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, safety products, prescription drugs, and medical devices from beginning to end.
In the mass-tort realm, Stephen has deep experience in all facets of complex litigation, particularly in the context of virtual-firm, defense models. He presently serves as Coordinating Counsel for all litigation involving a recalled orthopedic product across the country. And he serves as Co-Coordinating Counsel for litigation involving a different recalled product with cases currently focused in the south and southeast.
In additional, Stephen regularly serves as a member of multi-firm, national trial teams. He is presently Trial Counsel for matters pending in California, Kentucky, Texas, and Louisiana, and has previously been part of trial teams for matters pending in Maryland, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Beyond his trial work and coordinating-counsel work, has been part of National Affirmative Discovery/Deposition teams, Company Witness teams, Experts/Science litigation teams, and Sales Representative Deposition teams in jurisdictions across the United States.
In Louisiana, Stephen has an active practice representing a variety of clients, including the role of lead defense counsel for a client with an inventory of hundreds of pending matters throughout the state. And, while Stephen appreciates the opportunity to rigorously defend his clients through trial, he recognizes that the best outcome for a client in many instances, if possible, is early resolution. To that end, Stephen is also a trained mediator and serves as a court-appointed neutral (mediator) for the Eastern District of Louisiana’s In re Hurricane Ida Claims Streamlined Settlement Program. He has been assigned (and has resolved) dozens of cases in this capacity and brings this perspective to defense practice for his clients.
Experience
National Coordinating Counsel for litigation involving recalled orthopedic product
Co-National Coordinating Counsel, MDL Trial Counsel, Expert/Science Team member, and Company-Witness Team member for nationwide litigation involving orthopedic products involving hundreds of cases in both federal MDL and in parallel state court litigation
Trial Counsel for safety-products manufacturer for matters pending in California, Kentucky, Louisiana, and other jurisdictions as needed.
National Science/Expert team member, Affirmative Discovery/Deposition team member, and Trial Team member in blood-thinner litigation involving thousands of cases across the country, in both MDL and parallel state-court proceedings
National Science/Expert team member and Trial Team member in national and international litigation involving recalled hip implant products, including developing experts in foreign jurisdictions for parallel international litigation and working with international counsel to prepare experts for trial
Member of multi-firm defense team responsible for dozens of sales representative depositions in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina in national pharmaceutical litigation
Member of multi-firm defense team responsible for hundreds of plaintiff depositions in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida in implant litigation MDL pending in Indiana.
Lead Louisiana Counsel and Trial Counsel for safety-products manufacturer with inventory of hundreds of pending cases in state
National Science/Expert Team member in multiple, additional litigations beyond the above, including those involving pelvic-mesh products, chemical products, contraceptive products, safety products, orthopedic screws, and other orthopedic implant products
Attendance and participation at dozens of product or wreckage inspections, including aircraft wreckage, train wreckage, premises inspections, electrical product inspections, vehicular inspections, and explanted medical devices inspections
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
Preparing company witnesses and 30(b)(6) witnesses for depositions and trial testimony in the mass-tort setting
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
Jury research, including both full trial presentations and focus-group presentations, in advance of trial in multiple states
Appointed by the Eastern District of Louisiana to serve on Panel of Neutrals collectively responsible for mediating thousands of matters participating in the In re Hurricane Ida Claims Streamlined Settlement Program (SSP)
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)
Trial Attorneys of America Workers Achievement Award (TAA WAA) (2022 recipient)
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, Former Publications Vice Chair of the Drug, Device, and Biotechnology Committee
- Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Chapter Board Member, Past CLE Committee Co-Chair, Past Chair of Younger Lawyers Division
- Trial Attorneys of America, Vice President, Executive Committee and Board of Directors
- New Orleans Bar Association, Past Chair of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Committee
- Defense Research Institute: Vice Chair Panel Counsel Meetings Program, Drug & Medical Device Committee, Past Chair of the Complex Medicine/ Experts Substantive Law Group
News
Publications & Presentations
Publications and Presentations
Practice Areas
Admissions
- Louisiana and Texas 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)