UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT In Re: TAXOTERE (DOCETAXEL ...€¦ · attorneys Gerald E. Meunier, Hugh Lambert and Emily Jeffcott in New Orleans, with attorneys Russ Abney and Sean

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA In Re: TAXOTERE (DOCETAXEL) MDL No. 2740 PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION SECTION “N” (5) THIS DOCUMENT RELATES TO ALL CASES

APPLICATION OF MIKAL C. WATTS FOR LEAD COUNSEL POSITION ON THE

PLAINTIFFS’ STEERING COMMITTEE

I, Mikal C. Watts, pursuant to Pretrial Order No. No. 1 (“PTO #1”), submit this

application for the position of Lead Counsel and for membership on the Plaintiffs’

Steering Committee (“PSC”) for In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation. I

meet the following criteria specified by the Court:

1. Willingness and availability to commit to a time-consuming project;

2. Ability to work cooperatively with others;

3. Professional experience in this type of litigation;

4. Willingness to commit the necessary resources to pursue this matter.

1. I am Willing and Available to Commit To a Time-Consuming Process.

I have the willingness to commit the time necessary to litigate this matter

appropriately. A medical doctor who works on staff at my firm, Dr. Theresa Laabe, first

alerted me in 2015 to the large number of incidents of permanent alopecia occurring to

recipients of Taxotere. We researched it heavily and this year began collecting medical

records for clients who retained us to represent them. Accordingly, my firm’s staff and

I have already dedicated substantial time to this litigation, as I possess the desire and

the willingness to ensure that individuals injured by Taxotere are effectively and

quickly represented.

Case 2:16-md-02740-KDE-MBN Document 6 Filed 10/18/16 Page 1 of 4

2

Additionally, I have the availability to commit to a time-consuming process. My

firm has more than twenty (20) lawyers and 100 employees. These lawyers and staff

have the ability to handle the firm’s daily business while I commit my time to leading

and working up the Taxotere case in this MDL.

This has been the case in several recent MDL cases I have litigated. As a member

of the PSC appointed by this Court in In Re: FEMA Trailer Formaldehyde Products Liability

Litigation, MDL 1873, I headed the effort to select and develop the experts and then tried

multiple bellwether cases. I then personally worked with lead defense counsel, Andrew

Weinstock to achieve last chance matching of Plaintiffs and Defendants, and with all

other Plaintiffs’ firms to create a case-wide census of Plaintiffs’ data to enable

negotiated with many of the defendants to begin. Likewise, while I tried eleven (11)

outside cases to verdict in 2010, I tried no outside cases in 2011 and 2012 because Hon.

Carl Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana appointed me to the PSC of In Re: Oil

Spill by the Oil Rig “Deepwater Horizon” in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010 MDL 2179

(BP Oil Spill MDL), and I committed all of my time to that MDL case preparing for the

fault allocation trial set to begin in early-2013.1 Recently, in late 2012, Hon. David

Herndon appointed me as one of five plaintiff co-lead counsel in In re: Pradaxa

(Dabigatran Etexilate) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2385. Because of the advanced

age of that Plaintiff population, I worked together with many others around-the-clock

in order to prepare test cases for trial. I worked tirelessly with counsel for Boehinger-

Ingelheim, and with court-appointed settlement masters John Perry and Randi Ellis of

Baton Rouge, to secure a nationwide settlement in less than 22 months after the MDL

began. 1 In March, 2013, I resigned my position on the PSC due to a federal investigation into my firm’s BP client base. In 2015, I was indicted; yet a federal jury exonerated me on all counts in August, 2016.


3

2. I Have the Ability to Work Cooperatively With Others.

I have collaborated with my colleagues concerning many aspects of this

litigation, including MDL leadership structure. Numerous phone conferences have

occurred both before and after the JPML hearing in this case. My partner attended the

JPML hearing, and our effort to confer with others has continued since the JPML

consolidated the Taxotere litigation in this Court. I have likewise traveled out-of-state

to confer with my colleagues on planning this litigation.

