Opioid MDL Judge Refuses to Disqualify Plaintiffs’ Law Firm Motley Rice

CLEVELAND — The Ohio federal judge overseeing the opioid MDL docket has denied defendant OptumRx’s motion to disqualify Motley Rice, rejecting its argument that the law firm obtained “confidential government information” through its work for city and state governments that could be used to the pharmacy benefit manager’s detriment.

In a March 18 order, Judge Dan A. Polster of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio explained that disqualifying Motley Rice will not protect that information, which is otherwise discoverable and which OptumRx should have already produced in the MDL.

In its motion to disqualify, OptumRx …