Erik Snapp

Erik Snapp brings more than two decades of high-stakes litigation and investigation experience to his defense of pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer products and automotive clients. As a partner in Dechert’s highly regarded Product Liability and Mass Torts group, he focuses on consumer fraud class actions and product liability/mass tort litigation. He also has handled regulatory and internal investigations in the United States and Europe and has advised clients on compliance and ethics issues.

Legal 500 US has recognized Mr. Snapp for his work in the areas of consumer products, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and toxic tort, and Who’s Who Legal has recognized Mr. Snapp as one of the “leaders in the field” of product liability defense.

As a member of Dechert’s firmwide Innovation Task Force and a graduate of Dechert’s Innovation Certificate Program, Mr. Snapp helps drive the firm’s efforts to improve the ways it partners with clients to solve their business and legal challenges. He is also a member of the Editorial Committee of the product liability and mass torts group’s newsletter, Dechert Re:Torts.

Mr. Snapp is a longtime member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and maintains an active pro bono practice. His recent pro bono activities include partnering with community organizations on voting issues, serving as lead trial counsel in a complex interstate child custody dispute, and representing indigent criminal defendants in trial court and appellate court proceedings. Mr. Snapp is among the Dechert attorneys recognized by the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights with its 2021 Law Firm Pro Bono Award.

Mr. Snapp is the Vice Chair of the DRI Drug and Medical Device (DMD) Committee, and previously served as the Program Chair of the DMD Committee’s annual Seminar and as the Chair of the Committee’s Complex Medicine/Experts Specialized Litigation Group. He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), which is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys representing corporate and insurance interests. He has also served on the Law360 Life Sciences Editorial Advisory Board.

A graduate of St. John’s University (B.S., 1990, cum laude) and the University of Minnesota Law School (J.D., 1995, cum laude), Mr. Snapp is a member of the Illinois, Florida and Minnesota state bars and the federal court bars in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, including the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Snapp taught English in Kyoto, Japan.

As a member of Dechert’s firmwide Innovation Task Force and a graduate of Dechert’s Innovation Certificate Program, Mr. Snapp helps drive the firm’s efforts to ...Continue Reading

GlaxoSmithKline in consumer class action, medical monitoring and product liability litigation alleging an increased risk of cancer.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer in public nuisance and consumer fraud litigation brought by state and local governments.
A global automotive supplier in a US DOJ fraud investigation involving product testing data.
AbbVie in testosterone replacement therapy product liability litigation.
Takata and TK Holdings Inc. in airbag inflator product liability litigation, including dozens of mediations and settlement negotiations.
A leading consumer goods manufacturer in product liability litigation and in consumer fraud class actions.
Wyeth and Pfizer in state and federal product liability cases involving hormone therapy medications.
Biomet in hip implant product liability litigation.
Medtronic in spinal rod implant product liability litigation.
Abbott Laboratories in nationwide state court and MDL consumer fraud class action litigation related to a joint venture’s pricing, sales and marketing practices.
A durable medical equipment manufacturer in federal and state criminal and civil investigations, and related consumer fraud class action litigation, focused on the manufacturer’s sales and contracting practices.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer in a False Claims Act federal investigation involving allegations of off- label promotion.
A consumer products manufacturer in an international internal investigation regarding allegations of tax fraud.
A sub-prime lender in an SEC investigation focused on the adequacy of the lender’s reserves and its loss disclosures.
The chairman/CEO of a sub-prime lender in an SEC investigation focused on the lender’s loan loss reserves and related disclosures.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

U.S. Supreme Court to Decide When Attorney-Client Communications That Contain “Hybrid” Legal and Business Advice Are Protected by the Attorney-Client Privilege - (February/March 2023)
FDA Issues Final Rule Clarifying Evidence of Off-Label Marketing - (August 09, 2021)
Drug Cos. May Find Real-World Evidence Cuts Both Ways - (April 15, 2020)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Business Impact: How the COVID-19 Pandemic May Impact New Product Liability Litigation and Trends - (April 01, 2020)
Running on Empty: A 10-Point Plan for the Aviation and Transportation Industry as It Meets the Challenges and Opportunities Presented by the COVID-19 Coronavirus Crisis - (March 31, 2020)
Science Days in Mass Torts - (August 06, 2019)
Dechert Detect - (February 06, 2019)
When A Compliance Crisis Presents An Opportunity - (April 24, 2018)
Self-Driving Uber Fatality Could Complicate Regulations - (April 03, 2018)
Plan for Success - Strategies to Win at Mediation - (March 14, 2018)
Digital Health Technology: A New Year and New FDA Guidance - (January 19, 2018)
Preview of Automated Vehicle Regulations in Germany - (September 07, 2017)
DOT Releases New Federal Guidance for Automated Driving Systems - (September 01, 2017)
House Committee Passes Self-Driving Vehicle Legislation - (August 24, 2017)
Chicago Proposes Pharma Rep Licensing Rules and Ethical Standards - (March 20, 2017)
Proposed Rules Pose Challenges For Pharma Reps In Chicago - (March 17, 2017)
What’s Next for the FDA’s Draft Social Media Guidances? - (December 08, 2014)
Comcast Turns 1: Trends In Class Certification - (March 06, 2014)
Public Comments on Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure - (February 14, 2014)
Recent Regulatory and Enforcement Actions: What Do They Mean for Your Compliance Efforts? - (April 16, 2013)
Mandatory Compliance with "Voluntary" Codes - (October 01, 2008)
The FDA’s Medical Reprint Policy - a Cautious Compromise - (August 01, 2008)

DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar — Nashville, TN (September 7-9, 2022)
Daubert Revisited: Examining Recent Proposed Amendments to Rule 702 and What They Could Mean for the Future of Drug and Device Litigation — ACI's 26th Annual Drug and Med Litigation Conference, New York, NY (December 7- 8, 2021)
DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar (April 29-30, 2021)
DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar (November 5-6, 2020)
DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar — Washington, D.C. (May 16-17, 2019)
DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar — New York (May 10, 2018)
Frye and Daubert Challenges –Motion Strategy and Medical Expert Testimony — Defense Lawyers of Wyoming Annual Meeting, Saratoga, WY (August 10, 2017)
Plan for Success: Mediation Strategies for Successfully Resolving Litigation — International Association of Defense Counsel Annual Meeting, Québec City, Québec Canada (July 11, 2017)
Social Media as a Catalyst to Products Liability Litigation? Delineating the Scope of Manufacturers' Duty vis-à-vis Internet Marketing and Presence — ACI's 19th Annual Drug and Med Litigation Conference, New York, NY (December 9, 2014)
Gatekeeper or Grim Reaper: Frye and Daubert Challenges –Motion Strategy and Medical Expert Testimony — DRI's 2014 Complex Medicine Seminar, San Diego, CA (November 13, 2014)
Minimizing the Risk of the Sales Force Crossing the Line — Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Company's Guide to Off-Label Communications Conference, Presented by the American Conference Institute, Philadelphia, PA (July 14, 2009)

Erik Snapp

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