When handling large-scale, multi-jurisdiction litigation, it’s essential to bring stellar organizational skills to the table. I assist my clients by developing strategies to respond to voluminous document productions and nationwide discovery and to protect privileged documents so as to maintain consistency and uniformity across various venues.
With three decades of experience in toxic tort matters, Kathleen Drew coordinates the firm’s asbestos litigation practice. She also focuses her practice on product liability and class action litigation. Kathleen provides substantial counseling and advice to clients in negotiating and obtaining class action settlements and global settlements.
Clients benefit from Kathleen’s background in the medical and toxicological aspects of these cases, which gives her an edge when she prepares, manages, coordinates and presents the liability and medical defense in class action litigation involving anywhere from 3,000 to as many as 10,000 claimants.
Kathleen represents chemical and petrochemical companies in cases involving exposures to asbestos, silica, benzene, DDT, dioxin, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, sulphur gas and numerous other substances. Over the years Kathleen has litigated these toxic tort actions, as well as product liability cases, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas.
In a project that has become instrumental in her practice, Kathleen created and maintains a database of claimants involved in toxic tort class action or mass consolidation litigation that have been filed in Louisiana. This tool is crucial in recognizing and identifying repeat or fraudulent claimants. It’s also helpful to various Louisiana courts during jury selection, at class certification hearings and trials, and in the settlement and mediation of claims, which has resulted in significantly reduced settlements.
Kathleen is actively involved in professional organizations including the Defense Research Institute (DRI), where she serves on the Environmental Law Committee and Asbestos Medicine Subcommittee. She gives presentations to the DRI and other organizations and attorneys on the medical defense of toxic tort litigation.
“ Toxic tort litigation is often filed as class actions or mass consolidations. Accidents and/or spills do occur during the handling of chemical and petrochemical products, which often result in exposures. Additional inquiries must be made as to the medical and toxicological causation of any injuries claimed. It’s also important to determine if the claimant has a valid claim as opposed to being a ‘frequent flyer’ who participates in multiple class actions for the sole purpose of monetary recovery. ”
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Acknowledgements
- AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Louisiana Super Lawyers® (by Thomson Reuters) Environmental Litigation 2010-2011, 2014-2018
- Best Lawyers® - Litigation - Environmental, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants