With MDL 2657 gearing up, nearly 200 Zofran lawsuits have been transferred to Boston. The claims are now filed in the US District Court for Massachusetts, and will continue together through pre-trial proceedings under the watchful eye of the Honorable F. Dennis Saylor IV, a Harvard Law grad and Assistant US Attorney for Massachusetts.
Last week, we reported on Saylor’s first five official court orders for the MDL. They were largely logistical bits of housekeeping. Saylor set up a master list for all court filings and allowed attorneys to call in for status conferences, rather than requiring their appearance in person. He also told GlaxoSmithKline, whose anti-nausea drug Zofran has been accused of causing birth defects, that it doesn’t have to answer any complaints yet.
Attorneys Working With Monheit Law Will Head Up Zofran MDL
Saylor’s 3rd order, however, could prove more interesting in the coming months. It will certainly have a drastic effect on the litigation’s progress, guiding its general trajectory along with the evidence and legal arguments Plaintiffs choose to pursue.
Since so many parents believe Zofran caused their children’s birth defects, numerous attorneys from across the country have become involved in the growing litigation. To streamline the process, Saylor has appointed a number of attorneys to serve as Lead, Co-Lead and Liaison counsel for the hundreds of families who have, and will in the future, file Zofran lawsuits.
Two of these distinguished lawyers have worked with Monheit Law for months to investigate and file birth defect claims against GlaxoSmithKline.
Elizabeth Graham, Esq.
Appointed as Co-Lead Counsel, Elizabeth Graham serves as director at the Delaware-based law firm of Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. Beth leads their complex pharmaceutical litigation practice, making her an excellent choice to handle substantive matters for the families who have filed Zofran lawsuits.
For 26 years, Beth has devoted her practice to mass torts, including Multi-District Litigations similar to the Zofran MDL. She’s taken on major hip prostheses manufacturing companies, as well as Honda Motor Corp.
Thus far, Beth has worked closely with Monheit Law to pursue justice for the families who believe they were harmed by Zofran. Find more information on Beth’s experience on Grant & Eisenhofer‘s website.
Robert K. Jenner, Esq.
Another member of Monheit Law’s alliance of Zofran attorneys, Robert K. Jenner has been appointed by the court as liaison counsel in the MDL. As such, he’ll handle mainly administrative matters, including communication between the court and other attorneys.
With over three decades of experience, Robert has represented patients nationwide in numerous dangerous drug cases. He is a Partner at the national, and nationally-recognized, law firm of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC.
You can learn more about Robert’s legal career here.
Kimberly Dougherty, Esq.
Appointed along with Robert Jenner as Liaison Counsel, Kimberly Dougherty is another Partner at Janet, Jenner & Suggs. Kimberly serves as the firm’s Managing Attorney in Boston, where she has gained valuable experience litigating complex mass torts involving dangerous pharmaceutical products.
In 2014, Kimberly was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for an MDL that involved outbreaks of meningitis caused by a contaminated steroid supplement. Her work led to a $100 million settlement for clients injured by the product.
Kimberly Barone Baden, Esq.
Serving as Co-Lead Counsel along with Elizabeth Graham, Kimberly Barone Baden is a Member at national law firm Motley Rice LLC.
Representing patients injured by pharmaceutical products, Kimberly serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Zoloft MDL, in which hundreds of parents have claimed that an antidepressant caused birth defects. Like Zofran, Zoloft is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
Tobias Millrood, Esq.
A Partner at Philadelphia’s Pogust, Braslow & Millrood, LLC, Tobi Millrood rounds out Saylor’s selections for Co-Lead Counsel.
Bringing 18 years of experience to the table, Tobi has dedicated the last 10 years of his practice to pursuing hormone therapy lawsuits. In fact, he was the first US attorney to file one, and currently serves as Liaison Counsel in a hormone therapy MDL consolidated in Philadelphia.
Follow the link to find more information on Tobi’s legal career.
Saylor’s Order also says that other attorneys will be appointed to a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee. This team of lawyers will lead in discovery, gathering valuable evidence to build Plaintiffs’ case against GlaxoSmithKline.
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