Winning Mass Torts: Strategies for Defending High-Stakes Litigation

Christopher G. Campbell | DLA Piper LLP

Chris Campbell is the Chair of DLA Piper’s Product Liability and Mass Tort practice group, which is among the world’s largest and most award-winning team of product liability defense counsel. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Chris has 20 years’ experience in all phases of mass tort, class action, and other complex commercial litigation, including trying cases and arguing appeals. He has served as global, national, and trial counsel for many global companies in the life sciences, food and beverage, automotive, and insurance sectors. In addition, Chris also advises clients on regulatory, communications, and other strategic matters with the potential to impact the clients’ business interests or reputations.

Clients say of Chris: “He is great. Period.” Others praise the quality of his strategic advice and devotion to client service as “truly indispensable” to their teams, noting their gratitude for “all the help (almost around the clock!) and good advice.” The Legal 500 United States has repeatedly recognized Chris, noting that he “commands respect.” Law360 selected Chris as a “Rising Star” in the area of product liability, citing his “knack for breaking down difficult science into concepts” and “creativity and unorthodox tactics” that “have set him apart.”

Chris regularly speaks and writes on the topics of product liability, mass torts, and class action litigation, as well as the attorney-client privilege, expert witnesses, pharmacovigilance, trial tactics, and other topics.

Antonious E. Sadek, PharmD. | DLA Piper

Tony Sadek is a pharmacist and associate in DLA Piper’s Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Product Stewardship group. He focuses his practice on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, mass torts, product liability, and regulatory issues. As a pharmacist, Tony served as pharmacy practicing consulting to clients. After law school, Tony clerked for mass tort judges at both the federal and state level. Prior to joining DLA Piper, Tony worked at an expert witness company, connecting law firms to experts who meet their case needs.

I. Defining and narrowing mass tort claims at the pleading stage | 1:00pm – 1:30pm

II. Designing affirmative discovery to balance the disclosure obligations on both sides | 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

III. Identifying dispositive legal, expert, and other issues and getting them heard early | 2:10pm – 2:30pm

IV. Bellwether case selection and trial strategies | 2:30pm – 2:50pm

V. Federal, state, and global coordination | 2:50pm – 3:10pm