The team at Kirkland & Ellis LLP is recognized for its strength in defending consumer products companies in high-stakes litigation. In Austin, Kim Bueno represents manufacturers in Roundup weedkiller litigation, serving as lead trial counsel across multiple jurisdictions in personal injury cases alleging harm from product exposure. Based in Philadelphia, Allison Brown focuses on addiction-related product liability and mass tort matters, including claims alleging that food companies engineered ultra-processed products to be addictive and marketed them to children, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Brown also represents social media platforms in litigation, alleging that product design encourages addictive behavior and causes mental health injuries. Kristen Fournier, based in New York, advises ride-hailing and platform-based companies in cases alleging failure to implement adequate safety measures to protect passengers.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Key clients
- Abbott Laboratories
- Crown Laboratories
- Eli Lilly and Company
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Haleon plc
- Johnson & Johnson
- Kenvue Brands
- Mondelez International, Inc.
- Monsanto Company
- Snap Inc.
- Uber Technologies Inc.
Work highlights
Assisted as lead coordinating and trial counsel for Uber in a nationwide mass tort alleging Uber failed to implement appropriate safety precautions to protect passengers against the risk of sexual assault or misconduct by drivers.
Represented Johnson & Johnson as lead counsel in a multidistrict litigation in New Jersey federal court involving nearly 70,000 plaintiffs alleging they contracted ovarian cancer from exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder.
Represented Johnson & Johnson in multidistrict and state court litigation alleging personal injuries from maternal use of Tylenol during pregnancy, in which the federal court excluded all of the plaintiffs’ experts under Daubert.
Other key lawyers
Allison Brown; Kim Bueno; Kristen Fournier