My partner, Ryan Thompson, has attended a meeting in Washington, D.C. before

the JPML hearing, and we both will attend a meeting in Las Vegas on October 21, 2016,

to discuss how to maximize the cooperative efforts on the plaintiffs’ side of this

litigation. Concerning the organization of this litigation, I have conferred with

attorneys Gerald E. Meunier, Hugh Lambert and Emily Jeffcott in New Orleans, with

attorneys Russ Abney and Sean Tracey of Texas, attorneys Pete Flowers and Mark

Niemeyer from Illinois, and attorney Marc Bern from New York. I would strongly

endorse any of these individuals to work on the Plaintiffs’ behalf as well.

3. I Possess the Professional Experience Needed in This Type of Litigation.

My professional experience in this type of litigation comes in two forms: (1)

experience gained from prior memberships on PSCs, and (2) experience gained by

trying the “first in the nation” trial cases for major pharmaceutical and product liability

litigations, including various MDLs:

- late 1990s - coordinated 100s of Chrysler minivan liftgate latch lawsuits; - 2000-2001 - trial of first Ford/Firestone tire lawsuit (see MDL 1373); - 2001 – first Rezulin plaintiffs’ verdict in country (see MDL 1348); - 2001 - only plaintiffs’ verdict in Sulzer hip implants (see MDL 1401); - 2003 – trial of first Baycol case in the country (see MDL 1431); - 2004-2006 – Plaintiffs co-liaison counsel, In Re: Silica (MDL 1553); - 2007 – trial of first welding rods case in the country during MDL 1525; - 2005-2007 – tried two bellwether cases, In re Vioxx (see MDL 1657) - 2007-2009 – lead counsel, In Re: Stand ‘N Seal (see MDL 1804);


4

- 2008-2012 – Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In re FEMA (MDL 1873); - 2010 – only Plaintiffs’ verdict, In Re: Levaquin (see MDL 1943); - 2009-2011 – state court settlement counsel, In Re GMO Rice (see MDL 1811) - 2010-2013 – Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, BP Oil Spill (see MDL 2179); - 2010 – tried only plaintiffs’ verdict, In re Levaquin (see MDL 1943); - 2012-2014 – Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel, In re Pradaxa (see MDL 2385).

4. I Have Access to Sufficient Resources To Advance the Litigation in a Timely Manner.

In total, I have obtained over $1 billion in verdicts, and approximately $3.0

billion in settlements for my clients. As a result, I have amassed sufficient resources to

advance this litigation in a timely manner. To further enable it to fund mass tort

litigation, my firm has access to credit facilities exceeding $25 million, and if necessary, I

will supply the Court with recent tax returns to document my ability to advance this

litigation in a timely manner. In addition, I have developed relationships with other

fine firms across the country involved in this litigation to enable a group of such firms

to collectively fund this litigation and to advance it in a cohesive and timely manner.

As stated before, time is of the essence in this litigation, and if selected by the Court, I

pledge to seek the lower end of the Court’s proposed timeline of 18-24 months before

the first bellwether trial, and to commit all the time and resources necessary to meet that

trial schedule.

Submitted this 18th day of October, 2016.

Mikal C. Watts


1

MDL DOCKET NO. 2740 IN RE:TAXOTERE(DOCETAXEL) PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION SECTION N(5)

SERVICE LIST

CASE JURISDICTION CASE NO. COUNSEL1. Collins, Valesta

v. Sanofi, SA, etal

Central District of California

2:16-cv-05418 Plaintiff Karen Barth Menzies [email protected] Gibbs Law Group LLP 400 Continental Blvd, 6th Floor El Segundo, CA 90245 (510) 350-9240

Eric H. Gibbs [email protected] Amy M. Zeman [email protected] Gibbs Law Group LLP 505 14th Street, Suite 1110 Oakland, CA 94612

Normal E. Siegel [email protected] Todd Hilton [email protected] Lisa Joyce [email protected] Abby McClelland [email protected] Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP 460 Nichols Road, Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64112

Defendant Jon Strongman [email protected] Eric Anthony Swan [email protected] Harley Victor Ratliff [email protected] Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP 2555 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64108 816-474-6550 Fax: (816) 421-5547

