
-
Pharmaceutical Experience
- Pfizer in a California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding involving thousands of cases that alleged that Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering medication, causes diabetes. Obtained the exclusion of plaintiffs' general causation experts under Sargon Enterprises, Inc. v. University of Southern California, 55 Cal. 4th 747 (2012).
- GlaxoSmithKline LLC in a California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding where it is alleged that Zantac, an acid-reducing medication, causes various forms of cancer.
- GlaxoSmithKline LLC in a federal multi-district litigation in the Southern District of Florida involving Zantac, an acid-reducing medication, and product liability claims, class actions, and requests for medical monitoring. Serves as a member of the MDL Court’s Leadership Development Committee.
- Purdue Pharma as national counsel in lawsuits in a federal MDL and in state courts across the country concerning its prescription opioid pain medications, OxyContin, including cases filed by State Attorneys General.
- Allergan in the Southern District of New York in product liability cases involving claims that maternal use of an antidepressant during pregnancy causes autism in children. Obtained the exclusion of plaintiffs’ general causation experts under Federal Rule of Evidence 702. Daniels-Feasel v. Forest Pharms., Inc., 2021 WL 4037820 (S.D.N.Y. 2021). Secured affirmance of the win in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Daniels-Feasel v. Forest Pharms., Inc., 2023 WL 4837521 (2d Cir. July 28, 2023).
- Pfizer in an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit involving thousands of cases that alleged that Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering medication, causes diabetes. Obtained the affirmance of the exclusion of plaintiffs' general causation experts under Daubert and summary judgment for the company in all cases. See In re Lipitor (Atorvastatin Calcium) Mktg., Sales Practices & Prod. Liab. Litig. (No II) MDL 2502, 892 F.3d 624, 631 (4th Cir. 2018).
- Pfizer in federal multi-district litigation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania involving claims that maternal use of an antidepressant, Zoloft, during pregnancy causes birth defects. Obtained the exclusion of plaintiffs' general causation of experts under Daubert and summary judgment summary judgment for the company in all cases, and also secured the affirmance of these decisions in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In re Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Prod. Liab. Litig., 858 F.3d 787 (3d Cir. 2017); In re Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Prod. Liab. Litig., 2015 WL 7776911 (E.D. Pa. 2015); In re Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Prod. Liab. Litig., 26 F. Supp. 3d 449 (E.D. Pa. 2014).
Other Products Liability Experience
- 3M in a federal multi-district litigation in the Northern District of Florida that has been characterized as the largest MDL in history, where plaintiffs allege that an earplug sold to the U.S. military causes hearing loss and other injuries.
- Intuitive Surgical, Inc. at trial in Washington Superior Court involving the da Vinci, a robotic surgical device. This was the first products liability trial in the country involving the da Vinci.
- Washington Legal Foundation in the U.S. Supreme Court as counsel of record on amicus briefs in products liability cases concerning Rule 702 and the admissibility of expert testimony, and the application of non-mutual, offensive collateral estoppel in MDLs.
Class Action Experience
- GlaxoSmithKline LLC in a putative, nationwide class action filed in the Northern District of California that involves claims that Chapstick products were misleadingly labeled as “100% Natural” and containing “Naturally Sourced Ingredients.”
- High-technology company in a putative, nationwide class action filed in the Northern District of California that involved consumer electronics and claims of misleading marketing and for medical monitoring. Obtained summary judgment on all claims based on federal preemption.
- High-technology company in putative, nationwide class actions filed in the Northern and Central Districts of California that involving claims that an app disclosed consumers’ private data, in breach of contract and in violation of various privacy laws.
Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.
-
- Law360 – “Rising Star” in Products Liability (2022)
- The American Lawyer – “Young Lawyer of the Year” finalist (2022)
- Daily Journal – “Top 40 Under 40” (2022)
- The Recorder – "Lawyer on the Fast Track" (2022)
-
Daily Journal - Autonomous vehicles: the new frontier in products liability automotive litigation
Thomson Reuters - Product Liability Breach of Warranty Claims: California
Thomson Reuters - Product Liability Negligence Claims: California
Thomson Reuters - Product Liability Strict Liability Claims: California
Thomson Reuters – Drafting and Exchanging Exhibit Lists for a Federal Civil Trial
Thomson Reuters - Presenting and Handling Exhibits in a Civil Trial
Law360 – 9th Circ. Jurisdiction Ruling Guides On Class Action Strategy
Bloomberg News – Making Partner in a Pandemic: Dechert’s Jonathan Tam
Daily Journal – Federal court: Expert’s testimony doomed by misuse of data
-
- ABA’s Current Issues in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation Conference, Panel on “Hot Topics in Products Liability Litigation” (Nov. 14, 2013).
- Knowledge Group’s Product Liability: Practical Tips and Strategies in Handling Multiple Fronts of Litigation (Apr. 30, 2020).
Offices
San Francisco
One Bush Street, Suite 1600, San Francisco, CA, United States of America 94104-4446-
+1 415 262 4518
-
+1 415 262 4555
New York
Three Bryant Park, 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, United States of America 10036-6797-
+1 646 731 6172
-
+1 212 698 3599
Industries
Education
- University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 2004, with Distinction
- Duke University School of Law, J.D., 2009
Admission
- California
- New York