Butler Snow LLP

Eric Hudson focuses his practice on the defense of mass tort litigation for pharmaceutical, medical device and other product manufacturers. He has extensive experience defending federal multidistrict litigation and state court consolidated litigation throughout the United States. He has served as lead counsel for manufacturers in nationwide MDLs as well as nationwide coordinating counsel in a number of mass torts. Eric also has an extensive settlement practice throughout the United States, and he has represented manufacturers in connection with mass tort settlements in Australia, Canada and Europe.  He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed general civil mediator.

In over 25 years of practice, Eric has handled every aspect of mass tort litigation, including discovery, depositions, experts, motions, trials and settlement. Based on that experience he regularly advises clients on the strategic defense and management of mass torts. Clients rely on Eric for everything from substantive defense strategy to the cost-effective administration of virtual law firms.  Apart from mass torts, Eric regularly defends high stakes, individual lawsuits involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, general product liability and chemical products.

Eric frequently writes and speaks about product liability litigation. He is a blogging team member for the award-winning Drug & Device Law Blog, where he writes regularly about legal developments impacting the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.  He co-authored “Mass Torts in the United States,” Chapter 6 – Management of Mass Torts by the Judiciary, American Bar Association, and he frequently contributes to the Mass Torts Newsletter for the American Bar Association’s Mass Torts Committee.

The Legal 500 US, which recognized Eric as a key lawyer in its editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, stated that he “is a ‘solid strategist and manager of litigations’ with vast experience in nationwide MDLs and mass tort settlements at both national and international levels.” Eric is also listed in Best Lawyers in America®, Mid-South Super Lawyers and is AV®– Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. He received the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law Award (2010), and Memphis Business Journal selected him as one of its Top 40 Under 40 (2007). He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Memphis Bar Foundation.

Eric previously served as Co-Chair of the Mass Torts Committee for the American Bar Association (2012-2015), Co-Chair of the Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee (2010-2012) and Co-Chair of the Toxic Torts Subcommittee (2008-2010). He received the ABA’s Outstanding Subcommittee Chair Award (2008 and 2010). He is a member of the Drug and Medical Device Committee of the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He served as President (2013) and Treasurer (2010) of the Memphis Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.