Lori G. Cohen Vice Chair, Greenberg Traurig LLP

Lori G. Cohen has a national litigation practice focusing on product liability litigation and specifically, medical device and pharmaceutical litigation. Lori is National Counsel for a medical device manufacturer, handling its litigation including class actions, multidistrict litigation, and trials nationally. She has served as both National Counsel and Regional Counsel for pharmaceutical and medical device companies and has expertise in mass tort, multidistrict and class action litigation. She also has vast experience in other products liability litigation and jury trials of all kinds. She has defended numerous health care providers, including physicians, hospitals and managed care entities nationwide.

Lori has obtained 56 defense verdicts at trial. During recent years, she obtained defense verdicts as a result of a two-month trial with $30 million in alleged damages involving a laser-resistant endotracheal tube against a medical device manufacturer; a three-month trial with $78 million in alleged damages against the world's leading manufacturer of pacemakers; a four-week trial with $20 million in alleged damages involving an implantable neurostimulation device; a four-week trial with $18 million in alleged damages involving three consolidated cases against the manufacturer of a continuous local anesthesia infusion drug pump; a three-week medical malpractice trial in which she represented OB/GYN clients; and a three-week medical malpractice trial for a hospital involving allegations of an overdose on a patient controlled analgesia (PCA) pump.

Lori has been profiled in Law360’s 2012 "Top Female Trial Attorneys," the Financial Times and The National Law Journal’s "Winning - Successful Strategies From Some of the Nation’s Top Litigators," a special report recognizing ten attorneys from across the U.S. She has been recognized by The National Law Journal as one of "The 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America." The National Law Journal has recognized two of her defense trial victories as "Top Defense Wins" in recent years, and she has been featured in The National Law Journal’s "Top 40 Under 40," which highlights the 40 most successful litigators under the age of 40 in the country. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, The Legal 500 United States, The Legal 500 "Leading Trial Lawyers," Chambers USA Guide, Outstanding Lawyers in America, The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, The International Who's Who of Life Science Lawyers, The International Who's Who of Products Liability Defense Lawyers, Georgia Trend's "Legal Elite" and Georgia Super Lawyers magazine, including "Top 10 Georgia Super Lawyers" (2013-2015), "Top 100 Georgia Super Lawyers" (2005-2015) and "Top 50 Female Georgia Super Lawyers" (2005-2015), and she is shortlisted in Euromoney Media Group’s Americas Women in Business Awards as one of the "Best in Life Sciences." Lori was one of a very small group of attorneys selected nationally for inclusion in the 2010-2015 editions of Chambers and Partners USA Guide's National Pharmaceutical Industry Products Liability Table.

Lori is highlighted for having a reputation for "using creative approaches to explain to lay jurors complex evidence." In addition to her vast trial experience, she has significant Daubert and scientific expertise with a number of her victories captured in published opinions. She has worked extensively on and lectured nationally regarding the use of technology in courtroom presentations of complex medical, scientific and other catastrophic injury cases.

Areas of Concentration:

  • Jury trials
  • Products liability and toxic tort litigation
  • Pharmaceutical and medical device litigation
  • Mass torts and multidistrict litigation
  • Class actions
  • Medical malpractice litigation
  • Automotive products liability

Professional & Community Involvement:

  • Chair, DRI Drug and Medical Device Annual Meeting, 2014
  • Member, American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Products Liability Committee
    • Co-Chair, Class Action Committee, Pharmaceutical and Health Law Subcommittee, 2008-2010
  • Editor for three national publications, Medical Malpractice Law & Strategy, Product Liability Law & Strategy and Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Law Bulletin
  • Board Member, Georgia Super Lawyers, Advisory Board, 2012
  • Member, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
  • Member, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Member, International Association of Defense Counsel
    • Former Vice Chair, Products Liability Committee
  • Member, Product Liability Advisory Council
  • Member, Defense Research Institute
    • Chair, Drug and Device Annual Meeting, 2014
    • Member, Drug and Device Steering Committee
    • Member, Industry-Wide Liability Committee
    • Member, Medical Liability Committee
    • Member, Products Liability Committee
  • Member, Atlanta Bar Association
  • Participant and Lecturer, Food & Drug Law Institute (FDLI)
  • Instructor, National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA)
  • Instructor, Emory University, Trial Techniques Program
  • Faculty Member, IADC's elite Trial Academy, 2000

Awards & Recognition:

