Products Liability

Champions for products

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Overview

With billions of dollars in actual and reputational damages on the line, the world’s most iconic brands turn to MG+M to help them defend their most complex products liability cases. Working in all 50 states, and at every level of state and federal courts, we develop novel, successful strategies that minimize risk and avoid liability.

Diverse experience, united front
Our experience spans a wide array of consumer and industrial products, including automobiles, engines, food products, heavy equipment, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, power tools, recreational vehicles, and sailboats. While each of our offices can independently handle any products liability matter, we freely share institutional knowledge and resources across our entire firm. This unified approach creates efficiencies, innovation, and success for our clients.

Courtroom veterans
MG+M is a firm of true trial attorneys, all with thousands of hours of experience arguing cases before judges and juries. Although the vast majority of our cases resolve before trial, if yours does not you can be confident that we are prepared to take it all the way through to verdict.

First-hand intelligence
We believe the key to understanding a product (and its potential liability) is understanding how it is made and used. Through our work in cases nationwide, we’ve become skilled at learning from inventors, engineers, mechanics, longshoremen, construction workers, and others who have hands-on experience with the products at issue. We go onsite to meet with them and to examine manufacturing processes and construction sites up close. These boots-on-the-ground investigations often uncover information that is pivotal in defending and resolving cases.

Out-of-the-box strategies
MG+M is a national thought leader in the defense of complex products liability actions. Our creative strategies run the gamut from challenging witness credibility and product identification, to taking advantage of differences in the laws of varying jurisdictions. We search for every possible advantage, and are unafraid to develop and pursue novel approaches—to the frequent benefit of our clients.