Case 2:16-md-02740-KDE-MBN Document 6-1 Filed 10/18/16 Page 1 of 27

2

2. Dodson, Ami v.Sanofi, SA, et al

Northern District of California

4:16-cv-01251 Plaintiff Anna Dubrovsky [email protected] Anna Dubrovsky Law Group, Inc. 601 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000 San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 746-1477

Darin Lee Schanker [email protected] Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Bachus and Schanker LLC 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800



3

3. Gahan, Kelly v.Sanofi, SA, et al District of

Colorado

1:15-cv-02777 Plaintiff

Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Darin Lee Schanker [email protected] Bachus & Schanker, LLC-Denver 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite 700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800



4

4. Leith, Melissa F.v. Sanofi, SA, etal.

District of Colorado

1:16-cv-00741 Plaintiff Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] John Christopher Elliott [email protected] Darin Lee Schanker [email protected] Bachus & Schanker, LLC-Denver 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite 700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800



5

5. Wysocki, Theresa v. Sanofi SA, et al.

Northern District of Illinois

1:16-cv-07059 Plaintiff

Peter J. Flowers [email protected] Brian J. Perkins [email protected] Kimberly Brancato [email protected] Frank V. Cesarone [email protected] Meyers & Flowers, LLC 3 North Second Street , Suite 300 St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 232-6333


6. Johnson, Renitav. Sanofi, SA., etal.


1:16-cv-06754 Plaintiff Michelle L. Kranz [email protected] Zoll & Kranz, LLC 6620 W. Central Ave., Suite 100 Toledo, OH 43617 (419) 841-9623

Defendant No Attorney Appearance


6

7. Pistone,Christine v.Sanofi, SA, et al.


1:16-cv-04028 Plaintiff Peter J. Flowers [email protected] Meyers & Flowers, LLC 3 North Second Street , Suite 300 St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 232-6333



7

8. Spann, Erma v.Sanofi, SA, et al.


1:16-cv-03038 Plaintiff David M. Hundley [email protected] Hundley Law Group 1620 W. Chicago Ave., Ste 307 Chicago, IL 60622 (312) 212-3343

Christopher L. Coffin [email protected] Nicholas Ryan Rockforte [email protected] Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, LLP 24110 Eden Street, Drawer 71 Plaquemine, LA 70765 (225) 687-6396



8

9. Traylor, Lindav. Sanofi, SA, etal


1:16-cv-05651 Plaintiff David M. Hundley [email protected] Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, LLP 1620 W. Chicago Ave., Ste 307 Chicago, IL 60622 (312) 212-3343

Christopher L. Coffin [email protected] Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, LLP 1515 Poydras Street, Suite 1400 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 355-0086


10. Chase, MaryRenee v. Sanofi,SA, et al

Southern District of Illinois

3:16-cv-00588 Plaintiff Trent Miracle [email protected] Simmons Hanly Conroy One Court Street Alton, IL 62002 (618) 259-2222

Defendant

No Attorney Appearance


9

11. Dalton, Barbarav. Sanofi, SA, etal

Southern Districtof Illinois

3:16-cv-00718 Plaintiff Mark R. Niemeyer [email protected] Michael S. Kruse [email protected] Niemeyer, Grebel & Kruse LLC 10 S. Broadway, Suite 1125 St. Louis, MO 63102 (314) 241-1919

Defendant Molly Leigh McIntosh Troutman Sanders LLP 301 S. College Street, Suite 3400 Charlotte, NC 28202 704-998-4074 Fax: 704-998-4051 [email protected]

12. Koontz, Debra v.Sanofi, SA, et al

Southern District of Illinois

3:16-cv-00805 Plaintiff Mark R. Niemeyer [email protected] Michael S. Kruse [email protected] Niemeyer, Grebel & Kruse LLC 10 S. Broadway, Suite 1125 St. Louis, MO 63102 (314) 241-1919



10

13. Detrixhe, Karen v. Sanofi, SA, etal

District of Kansas 2:16-cv-02250 Plaintiff

David D. Burkhead

[email protected] The Law Office of David Burkhead P.O. Box 23243 Overland Park, KS 66283 (913) 953-0464

Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Bachus and Schanker LLC 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800



