and in jurisdictions across the country. He has handled matters involving consumer products, commercial products, prescription drugs, and medical devices from beginning to end. In the mass-tort realm, Stephen has developed teams of experts in litigation-relevant scientific disciplines and then prepared team members for deposition and trial testimony. He has monitored both pre- and post-recall investigations into product complaints. Stephen has worked with national trial teams to prepare electronic and demonstrative evidence for use at trial and in jury exercises, and he has supervised the efforts needed to fully prepare company witness for deposition and trial testimony in nationwide litigation.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS / EXPERIENCE
- Direct involvement with national coordinating and national trial teams in at least eight (8) different pieces of nationwide, mass-tort litigation involving medical devices or pharmaceuticals
- Represented at least a dozen different major medical-device and pharmaceutical manufacturers throughout the state of Louisiana in numerous, high-exposure cases, including wrongful death actions
- Briefing and arguing dispositive motions in dozens of cases on a variety of grounds, including prescription/statute of limitations, preemption, Daubert or Frye grounds, causation, lack of defect, and Iqbal/Twombly, among others
- Numerous depositions of plaintiffs, physicians, lay witnesses, and expert witnesses in advance of motion practice and trial in both individual matters and bellwether matters for mass-consolidated proceedings
- Jury trial experience and involvement in six different jury exercises in jurisdictions across the country
- Preparing company witnesses and 30(b)(6) witnesses for depositions and trial testimony in the mass-tort setting
- Attendance and participation at dozens of product or wreckage inspections, including aircraft wreckage, train wreckage, premises inspections, vehicular inspections, and explanted medical devices inspections
- Management of company witness preparation for trial and deposition, as well as development of concise company story in multijurisdictional litigation
- Preparing expert witnesses for depositions and trial testimony in cases pending in dozens of U.S. jurisdictions, as well as for testimony in international proceedings
- Identifying, retaining, and coordinating teams of experts in litigation-relevant subjects as part of an overarching defense strategy in nationwide mass tort litigation
- Successfully worked with experts and trial counsel in jurisdictions across the country to have plaintiff expert opinions excluded under both Frye and Daubert standards
- Presentations to clients, trial teams, national teams, and international counsel on key scientific issues in various pieces of litigation