Mr Mark S. Cheffo > Dechert LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile

Informed by a deep understanding of the science and a strong strategic sensibility, Dechert LLP is a popular choice among life sciences clients as defendants in large aggregated cases alleging injury caused by pharmaceutical products as well as medical devices. Regularly taking a leadership role which draws upon highly competent lawyers spread across the East and West coasts, the team has, in recent years, secured many victories using highly persuasive dispositive motions in state and federal courts throughout the US, which have either vastly reduced the pool of plaintiffs liable for potential damages or eliminated them entirely. Based out of New York, Mark S. Cheffo  has been key to many of these successes, including for GSK in the Zantac MDL as one of the main architects of the defendants’ Daubert motion, which effectively shut the door on approximately 50,000 claims, when the judge of the MDL recently ruled that the plaintiffs had failed to show any reliable scientific evidence establishing a causal link between the heartburn drug and various cancers. New York-based Sheila L. Birnbaum  also excels at arguing Daubert motions as part of her broad expertise throughout the litigation continuum in relation to pharmaceutical MDLs.

Leveraging the expertise of ‘thorough, responsive and hardworking’ product liability and mass torts experts, including many with significant trial experience with regard to cutting-edge and unsettled areas of law, Dechert LLP is ‘effectively able to get the job done’ for chemicals, manufacturing and life sciences clients facing down a range of toxic tort and environmental litigation matters. Douglas Fleming has experience throughout the litigation continuum and is a key member of leadership teams for the firm across many of its highest-profile toxic tort mandates, including several in the PFAS space. Team head Sheila L. Birnbaum  has vast experience handling mass torts, including many with a toxic tort and environmental angle; she was part of the team along with Fleming and Mark S. Cheffo  that recently secured a vital victory before a State Supreme Court when it ruled that the defendant in a large water contamination PFAS case would not be held liable for medical monitoring costs of plaintiffs if they are not currently sick. All named practitioners are based in New York. Kimberly Branscome left the firm in February 2024.