11

14. Bemiss, Yvonnev. Sanofi SA, etal

Eastern District of Louisiana

2:16-cv-06425 Plaintiff Christopher L. Coffin [email protected] Jessica A. Perez [email protected] Nicholas Ryan Rockforte [email protected] Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, LLP 1515 Poydras Street, Suite 1400 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 355-0086

Andrew Allen Lemmon [email protected] Lemmon Law Firm 15058 River Rd. PO Box 904 Hahnville, LA 70057 (985) 783-6789


Defendant James B. Irwin , V Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC 400 Poydras St. Suite 2700 New Orleans, LA 70130 504-310-2100 Email: [email protected]

Douglas J. Moore Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC 400 Poydras St. Suite 2700 New Orleans, LA 70130 504-310-2100

Kelly E. Brilleaux Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC 400 Poydras St. Suite 2700 New Orleans, LA 70130

iled 10/13/16 Page 11 of 27Case 2:16-md-02740-KDE-MBN Document 6-1 Filed 10/18/16 Page 11 of 27

12

15. Smith, VeronicaA., v. Sanofi,SA, et al.



Val Patrick Exnicios [email protected] Liska, Exnicios & Nungesser 1515 Poydras St.Suite 1400 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 410-9611



Kelly E. Brilleaux Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC 400 Poydras St. Suite 2700 New Orleans, LA 70130 504-310-2100 Email: [email protected]

10/13/16 Page 12 of 27Case 2:16-md-02740-KDE-MBN Document 6-1 Filed 10/18/16 Page 12 of 27

13

16. Smith, Wanda v.Sanofi, SA, et al.



Andrew Allen Lemmon [email protected] Lemmon Law Firm 15058 River Rd. PO Box 904 Hahnville, LA 70057


Defendant

No Attorney Appearance


14

17. Walter, Alma v.Sanofi SA, et al.








15

18. Webb, Carol v.Sanofi, SA, et al.







16

19. Burney, Brendav. Sanofi, SA, etal

Middle District of Louisiana






17

20. Touchi-Peters,Karen v. Sanofi,SA, et al.

District of Minnesota

0:16-cv-02464 Plaintiff Timothy J. Becker [email protected] Michael K. Johnson [email protected] Peter C. Snowdon [email protected] Johnson Becker, PLLC 33 South 6th Street, Suite 4530 Minneapolis, MN 55402

(612) 436-1800

Defendant Jon Strongman [email protected] Eric Anthony Swan [email protected] Harley Victor Ratliff [email protected] Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP 2555 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64108 816-474-6550

Fax: (816) 421-5547

21. Carpenter,Homer v. SanofiSA, et al

Southern District of Mississippi

3:16-cv-00289 Plaintiff Michael P. McGartland [email protected] MCGARTLAND LAW FIRM, PLLC 1300 South University, Suite 500 Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 332-9300

Defendant Mark J. Goldberg COSMICH, SIMMONS & BROWN, PLLC - Jackson P. O. Box 22626 One Eastover Center 100 Vision Drive, Suite 200 (39211) Jackson, MS 39225-2626 601/863-2100 Fax: 601/863-0078 Email: [email protected]


18

22. Chase, Florinev. Sanofi SA, etal




23. Grines, Hattie B.v. Sanofi, SA, etal.





19

24. Jones, Angela v.Sanofi, SA, et al.



Defendant Richard A. Brown COSMICH, SIMMONS & BROWN, PLLC - Jackson P. O. Box 22626 One Eastover Center 100 Vision Drive, Suite 200 (39211) Jackson, MS 39225-2626 601/863-2100 Fax: 601/863-0078

25. Tolefree,Christine v.Sanofi, SA, et al.





20

26. Mottola, Kathy v.Sanofi, SA, et al.

Western District of North Carolina

3:16-cv-00255 Plaintiff Daniel Kent Bryson [email protected] Whitfield, Bryson & Mason, LLP 900 W. Morgan Street Raleigh, NC 27603 (919) 600-5000


Defendant Molly Leigh McIntosh Troutman Sanders LLP 301 S. College Street, Suite 3400 Charlotte, NC 28202 704-998-4074 Fax: 704-998-4051 [email protected]


