Whether representing multinational corporations in complex business disputes, holding medical device manufacturers accountable to make safer products, taking on companies that exposed workers to asbestos, or fighting for those who have been devastated by unsafe products or the negligence of others, Mark Lanier has earned international recognition for his trial skills, achieving a cumulative record of almost $20 billion in jury verdicts in courtrooms throughout the United States during his highly acclaimed career.
Most recently Mr. Lanier served as lead trial counsel in multidistrict litigation on claims that retail giants CVS, Walgreens and Walmart failed to control the spread of deadly and addictive prescription opioids. Following a jury finding of liability against the companies, the court ordered a $650.6 million judgment on behalf of two Ohio counties, allowing them to fund education and prevention programs and reimburse local agencies and organizations for costs incurred to manage the crisis
In July 2018, Mr. Lanier secured one of the largest verdicts in plaintiffs’ personal injury history, a nearly $4.7 billion verdict on behalf of 22 women who developed ovarian cancer as a result of longtime use of asbestos-laced talcum powder made by Johnson & Johnson. While that verdict was later reduced to $2.1 billion by the Missouri Court of Appeals due to certain jurisdictional issues, that court’s judgment was affirmed by the Missouri Supreme Court and a writ of certiorari sought by the defendants before the U.S. Supreme Court was denied.
In reacting to the verdict, an editorial in The New York Times noted: “The size of the award sends a message that should be heard by the whole drug and medical device industry: Stop placing profits over safety.”
That verdict follows the firm’s success in three federal court jury verdicts totaling almost $2 billion against J&J and its Pinnacle division based on the claims of multiple plaintiffs who suffered serious medical complications caused by the company’s defective hip implant devices.
In 2014, Mark served as lead trial counsel in securing a combined $9 billion verdict against Actos manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceutical of Japan and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly & Co. Trial evidence showed that the defendants were aware of Actos’ link to bladder cancer seven years before a warning to patients was issued.
Mark’s peers and the media consistently recognize him as one of the nation’s leading legal minds. The National Law Journal and The Best Lawyers in America each named Mark as Trial Lawyer of the Year for 2018. Mark was twice named National Trial Lawyers Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year and has been inducted into the National Trial Lawyers’ Hall of Fame. The American Association of Justice and American Lawyer Media have honored Mark with the respective organization’s Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Texas Lawyer has featured Mark as one of the 25 Greatest Attorneys of the Past Quarter Century (2010), and the top “Go-To” personal injury attorney in Texas (2002, 2007, 2012). Mark has earned a spot on the annual Texas Super Lawyers listing each year since 2003, including multiple selections as one of the Top 10 lawyers in the entire state.
Updated Sep 2023
