Mark Jones > Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP > Columbia, United States > Lawyer Profile

Drawing upon ‘deep products liability experience’ throughout the country, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP provides ‘sound counsel and advice’ to pharmaceutical manufacturers and medical device companies in disputes, irrespective of geographical location. The team also works well with others, be it in the role of national co-ordinating or regional counsel, and is appreciated for its ability to provide ‘exemplary work and strategy for clients’. Able to call upon the expertise of numerous strong trial lawyers, the team often acts as first chair in state and federal courts throughout the country, where its grasp of the underlying subject matter is greatly valued, as is its strategic sense and advocacy skills. Baltimore-based Mike Brown exemplifies these qualities, as do David Dukes  in South Carolina and Richard B. North, Jr.  in Atlanta, with all three having excellent track records, including in relation to MDL bellwether cases. Mark Jones  and Alana Bassin co-head the overarching products liability team from South Carolina and Minnesota, respectively.

With a ‘team-focused approach to litigation’ which draws upon a cohesive unit of practitioners throughout the country, including a notable group in Virginia, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP provides ‘sound counsel and advice’ to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) seeking to resist customer and third-party product liability claims. Noted for its ability to ‘understand a product from inception to alleged failure’, the team combines exceptional subject matter knowledge with strategic and procedural litigation prowess, ensuring that clients are well served throughout the litigation process. Displaying ‘outstanding judgment on every aspect of a case’, Sandra Ezell is a popular choice among major manufacturers including Ford, Tesla, and Nissan, defending against catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims as a result of alleged product liability defects. Other recommended practitioners include Virginia-based Rob Wise, who is ‘great at what he does’, with standout work including  coordinating and planning the strategic aspects of high-profile automotive-related class and mass actions; Atlanta-based Richard North, who has developed significant experience as a first-chair trial lawyer in aviation and helicopter-related product liability cases; and Baltimore-based Mike Brown, who regularly handles toxic tort-related cases (including exposure to asbestos) in the automotive sector. Mark Jones and Alana Bassin co-head the overarching product liability team out of South Carolina and Minnesota respectively, and Terri Reiskin in Washington DC is a key contact for multidistrict litigation.

With a nationwide presence that was recently enhanced by the recruitment of a team from Bowman and Brooke LLP, including new offices in Dallas and San Diego, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP is increasingly well-positioned to handle cases across the US. ‘Taking the time to truly understand a product from inception to alleged failure’, the team, which is led by Mark Jones and Alana Bassin from South Carolina and Minneapolis respectively, is adept at handling work throughout the litigation continuum, often working across offices, ensuring clients receive a ‘responsive, business-savvy and cost-effective’ service. Alongside its acclaimed work for auto manufacturers, the firm has gained a particularly strong reputation for advising on asbestos-related matters for talc manufacturers, an area in which Baltimore-based trial lawyer Mike Brown is noted. Virginia-based Sandra Ezell, who was one of the new arrivals from Bowman and Brooke LLP, is praised for her ‘outstanding judgment on every aspect of a case’, including product liability matters, acting for manufacturers of consumer electronics products.

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has an ‘extensive depth of experts with whom a client can rely to build either a formative defense or winning offense’, irrespective of geographical location. Toxic tort work runs the gamut from allegations of lead paint poisoning, harm caused by weedkiller through to issues of forever chemicals in the groundwater. The firm’s work relating to asbestos contamination in talc products has gained acclaim – here, Baltimore-based Mike Brown, who is ‘one of the absolute top trial lawyer talents in the country’, has had successes in trials throughout the country and is ‘one of the rare people who strike fear in the hearts of plaintiff’s counsel, even when the trial is held in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions’. Located in South Carolina, David Dukes has experience acting as national trial counsel in MDLs in many locations, and as well as his strength at handling pharmaceutical-related product liability cases, is also regularly engaged in toxic tort matters, including alleged PFAS groundwater contamination. The arrival in May 2023 of the ‘extremely smart, creative and hardworking’ Barbara Harding from Jones Day bolsters the firm’s presence in Washington DC where she is appreciated for her ‘desire to acquire a deep understanding of her clients’ businesses and objectives in order to tailor a litigation approach that works best for them’. South Carolina-based Mark Jones and Minneapolis office head Alana Bassin co-head the team.