HOUSTON – Bolstered by the largest verdict delivered in the U.S. in 2018, The Lanier Law Firm has received the 2019 Elite Trial Lawyers Award in the area of Product Liability Litigation. The firm was recognized in the competitive category with two others.
The award was given by the editors and reporters from American Lawyer Media and The National Law Journal, honoring lawyers and law firms demonstrating exemplary performance across more than 20 practice area categories. The 2019 winners, based on more than 300 nominees, were announced at the Elite Trial Lawyers ceremony on July 18 in New York City.
The Lanier Law Firm’s $4.69 billion trial win on behalf of 22 women who alleged that decades of daily use of Johnson & Johnson’s asbestos-laden talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer was cited as the basis for the honor, together with a solid track record of client wins over the past five years.
While there have been other trials in which juries have determined that talc products tainted with asbestos caused mesothelioma cancer, this case marked the first such verdict in the United States based on ovarian cancer diagnoses. Jurors heard evidence that Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower brands have been laced with asbestos for decades, challenging representations J&J made to the Food and Drug Administration and other national and international agencies.
During the past three years the firm has also secured three verdicts totaling nearly $2 billion on behalf of multiple people who suffered serious medical complications caused by defective hip implant devices made by Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, DePuy Orthopaedics.
“It’s always gratifying to be recognized for significant results on behalf of our clients,” said Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm. “The evidence supporting this particular verdict is leading to broader public awareness of the inherent dangers of talcum powder use, as well as governmental investigations of the industry and the known presence of asbestos in consumer talc products. This story is far from over.”
The Lanier Law Firm has offices in Houston, New York, Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. For close to 30 years, the firm has worked tirelessly to find unique solutions to its clients’ unique needs. The firm is composed of more than 60 skilled attorneys, practicing in a broad array of areas, including business fraud, asbestos exposure, personal injury, commercial litigation, and others.
