Overview
For three decades, SDM has represented major pharmaceutical and medical device companies in product liability actions, government investigations, and Medicaid fraud litigation. We have worked on some of the nation’s largest mass tort product liability and personal injury actions starting with the breast implant and asbestos litigation. Most recently, a large portion of the firm’s practice is dedicated to product liability litigation involving pelvic mesh devices and antipsychotic medications.
With more than 15 attorneys actively involved in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Practice Group, SD&M offers the knowledge of a large national firm and the attention of a litigation boutique. We have experience with every aspect of mass tort litigation including serving as trial counsel in bellwether trials, identifying and developing expert witnesses, taking and defending fact and expert witness depositions, coordinating discovery, researching and drafting pleadings, and developing settlement matrices.
SD&M has the expertise and capacity to serve as both coordinating national counsel and local counsel. We work closely with our clients to ensure our efforts are streamlined, efficient, and effective.
Representative Matters:
Jury Trial— Malgorzata Krolikowski v. Ethicon Inc.— Kim Bueno served as trial counsel and helped secure a defense verdict for her clients in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 2019.
Jury Trial— Adkins v. Ethicon, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson— Kim Bueno served as trial counsel and helped secure a defense verdict for her clients in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2017.
Jury Trial— State of Texas v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., et al.— Steve McConnico and Kennon Wooten served as trial counsel on behalf of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, Travis County, Texas, January 2012.
Risperdal Litigation— Steve McConnico, Kennon Wooten and Ryan Squires serve as trial counsel for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in multiple state and federal products liability cases involving the antipsychotic medication Risperdal, including mass tort litigation involving thousands of plaintiffs.
Pelvic Mesh Litigation— Starting in 2012, SD&M attorneys have served as counsel for Ethicon, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson in state and federal litigation involving pelvic mesh products. Steve McConnico, Steve Wingard, Paige Amstutz, Cindy Saiter, John Ellis, Ryan Squires and Sara Clark have been engaged in fact and expert witness discovery in more than 200 pelvic mesh lawsuits in Multi-District Litigation in the Southern District of West Virginia. Additionally, Robyn Hargrove and Mary Byars have spearheaded the firm’s motion practice for more than 100 pelvic mesh cases. Their efforts have included drafting and responding to motions for summary judgment and motions to exclude expert witness opinions.
Jury Trial— Carol Cavness v. Ethicon, Inc., et al.— Kim Bueno assisted as counsel for defendants in a jury trial in Dallas County District Court, which resulted in a defense verdict for her clients, October 2015.
Relevant Articles and Links:
Guidelines for Mass Tort Aggregate Settlements in Texas, The Advocate, Winter 2016, vol. 77, Steve McConnico and Kim Bueno.