Conference Agenda
Day 1, Wednesday, November 17, 2010
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Registration
11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Welcome by Co-Chairs
Ken Seeger, Seeger Salvas, San Francisco, CA
Chris Seeger, Seeger Weiss, New York, NY
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Overview of the Product, DePuy, the Recall and Potential Settlement
- DePuy's Place in J&J's Corporate Structure
- DePuy's Management Structure
- DePuy's Decision-Making Regarding the Recall
- Settlement Values and Potential Structure
Ken Seeger, Seeger Salvas, San Francisco
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Development of the Product: Design-Through-Recall Including FDA 510k Approval And DePuy’s Promotion and Marketing of the ASR Hip
- The Development of the DePuy ASR
- The Role of DePuy's Designer Dr. Thomas P. Schmalzried
- How DePuy Obtained FDA Approval
- DePuy's Marketing of the ASR in the U.S. and Abroad
- Off-Label Use Issues
Dave R. Buchanan, Seeger Weiss, New York
Paul J. Pennock, Weitz & Luxenberg, New York
2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Detailed Examination of the Defect and Resulting Injuries,
Including Preservation of Evidence Issues
- Why the DePuy ASR is Failing
- Anticipated Failure Rates
- Detailed Examination of Physical Injuries
- Problems with Revision Surgeries
- Preserving Evidence of the Defect
Douglass A. Kreis, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz, Pensacola, FL
Dr. Herbert O. Phillips IV, McGuire, Wood & Bissette Asheville, NC
Ben W. Gordon Jr., Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty and Proctor, P.A., Pensacola, FL
2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
What DePuy Knew and When They Knew It
- Reports of Failures from Great Britain and Australia and Other Nations
- Reports of Failures Within the U.S.
- DePuy's "Blame the Doctor" Strategy
Chris Seeger, Seeger Weiss, New York
3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Proposed Trial Strategies for the DePuy Litigation
- Creative Ways to Explain the Product and Defect to a Jury
- Allowing the Jury to Empathize with a Victim's Pain and Suffering
- DePuy's Punitive Damages Exposure
W. Mark Lanier, The Lanier Law Firm, Houston
Dana Taschner, The Lanier Law Firm, Los Angeles
Michael A. Kelly, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, San Francisco
Matthew Davis, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger, San Francisco
3:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Representing Foreign Victims of DePuy’s Defect
- What Is Happening Abroad?
- Jurisdictional and Forum Non Conveniens Issues
Robert Brown, Baron & Budd, Dallas, TX
4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
An Insider’s Perspective on the Recall
- Examining DePuy's Response to the Defect and Recall
- Comparing DePuy's Response to that of Other Companies
- DePuy's Motivation to Settle Now
Brian J. Devine, Seeger Salvas, San Francisco, CA
4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
MDL Status Update
- Examining Where Cases Are Filed and in What Number
- Comparing Venues
- Predicting the JPMDL's Decision
Richard J. Arsenault, Neblett, Beard & Arsenault, Alexandria, LA
Hunter J. Shkolnik, Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, Shkolnik & McCartney LLP, New York
Mark P. Robinson Jr., Robinson, Calcagnie & Robinson Inc., Newport Beach, CA
5:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Mediation and Settlement of the DePuy Litigation
- Current Issues in Settling Mass Torts
- The Role of the Special Master
- Can This Case Be Settled?
Francis McGovern, Duke University School of Law, Durham, NC
5:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Creative Ideas for Leveraging Settlements
- 468B Qualified Settlement Funds
- Implementation Strategies - Making Things Easier for Everyone
- Structured Settlements - Are They practical and Do They Facilitate Settlement?
- Tax Deferred Attorney Fees - How to Keep and Grow Your Contingent Fees
Christopher J. Princis, Senior Vice President, Brook Hollow Financial, Chicago
B.J. Etscheid, President, Waterville Advisors, Chicago