Renee D. Smith

Federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDLs)

• In re 3M Combat Arms Earplugs Products Liability Litigation. Trial counsel in largest MDL in history; secured complete defense verdict in bellwether case brought by army veteran alleging earplug caused hearing loss and tinnitus.
• In re General Motors Ignition Switch Litigation. Trial counsel in federal MDL and related state cases involving personal injury and class actions arising from ignition switch recalls. Secured defense verdicts in three bellwether trials; won summary judgment and Daubert motions leading to dismissals of hundreds of personal injury claims.
• In re Juul Labs Marketing & Products Liability Litigation. Trial counsel and co-lead defense liaison counsel in MDL and related state cases brought by consumers, schools, attorney generals and municipalities alleging personal injury and economic damages related to e-cigarette product and marketing.
• In re Heparin Products Liability Litigation. Trial counsel for Baxter Healthcare Corporation in federal MDL and related state cases involving allegedly contaminated heparin products manufactured with a pharmaceutical ingredient processed in China. Won Daubert and summary judgment leading to dismissals of hundreds of claims.
• In re Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation. National counsel for General Motors LLC in federal MDL involving alleged violations of state consumer fraud and federal RICO laws related to alleged rupture risks in certain Takata airbag inflators.
• In re Meridia Products Liability Litigation. Represented Abbott Labs in federal MDL involving alleged personal injuries related to the weight loss drug Meridia. Won summary judgment motions leading to dismissal of action.
• Avandia Products Liability Litigation. Represented GlaxoSmithKline plc in connection with claims that its diabetes drug Avandia may increase the risk of heart attacks or cause other adverse health effects.

Other Product Liability And Class Actions

• Emissions “Defeat Device” Litigation. National counsel for General Motors LLC in consumer fraud and RICO class actions related to alleged “defeat devices” in emissions control software.
• Humira Products Liability Litigation. Trial counsel for Abbott Labs and AbbVie Inc. in product liability actions involving rheumatoid arthritis drug, Humira. Won motions to exclude experts and for summary judgment in federal and state courts involving serious personal injuries, including lymphoma and rare infections.
• Kobe Steel Consumer Fraud Class Action. National counsel for Kobe Steel (a Japan-based metals supplier) in civil consumer fraud class action case arising from admitted falsifications of certain specifications for metals used in Toyota and other automobiles. Won motion to dismiss.
• Silicone Breast Implant Litigation. Represented Dow Chemical and Dow Corning Corporation in state and federal cases and related bankruptcy proceedings involving allegations that silicone breast implants caused autoimmune disease and other systemic and local complication.
• Budeprion Products Litigation. Represented Teva in federal court in products liability claims alleging that ingestion during pregnancy of Budeprion (generic version of anti-depressant drug Wellbutrin) caused birth defects. Plaintiffs dismissed all claims against Teva in response to federal preemption motion.
• Xience Stent Litigation. Represented Abbott Labs in nationwide class action asserting state-law products liability claims related to Xience V drug-eluting coronary stents implanted during a cardiac angioplasty. Plaintiffs dismissed all claims in response to motion to dismiss complaint based on preemption.

Restructuring And Cost-Recovery Actions

• Quebec Train Derailment Litigation. Represented World Fuel Corporation in complex litigation arising from a train derailment that led to a number of deaths in a small Quebec town, including restructuring coordination leading to favorable global resolution.
• In re W.R. Grace. Represented W.R. Grace in asbestos-related Chapter 11 proceedings, as well as in criminal action brought by United States alleging conspiracy to defraud the government and violation of the Clean Air Act relating to alleged asbestos releases in Libby, Montana.
• In re Babcock & Wilcox. Represented client in its asbestos-related Chapter 11 filing and reorganization. Developed “omnibus objection” procedure resulting in the disallowance of 35,000 claims.
• Asbestos-Trust Recovery Litigation. Represented tobacco company in claims brought by Owens-Corning, Fiberboard and other asbestos-trusts in federal and state cost recovery actions.
• United States v. Philip Morris Inc. Represented tobacco company in $280 billion RICO/health care recovery action brought by the United States Department of Justice.
• SemGroup Auditor Malpractice Claims. Represented PricewaterhouseCoopers in billion-dollar auditor malpractice case against PricewaterhouseCoopers asserted by litigation trustee of one of the country’s largest private midstream oil companies, claiming $2 billion in losses.
• In re United Airlines, Inc. Represented United Airlines in Chapter 11 proceeding, including successfully briefing on municipal bond financing agreements under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

United States Senator Howard Metzenbaum, Summer 1991

• Intern, Senate Judiciary Subcom. on Antitrust, Monopolies, and Business Rights