The Legal 500

Within Bankruptcy: Northeast,

Pepper Hamilton LLP

PRACTICE: Pepper Hamilton LLP’s northeastern corporate restructuring and bankruptcy practice partners are concentrated in the Philadelphia office, with additional representation in Wilmington and New York. The experienced group of 35 lawyers represents all classes of interest in insolvency and restructuring assignments, and attracts instructions across the US, including numerous debtor-side representations in Chapter 11 proceedings. Practice industry niches include retail, healthcare services and natural resources.

CLIENTS: The practice has represented Chapter 11 debtors including WG Property Investments, Midland Food Services and Skip’s Clothing Company.

INDIVIDUALS: In Philadelphia, Francis Lawall is widely experienced and has handled company reorganizations where toxic tort liabilities have been a significant issue. Leon Barson focuses on corporate reorganizations and advice to purchasers of financially distressed assets. In Wilmington, practice co-chair David Stratton has served as lead counsel in numerous debtor-side Chapter 11 proceedings including several retail chains.

Within Product liability and mass tort defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices: National,

Pepper Hamilton LLP

PRACTICE: Pepper Hamilton LLP provides life sciences product liability services through its 29-partner health effects litigation practice, mostly based out of the Philadelphia head office. The practice added several partners in 2007 and 2008: Kenneth King and John Brenner joined from McCarter & English, LLP and Samuel Abate from Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler.

The firm’s product liability capabilities are somewhat under-appreciated in the wider consciousness of the life sciences sector but its solid reputation and substantial engagements with existing clients demonstrate its capacity to operate on matters of national scope. Willing and able to go to trial, the practice has a good track record in favorable settlements.

For example, the practice represents Eli Lilly as national counsel for Zyprexa, the client’s atypical antipsychotic, in relation to product liability claims and a government investigation. 31,000 claims were settled before trial, while, in March 2008, the practice represented the client against a claim filed by the State of Alaska and reached a settlement after four weeks of jury trial. Many actions have been consolidated in an MDL in Texas, with state court actions ongoing in California, Indiana and New Jersey. The practice also serves on the national counsel panel to GlaxoSmithKline in relation to Avandia diabetes treatment, and is national counsel to CB Fleet for litigation concerning the client’s over-the-counter laxative Phospho-soda.

CLIENTS: In addition to the clients noted above, Pepper Hamilton LLP also represents American Red Cross and Medtronic.

INDIVIDUALS: Philadelphia-based Nina Gussack is the practice’s most prominent figure and serves as national trial counsel to Eli Lilly on Zyprexa.

Within Antitrust - Northeast,

Pepper Hamilton LLP

PRACTICE: Pepper Hamilton LLP has 35 attorneys experienced in antitrust work. The practice has been active in the manufacturing sector, and has noted an increase in IP-related antitrust matters as well as antitrust litigation pursuant to foreign enforcements. The team was appointed defendant’s liaison counsel in a shell eggs case involving a series of alleged purchaser putative class actions, and it has defended class action claims that flat glass manufacturers fixed prices and energy surcharges.

CLIENTS: GlaxoSmithKline, Freightliner, Toll Brothers, Pilkington North America, Mack Trucks and Tyco International are all clients.

INDIVIDUALS: Feathers to Barbara Sicalides’ cap include representing a reinsurance company in an action brought by the Attorney General of Connecticut alleging that various re-insurers and reinsurance brokerage firms conspired to fix prices by establishing a series of reinsurance pools. Laurence Shiekman was the key attorney representing H&R Block in an alleged class action price fixing case involving the fees charged for the e-filing of tax returns. Barbara Mather and ‘the always available’ Jeremy Heep are respected practitioners, the latter providing ‘thoughtful and thorough analysis of legal issues’.