Chip is a member of Butler Snow’s Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices & Healthcare Group, where he focuses his practice on health-related matters, including representation of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in multidistrict litigations and consolidated state proceedings and individual cases in state and federal courts. He regularly deposes treating physicians and expert witnesses and has worked extensively with experts and company witnesses in complex cases. Chip also has experience in strategy development and managing teams as national coordinating counsel and in negotiating and structuring settlements for mass torts. Chip’s trial experience includes first-chair work as well as playing a trial support role for lead counsel in various cases. In addition to his product liability work, Chip has experience representing clients in class actions, commercial disputes, medical professional liability cases, personal injury suits, intellectual property litigation, and transportation law/trucking defense. Chip is also AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Biography – View PDF Bio

• Associations
• Bar Admissions
• Distinctions
• Education & Honors
• Experience
• In the News
• Papers, Presentations, & Publications

Associations

Bar Admissions

• Mississippi, 1996
• Tennessee, 1989
• U.S. District Courts
  • Tennessee: Western
  • Mississippi: Northern, Southern
• U.S. Court of Appeals
  • 2nd Circuit
  • 5th Circuit
  • 6th Circuit

Distinctions

• Best Lawyers in America®
  • Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (Memphis), 2020
  • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2013-2022
• Super Lawyers®
  • Mid-South Super Lawyers, Personal Injury – Products: Defense, 2006-2008, 2011-2020
• Martindale-Hubbell®
  • AV®- Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
• The Legal 500 U.S.
  • Recognized in the editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, 2019.
• Fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation

Education & Honors

• University of Louisville, J.D., 1989
  • Member, Journal of Family Law
• University of Kentucky, B.B.A., Finance, 1986

Experience

• In re: Propecia (Finasteride) Product Liability Litigation, (12-MD-2331 (JG)(VVP)), U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, Lead Defense Liaison Counsel.
• In re: Propecia® Litigation, (Case No. 623, Civil Action), Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division: Middlesex County, Lead Defense Liaison Counsel.
• Statin/Cholesterol Lowering Medication Litigation, national defense counsel for multiple one-off claims involving injuries allegedly arising from use of statin/cholesterol medications.
• In re: Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) Prods. Liability Lit., Coordinated Proceedings: Superior Ct. of CA, County of San Francisco, J.C.C.P No. 4863 (individual case work-up)
• In re: Topamax Litigation, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Powell v. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 02251, Lead Trial Counsel. 
• In re: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2545, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (individual case work-up in multiple jurisdictions). ​
• In re: Prempro Products Liability Litigation (Hormone Replacement Therapy, MDL No. 1507 (4:03-cv-1507-BRW), U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas (including several actions in federal court in Mississippi.)
• In re: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL No. 1407, U.S. District of Washington (including several actions in federal court in Mississippi.)
• ​Betterton v. Evans, et al., (2:02-CV-318-PB) Northern District, Mississippi, medical malpractice/wrongful death claim arising from pacemaker implantation; successfully obtained defense verdict.
More...
• ​North American Electric v. Western Electric Pacific, Ltd., (2:01-CV-00175-EMB) U.S. District Court, Northern District, Mississippi, breach of contract.
• ​Johnny’s Fine Foods, Inc. v. Johnny’s Inc., 286 F.Supp.2d 876, 68 U.S.P.Q. 2d1505 (M.D. 2003), Lead Trial Counsel, trademark infringement (Lead trial counsel.)
• ​Caldwell v. Mentor Corporation, et al., Circuit Court, Memphis, Tennessee, Lead trial counsel, products liability – medical device—penile implant, obtained directed verdict at close of all proof.
• ​Matlock v. Hester, State Court, Memphis, Tennessee, Lead trial counsel, automobile accident.
• Flipp v. Stevenson, State Court, Memphis, Tennessee, breach of contract.
• Assisted the trial team in the following cases:
• Maya v. McNeil, et al., Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas trial involving Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Children’s Motrin (2011).
  
• Hutto v. McNeil, et al., Louisiana trial involving acetaminophen overdose (2010).
• Cox v. Davis, State Court, Memphis, Tennessee, medical malpractice.
• Cox v. General Motors, 1996 WL 266649 (Tenn.Ct.App., 1996), products liability.
• Blackshears v. General Motors, U.S. District Court, Western District, Tennessee, products liability.
• Middleton v. Illinois Central Railroad, State Court, Memphis, Tennessee, FELA.
• Moltan Company v. Eagle-Picher Industries Inc., 55 F.3d. 1171, (6th Cir. (Tenn.) 1995), Lanham Act – unfair competition.
• ​Breast Implant Litigation—Assisted in work-up of cases.

In the News

• 237 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022
• 86 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars
• 198 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
• 93 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 173 Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers® 2020, 19 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
• Butler Snow Ranked by The Legal 500 U.S. for Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Health Care Work
• 106 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 102 Butler Snow Attorneys List in 2015 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
• 117 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers®
More...
• The Power Players - Law: Personal Injury

Papers, Presentations, & Publications

• Author, “2015 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: What You Need to Know,” Pro Te Solutio, Vol. 8 No. 3, Fall 2015.
• Author, “Changes to the Federal Removal Statutes—Questions Still Remain,” Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 5 No. 3, 7-11, August 2012.
• Co-Author, “Fighting the Counterfeit Drug Industry,” Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 3 No. 2, May 2010.
• Speaker, “Direct Examination of Expert Pharmacologist,” ACI Drug & Medical Device on Trial Seminar, Summer 2009.
• Speaker, “Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence Update and Proposed State Rules for E-Discovery,” E-Discovery and New Rules for Civil Procedure, Tennessee Bar Association, February 2008.