William V. Essig

Trials

• Defended prescription antipsychotic medication in state and federal courts and served as  co-trial counsel for defense verdict in failure-to-warn case in the mass tort program in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, PA.
• Defended prescription fluoroquinolone medication in a federal MDL.  Three defense verdicts as a trial team member.
• Defended enteral nutrition products salesman for major pharmaceutical company in federal Medicare anti-kickback criminal trial in Southern District of Illinois.  Prepared successful motion for judgment of acquittal that was granted at the conclusion of the government’s case.

Drug and Medical Device Litigation

• Served as national coordinating counsel team member for latex glove allergy MDL and in more than 30 state courts. Team obtained defense verdicts in the client’s only two cases tried to verdict. Involved in all phases of litigation including expert witness preparation and deposing prescribing and treating physicians.
• Coordinated members of a multiple law firm team for the preparation and presentation at deposition and trial of multiple pharmaceutical sales representatives in a products liability MDL.
• Served as national counsel team member defending gadolinium-based contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging in products liability MDL and state cases.
• Prepared and defended expert witnesses for deposition and trial for a products liability litigation involving allegations of birth defects from in utero exposure to a prescription anticonvulsant medication in the mass tort program of the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. 

Consumer Fraud Class Action Defense

• Defended over-the-counter pharmaceutical and personal care products companies from putative consumer fraud class actions related to product efficacy and safety, as well as labeling and advertising.

Toxic Tort and Other Litigation

• Defended product manufacturers and premises liability defendants in asbestos, benzene and other toxic tort litigation.
• Defended Big Ten university in highly publicized wrongful death case brought by Johnnie Cochran on behalf of the family of a football player who died during pre-season conditioning drills.
• Represented former pharmaceutical marketing professionals in grand jury investigations, as well as represented corporate officers and employees in SEC investigations and enforcement proceedings.