Team
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4671
Gregory M.
Alvarez
galvarez@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Los Angeles
213 694 4216
Garth W.
Aubert
gaubert@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2806
Mary Katherine
Back
mback@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4993
Alexander J.
Baker
abaker@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2310
Raghu
Bandlamudi
rbandlamudi@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8525
Stephanie M.
Batchelder
sbatchelder@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5224
John D.
Beckham
jbeckham@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 535 2869
Vikram S.
Bhatia
vbhatia@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1148
Alex P.
Blair
ablair@mgmlaw.com
Managing Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6802
Amaryah K.
Bocchino
abocchino@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 620 3044
Alexandra D.
Bourbon
abourbon@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 657 2100
Ryan W.
Browning
rbrowning@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4994
Pamela R.
Budreau
pbudreau@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8574
Joseph S.
Bussiere
jbussiere@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3444
Amanda R.
Cachaldora
acachaldora@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1156
Michael H.
Cantieri
mcantieri@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
212 364 2301
Uri S.
Carni
ucarni@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2302
Bernadette W.
Catalana
bcatalana@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
212 364 2315
Joseph
Celotto
jcelotto@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3416
Raúl J.
Chacón Jr.
rchacon@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8506
Stephanie M.
Chesney
schesney@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3414
Melanie E.
Chung-Tims
mchungtims@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6800
Jason A.
Cincilla
jcincilla@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3419
Susan J.
Cole
scole@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2874
Natasha A.
Corb
ncorb@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2805
Jennifer A.
Cormier
jcormier@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Providence
401 443 2102
Kenneth R.
Costa
kcosta@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 754 2488
Anthony
Danhelka
adanhelka@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8621
Erika
Doherty
edoherty@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3442
Jonathan
Dunleavy
jdunleavy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
618 607 5304
David J.
Fisher
dfisher@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 694 4204
John
Flynn
jflynn@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
337 842 2500
David R.
Frohn
dfrohn@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
769 280 1340
Christian H.
Gannon
CGannon@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 947 1300
David M.
Glaspy
dglaspy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 947 1300
Mary Kay
Glaspy
mglaspy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3415
Kaylin S.
Grey
kgrey@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8519
Brian D.
Gross
bgross@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Providence
401 443 2106
Kevin W.
Hadfield
khadfield@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2763
Stephen V.
Harrington
sharrington@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Hattiesburg
601 255 0259
Adam
Hays
ahays@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8521
John T.
Hugo
jhugo@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2311
Anna
Hwang
ahwang@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1158
William R.
Irwin
wirwin@mgmlaw.com
Of Counsel
Los Angeles
213 694 4214
Charles W.
Jenkins
cjenkins@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8522
Tracy A.R.
Jolly
tjolly@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3423
Katherine
Kaplan
kkaplan@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
415 527 2828
Brent M.
Karren
bkarren@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 929 1907
Alan
Khlevnoy
akhlevnoy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3412
Rebecca
Kibbe
rkibbe@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1157
Timothy L.
Krippner
tkrippner@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5323
Elizabeth
Kurowski Quante
equante@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8304
Caroline B.
Lapish
clapish@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6804
William B.
Larson, Jr.
wlarson@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3447
Monika
Ledlova
mledlova@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2802
Carrie S.
Lin
clin@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Wilmington
302 504-6806
Irina N.
Luzhatsky
iluzhatsky@mgmlaw.com
Associate
San Francisco
415 527 2782
Kelley T.
Mahoney
kmahoney@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8334
Kelly Martin
Malone
KMalone@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8800
John B.
Manning
jmanning@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3417
Gustavo A.
Martínez Tristani
gmartinez@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
504 799 0504
Chris O.
Massenburg
cmassenburg@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8516
Daniel P.
McCarthy
dmccarthy@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4669
Sean C.
McGah
smcgah@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8559
Jeffrey C.
McLucas
jmclucas@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8545
Michael F.
McVinney
mmcvinney@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
769 280 1341
Joel
Merchant
jmerchant@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2801
Anthony S.
Miller
amiller@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8303
Marissa L.
Morte
mmorte@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8504
Ryan M.
Murphy
rmurphy@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
617 670 8411
Jessica L.
Naegely
jnaegely@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1163
John D.
Nafar
jnafar@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 929 1900
Carolina
Nunez
cnunez@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3426
Emma
Nunn
enunn@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 929 1906
Chris S.
Pacetti
CPacetti@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Walnut Creek
925 953 9906
Lauren A.
Pagan
lpagan@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 953 9918
Rupa
Patel
rpatel@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3421
Lucia V.
Pazos
lpazos@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8433
Katharine S.
Perry
kperry@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3413
Russell M.
Pfeifer
rpfeifer@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 754 2496
Daniel J.
Powell
dpowell@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 947 1300
Carlos K.
Poza
cpoza@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2300
Arian
Prelvukaj
aprelvukaj@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617-670-8324
Joseph
Prive
jprive@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1149
Megha
Rana
MRana@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 620 3043
Mary A.
Reed
mreed@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5325
Justin A.
Reinhardt
jreinhardt@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 620 3054
Danielle M.S.
Riera
driera@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2880
Jeanette S.
Riggins
jriggins@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4676
Ryan L.
Rystad
rrystad@mgmlaw.com
Associate
San Francisco
415 527 2781
Carmen D.
Sandgren
csandgren@mgmlaw.com
Of Counsel
Walnut Creek
925 953 9913
Michael C.
Scanlon Jr.
mscanlon@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 694 4203
Dane W.
Schrader
dwschrader@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8502
Jordan L.
Schwindt
jschwindt@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3424
Stephanie M.
Selman
sselman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2879
Meghan B.
Senter
msenter@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 754 2486
Nathaniel
Spilman
nspilman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5305
Kyler H.
Stevens
kstevens@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
618 607 5328
Kevin M.
Stockmann
kstockmann@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
972 421 0112
Todd
Suddleson
tsuddleson@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Irvine
949 892 4703
Karen M.
Sullivan
ksullivan@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
(212) 364-2319
Ryan
Sweeney
rsweeney@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 799 0502
Max
Swetman
mswetman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8535
Jonathan F.
Tabasky
jtabasky@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 799 0505
Brandie M.
Thibodeaux
bthibodeaux@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4992
Mark I.
Tivin
mtivin@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1155
Christopher K.
Triska
ctriska@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Irvine
949 892 4702
Tina
Van Dam
tvandam@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Los Angeles
213 694 4206
Lindsay
Weiss
lweiss@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8528
Jennifer A.
Whelan
jwhelan@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Wilmington
302-504-6786
Yuhanna V.
Whye
ywhye@mgmlaw.com
Experience

