Mass Tort Leaders Birchfield and Papantonio Spearhead Legal Initiative to Safeguard Plaintiffs’ Rights and Accountability

PENSACOLA, Florida- Seasoned trial attorneys Andy Birchfield from the Beasley Allen Law Firm and Mike Papantonio from Levin Papantonio Rafferty (LPR) have taken the lead in a strategic initiative to counter Johnson & Johnson’s third attempt at bankruptcy in talc litigation and support future trials. This pivotal move to protect plaintiffs’ rights and hold J&J accountable for alleged harm caused by the company’s talc products. Mr.Birchfield and Beasley Allen have long been at the forefront of this critical battle.

Leaders in the mass tort law field, the two firms have collaborated to equip 60 experienced trial attorneys from across the United States with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively coordinate the multiple trials slated to occur in multiple jurisdictions throughout 2024 and beyond. There are at least 18 talc-ovarian cancer trials scheduled in state courts across the nation for the upcoming year, involving plaintiffs who claim J&J’s talc products contributed to their ovarian cancer.

According to Mr. Birchfield, J&J’s bankruptcy strategy is a deliberate effort to obstruct justice in talc-cancer lawsuits and potentially shortchange plaintiffs. “Bankruptcy is too powerful a tool to be used responsibly by corporate giants like Johnson & Johnson,” he says. “We must be in a place where we can stand up as a Plaintiffs’ bar on behalf of our clients against J&J’s sinister tactics like bankruptcy. That’s what this bootcamp is all about. Equipping lawyers to do right by their clients by standing and banding together.”

Mr. Birchfield and Mr. Papantonio share a steadfast commitment to a central idea—unifying attorneys representing cancer victims to combat J&J’s tactics and secure just compensation within the tort system. They also extended specific praise to Leigh O’Dell, Michelle Parfitt, and the leadership team handling multidistrict litigation for the ovarian cancer claims for their unwavering dedication to advancing the talc litigation despite years of delay.

“Johnson & Johnson has its strategy, and we have ours, too,” says Mr. Papantonio “We’re building a massive team— of seasoned, trained trial lawyers, schooled on J&J’s disastrous history, in courtrooms anywhere in America.” 

Mr. Birchfield emphasized the immense power of bankruptcy when wielded by corporate giants like J&J, calling for the legal community to stand up on behalf of their clients and confront such tactics.

The talc litigation boot camp is taking place this week, November 6 through Wednesday, November 8, at the law offices of Levin Papantonio Rafferty in Pensacola, Florida. Faculty includes top-flight litigators and lawyers with deep, comprehensive understanding of talc-ovarian cancer tort claims and the J&J MDL (MDL 2738, IN RE: Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation).  

The Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm has been representing injured people across the globe since 1955. The firm has gained national recognition as one of the most successful personal injury firms in the world and has been featured on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox, as well as Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, and National Law Journal.

Beasley Allen Law Firm, established in 1979, stands as a national leader in complex plaintiff litigation, working tirelessly to assist clients nationwide. Their attorneys are driven by the ethos of “helping those who need it most.”

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