21

27. Wood, Delight vSanofi, SA, et al.

Western District of North Carolina

3:16-cv-00261 Plaintiff Daniel Kent Bryson [email protected] Whitfield, Bryson & Mason, LLP 900 W. Morgan Street Raleigh, NC 27603 (919) 600-5000


Defendant Molly Leigh McIntosh Troutman Sanders LLP 301 S. College Street, Suite 3400 Charlotte, NC 28202 704-998-4074 Fax: 704-998-4051 Email: [email protected]


22

28. Carson, Hattie Northern District of Ohio

1:16-cv-00165 Plaintiff Ned C. Gold , Jr. [email protected] Thomas D. Lambros [email protected] Ford, Gold, Kovoor & Simon 8872 East Market Street Warren, OH 44484 (330) 856-6888

Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Bachus and Schanker LLC 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800 Fax: (303) 893-9900

Defendant Joshua A. Klarfeld Ulmer & Berne - Cleveland 1100 Skylight Office Tower 1660 West Second Street Cleveland, OH 44113 216-583-7192 Fax: 216-583-7193 Email: [email protected]


23

29. Clinkscales,Jennifer L. v.Sanofi, SA, et al

District of South Carolina

6:16-cv-02376 Plaintiff Elizabeth Middleton Burke [email protected] Christiaan A Marcum [email protected] H Blair Hahn [email protected] Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC 1037 Chuck Dawley Blvd, Bldg A. PO Box 1007 Mt Pleasant, SC 29465 (843) 727-6500

Christopher L. Coffin [email protected] Pendley Baudin and Coffin 24110 Eden Street Plaquemine, LA 70765

Defendant Keith D Munson Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice PO Box 10208 Greenville, SC 29603 864-255-5400 Fax: 864-255-5440

Email: [email protected]


24

30. Meyers, Monicav. Sanofi, SA, etal.

District of South Carolina

3:16-cv-02536 Plaintiff Elizabeth Middleton Burke [email protected] Christiaan A Marcum [email protected] H Blair Hahn [email protected] Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC 1037 Chuck Dawley Blvd, Bldg A. PO Box 1007 Mt Pleasant, SC 29465 (843) 727-6500 Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Bachus and Schanker LLC 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800



25

31. Adams, Christav. Sanofi SA, et al

Eastern District of Tennessee

3:16-cv-00365 Plaintiff Jere Kyle Bachus [email protected] Bachus and Schanker LLC 1899 Wynkoop Street, Suite700 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 893-9800 Jennifer K. O'Connell [email protected] Ogle, Elrod, & Baril PLLC 706 Walnut Street, Suite 700 Knoxville, TN 37902 (865) 546-1111

Defendant Crews Townsend Miller & Martin 832 Georgia Avenue Suite 1000� Volunteer Building Chattanooga, TN 37402-2289 Email: [email protected]

Meredith Corey Lee Miller & Martin, PLLC (Chattanooga) 832 Georgia Avenue 1200 Volunteer Building Chattanooga, TN 37402 423-785-8289 Email: [email protected]


26

32. Free Kinberly v.Sanofi, SA, et al.

Northern District of Texas

2:16-cv-00074 PlaintiffGabriel A. Assaad [email protected] Kennedy Hodges LLP 711 W Alabama St Houston, TX 77006 (713) 523-0001




27

33. Gorniak, Alina S.v. Sanofi, SA, et al.

Western District of Texas

1:16-cv-00637 Plaintiff Grant D. Blaies [email protected] Blaies & Hightower, L.L.P. 421 W. 3rd Street, Suite 900 Fort Worth, TX 76102 (817) 334-0800

Christopher L. Coffin [email protected] Pendley, Baudin & Coffin, LLP 1515 Poydras Street, Suite 1400 New Orleans, LA ��(504) 355-0086

Michael P. McGartland [email protected] McGartland Law Firm, PLLC 1300 South University, Suite 500 Fort Worth, TX ��(817) 332-9300



Documents

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT In Re: TAXOTERE (DOCETAXEL ...€¦ · attorneys Gerald E. Meunier, Hugh Lambert and Emily Jeffcott in New Orleans, with attorneys Russ Abney and Sean