HarrisMartin’s Xarelto Remand Work-Up and Trial Update Conference Speaker Profiles

Neil D. Overholtz specializes in pharmaceutical litigation, and has successfully handled thousands of defective drug and medical device cases, including fen-phen, Rezulin, Baycol, Bextra/Celebrex, Vioxx, Medtronic Defibrillators, and Guidant Defibrillators.

Recently, Mr. Overholtz has the distinction of having been appointed as national counsel on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees for several federal products liability MDL’s (Mullti-District litigations), including the Trasylol MDL pending in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, before the Honorable Judge Middlebrooks, the Viagra MDL in the District Court in Minnesota, before the Honorable Judge Magnuson, as well as the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lead Wire MDL before United States District Court Judge Richard Kyle. Additionally, Mr. Overholtz has served as co-lead counsel in the In Re America Online, Inc Version 5.0 Software Litigation, MDL Docket No. 1341 (S.D. Fla), helping to negotiate a cash settlement for affected AOL members in excess of $15 Million as well as significant injunctive relief.

Andy Birchfield manages Beasley Allen Law Firm’s Mass Torts Section, which is recognized as a national leader in pharmaceutical litigation. The section successfully resolved claims for thousands of clients in the Vioxx, Bextra/Celebrex, Baycol, Rezulin, PPA and Ephedra litigations.

Notable Cases

Andy’s efforts have been indispensable in heading the firm’s Vioxx litigation. In April 2005, he was chosen to co-lead the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee for the federal Vioxx Litigation Multidistrict Litigation; and he has been lead counsel or co-lead counsel in five Vioxx trials, including one that resulted in a $51 million verdict against Merck.

After joining Beasley Allen in 1996, Andy handled cases involving consumer fraud and commercial litigation. He later proved to be instrumental in developing the Mass Torts Litigation Section in 2000 and was named section head for Mass Torts, which now consists of 11 lawyers and 60 support staff. To date, Andy has been involved in cases resulting in settlements and verdicts totaling in excess of $7.5 billion.