Jeffrey B. Shapiro

Over the years, Jeff’s defense of products liability claims has included representations of manufacturers and distributors in a multitude of lawsuits across the country, in both state and federal court.

Select defense representations include:

• A chemical manufacturer in multi-party litigation alleging wrongful death and injury to scores of children who had ingested a medication which included an ingredient furnished by the foreign-based client and its wholly-owned subsidiary. Ultimately, after years of discovery and appeals (both in state and federal court), both the parent and subsidiary were dismissed.
• A TV maker accused of deceptive trade practices in the marketing of its product. Summary judgment granted.
• Medical device and drug manufacturers in multiple cases involving claims such as defective design and inadequate warnings. As an example, in a federal lawsuit involving a pain pump, Jeff and his team obtained summary judgment (a Daubert-based motion was the springboard) in district court and the ruling was affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Jeff has served as lead and local counsel in a number of class action matters over the last 25 years for national and international clients.

Select defense representations include:

• A retailer in a class action case in federal court alleging Truth in Lending Act violations. The class consisted of 585,000 members. Resolved by settlement with limited remedies and damages afforded to the class members.
• A biologics maker involved in MDL and attempted state-wide class certification over a 10-year period. MDL resulted in settlement of approximately 6,000 claims. The attempt at class certification, in which Jeff was lead counsel, was denied.
• A plastic pipe manufacturer in an attempted class certification alleging thousands of feet of plastic pipe were incompatible and therefore defective as part of a fire safety system. Class certification was abandoned.

There have been a variety of matters where Jeff and his team have successfully defended a variety of clients in matters involving fire and chemicals.

Select defense representations include:

• A construction/engineering firm faced allegations that a flame arrestor that was part of a wastewater treatment plant allegedly malfunctioned, resulting in three deaths (burns) and one surviving burn victim. Over a three-year period, the client was able to whittle away the claims to the point where settlement was obtained well within policy limits.
• An ingredient manufacturer facing allegations that the incorporation of its product into a fuel gel contributed to severe burn injuries suffered by multiple users across the country. Serving as local counsel, Jeff led the team in these matters, including a mock jury trial where he acted as lead defense counsel (three of the four mock juries awarded a defense verdict, and the fourth apportioned 10 percent of fault to the client). The entirety of the cases was ultimately resolved within policy limits.