Convinced a severely injured plaintiff to voluntarily dismiss his action against a global product manufacturer by developing evidence that a) the plaintiff would be unable to prove our client manufactured the product at issue; and b) the plaintiff’s employer misused the product. 

Convinced an insurer not to file a potentially multi-million dollar subrogation claim against a machine-tool company by conducting an investigation that showed the machine at issue failed due to user error, not product defect.

Obtained a defense verdict in favor of our clients in a product defect case. Plaintiffs claimed that various problems they experienced when painting their home were due to defects in the paint. At trial, we successfully elicited crucial admissions from plaintiffs regarding their failure to follow the paint's clear application instructions. Additionally, through our witness and separately through plaintiffs’ concessions, we established that issues with their contractor’s drywall texture work were the likely cause of plaintiffs’ damages. Agreeing that plaintiffs failed to meet their burden to show a defect, the court entered judgment in favor of our clients, saving not only the cost of a verdict, but also attorney’s fees and costs, which are recoverable under Louisiana law.

Negotiated the tender of defense and indemnification from the insurer for our client, an industrial jack manufacturer, to the actual manufacturer of the jacks involved in a fatal construction site accident.  Upon receiving the case we immediately went onsite to evaluate potential risk and gather information about the jacks, their operation and the warnings provided to users, which helped us convince the other manufacturer’s insurer to accept the tender.

Obtained a complete defense verdict in a product liability and personal injury action in San Mateo County, California, for our client, a manufacturer of recreational vehicles. The decision came after four days of trial cross examination of the plaintiff's causation expert. As a result of not finding the plaintiff's expert to be credible, the court entered a judgment, including costs, in favor of our client, the sole defendant at trial. Obtained a summary judgment dismissal from the First Circuit Louisiana Court of Appeal, reversing a prior denial of summary judgment by the trial court. This product liability case concerned a motorcycle helmet which allegedly came off plaintiff's head during a collision. The court held that plaintiff had failed to produce factual support sufficient to establish whether our client was the deemed manufacturer of the helmet within a particular definition of manufacturer under the Louisiana Products Liability Act.

Obtained complete dismissal of seven-figure claims against a chemical manufacturer by a downstream seller whose product repeatedly failed due to alleged defects in a component our client supplied. We successfully removed the case to federal court and moved to dismiss based on a federal doctrine that prohibits recovery in tort when a product defect causes damage to the product itself, resulting in economic loss, but does not cause personal injury or damage to other property.

Obtained dismissal for two clients in a case that was pending at the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. On behalf of one client, the court granted a motion to dismiss for improper service and lack of personal jurisdiction. MG+M navigated a voluntary dismissal for its other client through the discovery process by demonstrating, based on the evidence, that the client was not liable for the product at issue.

Won summary judgment on behalf of a construction equipment manufacturer in a low-shares asbestos action governed by Kansas substantive law, arguing successfully that the Kansas Product Liability Act implies a “bare metal defense” to bar liability for allegedly injury-causing component parts manufactured and sold exclusively by third parties.

Successfully moved for severance and judgment on the pleadings in an action against a global specialty pharmaceutical company by analyzing the judicial pool, negotiating a proposed list of judges who would be inclined to consider our severance and preemption motions, and convincing the court to assign the cases to one such judge.

Insights