Mike Brock > Kirkland & Ellis LLP > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Noted for its ‘highly strategic approach’, which combines first-chair trial skills, alongside deep subject knowledge and procedural expertise, Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a popular choice among life sciences and pharma companies facing down high-stakes, bet-the-company litigation. Jennifer Levy in Washington DC and Chicago-based Donna Welch have been pivotal to the firm’s success in the area, most notably for their ‘outstanding’ work on behalf of Allergan, as one of the defendants accused in private and government-led litigation for its role in fuelling the opioid epidemic in the US. ‘Well-respected’ Washington-DC-based trial lawyer Mike Brock is also a key member of the team and has notched up numerous successes for pharma and life sciences companies, particularly in product liability and mass tort cases.

Noted for its trial-ready approach and ability to run large-scale teams in resource intensive MDLs, Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a popular choice among clients seeking to defend toxic tort allegations in federal and state courts throughout the country. The team has developed particular expertise defending pharmaceutical companies in relation to consolidated personal injury claims initiated by consumers of their products, as well as those sustained by former employees of production facilities and nearby residents. Washington-DC based partner Mike Brock is one of many acclaimed trial lawyers at the firm, and excels in trials involving complex scientific issues, particularly within the pharma space.

Centered around its Chicago, New York and Washington DC offices, in particular, Kirkland & Ellis LLP has forged a strong reputation in the space, as a result of its representation of a varied array of consumer-facing manufacturers across a myriad product liability and mass tort matters. Many of these have taken the form of large aggregate disputes. As well as the firm’s technical expertise in often highly scientific issues under dispute and its procedural prowess, it is also able to call upon the proficiency of a slew of accomplished first-chair trial lawyers, ensuring that clients are vigorously defended in jury trials, as well as providing a degree of leverage in the context of early settlements. A fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Washington DC-based partner Mike Brock is a formidable practitioner in high-stakes product liability litigation, and has handled jury trials across a multitude of high-profile product liability matters, including in the automotive and pharmaceuticals industries. Drawing upon a storied career in private practice, as well as by dint of his former positions as a federal judge and high-ranking Justice Department official, Chicago-based Mark Filip has an excellent perspective of big-ticket litigation, and offers experience to defendants seeking representation at a trial stage.

Drawing upon a trial-ready approach should the need arise, litigation powerhouse Kirkland & Ellis LLP is a popular choice among major automotive brands in the defence of high-profile potentially reputational threatening litigation. General Motors remains a cornerstone client for the firm, with Renee Smith continuing to represent the automotive giant across a range of class actions and MDLs, including as it relates to the high-profile Takata airbag inflator recall and its alleged use of emissions defeat devices. Although he has perhaps gained most acclaim for his product liability work in the pharmaceuticals space, ‘well-respected’ Washington DC-based practitioner Mike Brock has also handled a considerable amount of work in the automotive space and is one of many experienced trial lawyers at the firm who is adept at handling a myriad bet-the-company defense work before both judges and juries. All named practitioners are based out of Chicago unless otherwise noted.