Yahonnes Cleary > Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

The product liability & mass torts group at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP frequently defends corporate clients in high-stakes litigation, representing major companies in pharmaceuticals, energy, and consumer goods. The firm handles mass torts, multidistrict litigation, and complex product liability cases, notably recently defending GSK in the Zantac litigation, Bayer in PCB lawsuits, and ExxonMobil in climate change-related claims. LA based practice co-chair Kimberly Branscome is a leading trial lawyer, known for guiding corporate giants through bet-the-company litigation and securing key defense victories for Johnson & Johnson and Bayer. Practice co-chair Yahonnes Cleary often handles billion-dollar trials with a particular specialty in regulatory defense cases. Another recent addition to the team, Jonathan Tam specializes in mass torts and product liability defense for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. All lawyers are in New York.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is able to provide clients with a team of specialists who can navigate a range of services including defense representation wihtin product liability, toxic torts, design defects and health and safety litigation. The firm has also been involved in unique matters including the concussion class action litigation which threatened the sport of American football, with retired players alleging they suffered cognitive impairments from their involvement in the sport. Team members, including Los Angeles based co-chair Kimberly Branscome and Jonathan Tam , both of whom recently joined the firm from Dechert in February 2024, have acted in asbestos related litigation, with Branscome having acted as lead trial counsel for J&J in a product liability litigation alleging that J&J’s talcum-based baby powder products contained asbestos which caused the plaintiff’s to develop mesothelioma. In climate change litigation, Yahonnes Cleary, in New York, also co-chairs the group and has represented major energy companies in state and municipal litigation.