Bio

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.

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

Honors & Affiliations

Honors & Recognitions

AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell rating

Louisiana Super Lawyer

Best Lawyers in America: Product Liability Litigation - Defendants; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Litigation – Labor and Employment (2016-2022)

Tulane Moot Court Board

Best Oralist Team, Saul Lefkowitz National Appellate Moot Court Competition

Judicial Extern, Honorable Stanwood R. Duval, Jr., United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana

Professional Affiliations

  • International Association of Defense Counsel, Publications Vice Chair of the Drug, Device, and Biotechnology Committee
  • Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Chapter Board Member, CLE Committee Co-Chair, Past Chair of Younger Lawyers Division
  • Trial Attorneys of America, Board of Directors
  • New Orleans Bar Association, Past Chair of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Committee
  • Defense Research Institute: Drug & Medical Device Committee, Chair of the Complex Medicine/ Experts Substantive Law Group

News

Publications & Presentations

Publications

  • New Orleans Bar Association CLE on MDLs

    Publication
    September 3, 2020
  • Alexa, Am I Liable? Products Liability Implications of Innovative Products

    2020 Environmental & Energy, Mass Torts, and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint Regional CLE Program, Snowmass Village, CO

    Publication
    January 31, 2020
  • Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) Membership Meeting, New York, NY

    Publication
    December 5, 2019
  • IADC Drug, Device and Biotechnology Committee Newsletter

    Publication
    October 2019
  • Tips for Young Lawyers on Identifying and Working with Expert Witnesses

    ABA Section of Litigation Webinar

    Publication
    July 10, 2019
  • "Open the Pod Bay Doors HAL": Product Liability Implications of Product Innovations

    IADC Annual Meeting, Asheville, NC

    Publication
    July 8, 2019
  • Sales and Marketing on Trial in Pharma and Medical Device Litigation

    Trial Attorneys of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL

    Publication
    June 13, 2019
  • The Brave New World of Product Innovations: Liabilities, Risks, and Recalls

    PLAC Spring Conference, New Orleans, LA

    Publication
    May 2, 2019
  • American Bar Association Regional CLE Program: Current Issues in Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Biotech Litigation, North Wales, PA

    Publication
    November 9, 2018
  • 3D Printing Potential Product Liability Issues

    ACI Legal, Regulatory, and Business conference on 3D Printing, Chicago, IL

    Publication
    June 14, 2018
  • The Increased Focus on Detail Representative Discovery in Pharma and Medical Device Litigation

    Trial Attorneys of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL

    Publication
    June 7, 2018
  • 3D Printing: Limitless Potential but Not Without Risk

    SFIA Research Thought Leadership Webinar

    Publication
    July 18, 2017
  • ACI Drug & Medical Device Conference, New York, NY

    Publication
    December 6, 2016
  • IADC Annual Meeting, Southampton, Bermuda

    Publication
    July 11, 2016
  • Best Lawyers Business Edition

    Publication
    Summer 2016
  • A Disruptive Technology: How Will 3D Printing Alter the Products-Liability Landscape?

    Trial Attorneys of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL

    Publication
    June 10, 2016
  • The Impact of Plaintiffs' Lawyer Advertising on Mass Tort Litigation

    DRI Product Liability Conference, New Orleans, LA

    Publication
    February 2, 2016
  • The Impact of Plaintiffs' Lawyer Advertising on Mass Tort Litigation

    Trial Attorneys of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL

    Publication
    June 11, 2015
  • Current Regulatory and Liability Issues for Drug Compounding

    New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinators' Programs

    Publication
    December 2013
  • Trial Graphics

    New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinators' Programs

    Publication
    December 2011
  • 2014 Products Liability Case Law Update for U.S. Fifth Circuit

    DRI Product Liability Seminar, Las Vegas, NV

    Publication
    February 6, 2015
  • Pleading Products-Liability Claims in the Post-Twombly/Iqbal Era

    New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinators' Programs

    Publication
    December 2014
  • DRI RX For the Defense

    Publication
    January 30, 2015
  • Mass Torts Journal, American Bar Association, Vol. 4, No. 1

    Publication
    Winter/ Spring 2006
  • For the Defense

    Publication
    February 2014

Admissions

  • Louisiana state courts
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana

Education

J.D., Tulane University Law School (2005)

B.S.E., Engineering Science and Philosophy, Tulane University (2002)

International Association of Defense Counsel's Trial Academy, Stanford Law School (2010)

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