  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2005-2015 Listed, "Lawyer of the Year," Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Litigation, Atlanta, 2014
  • Listed, "Lawyer of the Year," Medical Malpractice Law, Atlanta, 2012
  • Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers, 2003-2015 Listed, "Top 50 Female Lawyers in Georgia," 2007-2015
  • Listed, "Top 100 Lawyers in Georgia," 2007-2015
  • Listed, "Top 10 Lawyers in Georgia," 2013-2015
  • Listed, Chambers USA Guide, National - Products Liability & Mass Torts Law, 2007-2015 "Spotlight Table," Nationwide, Products Liability: Pharmaceutical, 2010-2015
  • Georgia, Litigation: General Commercial, 2009-2014
  • Nationwide, Products Liability & Mass Torts, 2007-2014
  • Listed, Lawdragon 500, "Leading Lawyers in America," 2013-2015
  • Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Litigation - Products Liability and Mass Tort Defense - Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2010-2015 Listed, "Leading Lawyers," 2012-2015
  • Listed, Law360, "Trial Aces," 2015
  • Listed, Benchmark Litigation, "Top 250 Women in Litigation - Georgia," 2015
  • Listed, Euromoney's Expert Guides: Women in Business Law, "Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law," 2014
  • Short-Listed, "Best in Life Sciences," American Women in Business Law Awards, IFLR/Euromoney, 2014
  • Listed, LMG Life Sciences, "Life Science Star," 2012-2014
  • Listed, The International Who's Who of Life Sciences Lawyers, 2008-2014
  • Listed, The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defense Lawyers, 2003-2014
  • Team Member, Fulton County Daily Report’s "Georgia Litigation Department of the Year," Products Liability & Mass Torts, 2013
  • Shortlisted, Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Americas Women in Business Law Awards, "Best in Life Sciences," 2013
  • Listed, Georgia Trend magazine "Legal Elite," 2008-2013
  • Listed, Expert Guides, "Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law," Euromoney Institutional Investor, 2012
  • Selected, a Law360 "Top Female Trial Attorney," May 2012
  • Recipient, The AmLaw Litigation Daily, "Litigator of the Week," March 8, 2012
  • Team Member, a Law360 "Product Liability Practice Group of the Year," 2011
  • Featured, The National Law Journal, "Winning - Successful Strategies from Some of the Nation's Top Litigators," a special report recognizing ten attorneys across the nation, 2008
  • Listed, Guide to the World's Leading Product Liability Lawyers, 2007-2008
  • Listed, Who's Who Legal: Product Liability, Georgia, 2007
  • Listed, Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, 2007
  • Selected, The National Law Journal, "50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America," 2007
  • Listed, The Outstanding Lawyers of America, 2003-2007
  • Listed, The National Law Journal, "Top 40 Under 40," 2003
  • Recognized, The National Law Journal, "Top Defense Wins," for two defense trial victories, 1999-2000
  • Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5

Experience:

  • Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation
  • Products Liability
  • Litigation
  • Class Actions
  • Life Sciences & Medical Technology
  • Health & FDA Business

Education:

  • J.D., with distinction, Emory University School of Law, 1990
  • B.A., cum laude, Duke University, 1987

Admitted to Practice:

  • Georgia
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle Districtof Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Languages:

  • Spanish, Conversational

Significant Representations:

Representative Trials

  • Obtained a complete defense verdict following a four-week trial in October 2010 in a case involving the consolidation of three products liability cases pleading strict liability and negligence related to a continuous infusion pain pump manufactured by our client. Plaintiffs sought approximately $18 million in compensatory damages and punitive damages.
  • Obtained a defense verdict as a result of a three-week trial in a multimillion-dollar action brought by the husband and estate of the patient who had suffered severe brain damage as a result of a sudden respiratory arrest following orthopedic surgery. Plaintiff claimed that the patient’s respiratory arrest was caused by the negligence of the nurse and the orthopedic surgeon in allegedly overmedicating the patient and failing to monitor the patient appropriately while the patient was on a morphine Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump.
  • Obtained a defense verdict as a result of a three-month, $78 million trial against the world’s leading manufacturer of implantable defibrillators. The action was filed as a result of severe neurological injuries sustained by a 14-year-old girl that were allegedly caused by a company sales representative’s statements to a physician. The case involved novel legal issues related to sales representative liability in the context of learned intermediary and failure to warn claims.
  • Obtained a defense verdict as a result of a three-week trial, representing OB/GYN clients in a medical malpractice action. The action involved the birth of a brain damaged baby who was determined to have suffered an infection, transmitted from the mother, that left the child suffering from cerebral palsy.

Additional Significant Representations

  • National counsel for worldwide medical device manufacturer related to a variety of medical devices, including defibrillators, pacemakers, infusion pumps, insulin pumps, neurological stimulation products and orthopedic implants.
  • National counsel for global manufacturer of orthopedic medical devices in various products liability cases involving spinal implant devices.
  • National and local counsel in products liability action involving a prescription antibiotic that allegedly resulted in Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and associated complications.
  • National trial counsel for medical device manufacturer defending products liability claims across the country related to continuous infusion pain pump medical devices.
  • National counsel for a medical device manufacturer defending products liability claims across the country related to the company’s medical devices, including endometrial ablation systems and bone densitometers.
  • National counsel for a medical device manufacturer handling product liability claims in jurisdictions throughout the country related to medical products, including endovascular stents, surgical mesh devices and sutures.
  • National counsel for a pharmaceutical company in more than 25 cases nationwide involving alleged Stevens-Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis injuries associated with a prescription anti-convulsant medication.
  • Preferred provider for two Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies.
  • National counsel for a Fortune 100 multinational pharmaceutical company in products liability, regulatory, and government investigations matters related to a major prescription pharmaceutical product. This representation includes selection as trial counsel in multiple existing products liability actions involving this product and advising on regulatory and pre-litigation matters regarding the products.

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