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Eric E. Hudson

Eric E.

Hudson

Overview

Eric Hudson focuses his practice on the defense of mass tort litigation for pharmaceutical, medical device and other product manufacturers. He has extensive experience defending federal multidistrict litigation and state court consolidated litigation throughout the United States. He has served as lead counsel for manufacturers in nationwide MDLs as well as nationwide coordinating counsel in a number of mass torts. Eric also has an extensive settlement practice throughout the United States, and he has represented manufacturers in connection with mass tort settlements in Australia, Canada and Europe.  He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed general civil mediator.

About

In over 25 years of practice, Eric has handled every aspect of mass tort litigation, including discovery, depositions, experts, motions, trials and settlement. Based on that experience he regularly advises clients on the strategic defense and management of mass torts. Clients rely on Eric for everything from substantive defense strategy to the cost-effective administration of virtual law firms.  Apart from mass torts, Eric regularly defends high stakes, individual lawsuits involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, general product liability and chemical products.

Eric frequently writes and speaks about product liability litigation. He is a blogging team member for the award-winning Drug & Device Law Blog, where he writes regularly about legal developments impacting the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.  He co-authored “Mass Torts in the United States,” Chapter 6 – Management of Mass Torts by the Judiciary, American Bar Association, and he frequently contributes to the Mass Torts Newsletter for the American Bar Association’s Mass Torts Committee.

The Legal 500 US, which recognized Eric as a key lawyer in its editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, stated that he “is a ‘solid strategist and manager of litigations’ with vast experience in nationwide MDLs and mass tort settlements at both national and international levels.” Eric is also listed in Best Lawyers in America®, Mid-South Super Lawyers and is AV®– Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. He received the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law Award (2010), and Memphis Business Journal selected him as one of its Top 40 Under 40 (2007). He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Memphis Bar Foundation.

Eric previously served as Co-Chair of the Mass Torts Committee for the American Bar Association (2012-2015), Co-Chair of the Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee (2010-2012) and Co-Chair of the Toxic Torts Subcommittee (2008-2010). He received the ABA’s Outstanding Subcommittee Chair Award (2008 and 2010). He is a member of the Drug and Medical Device Committee of the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He served as President (2013) and Treasurer (2010) of the Memphis Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Experience

  • Representation of chemical manufacturer in thousands of environmental and products liability PFAS claims in state and federal courts nationwide brought by individuals, municipalities, and states alleging groundwater contamination and personal injury as individual claims, consolidated proceedings, and class actions.
  • National wave discovery coordinating counsel for a multinational manufacturing company in the largest mass tort MDL in history concerning sale of allegedly defective earplugs to the military.
  • National Coordinating Counsel and MDL Liaison Counsel for branded pharmaceutical manufacturer in MDL proceedings in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois & coordinated state court proceedings in California, Connecticut and Delaware.
  • Co-trial counsel for branded pharmaceutical manufacturer in one of the first bench trials conducted pursuant to Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. v. Albrecht, 139 S.Ct. 1668 (U.S. 2019). Following a multi-day trial in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the court held that plaintiff’s claims were preempted based on the absence of newly acquired information that would have permitted the defendant to implement a label change.
  • National settlement counsel for U.S. device manufacturer in mass tort litigation. Negotiated and implemented settlements of tens of thousands of cases in the United States, as well as class action settlements in Australia and Canada.
  • Lead Counsel in MDL proceedings in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York on behalf of generic pharmaceutical manufacturer. Obtained summary judgment on all claims.
  • Lead Counsel for pharmaceutical manufacturer in mass tort cases filed in Las Vegas, Nevada alleging Hepatitis C infection associated with re-use of vials of the anesthetic propofol. Obtained dismissals of more than 4,000 plaintiffs’ claims against the firm’s client.
  • Summary judgment obtained for manufacturer of metalworking fluids in mass torts case involving over 200 plaintiffs with claims exceeding $100 Million in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan.
  • After removal pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act, successfully defeated remand efforts by plaintiffs in a putative class action seeking more than $50 Billion for alleged identity theft, ultimately leading to outright dismissal.
  • Defense of environmental contamination cases involving CERCLA and contribution actions.

Distinctions

  • BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2022-2026
    • Commercial Litigation, 2013-2026
  • Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers®
    • Mid-South Super Lawyers, Class Action / Mass Torts, 2011-2020, 2024
    • Mid-South Rising Stars, 2008-2010
  • Martindale-Hubbell®
    • AV®- Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Memphis Business Journal
    • Top 40 Under 40, 2007
  • The Legal 500 US
    • Recognized in the editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, 2019, 2025
  • Outstanding Subcommittee Chair, Litigation Section, American Bar Association, 2008 & 2010
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Leadership Law 2010
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Life Sciences Star, LMG Life Sciences
  • Fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
  • Drug & Device Law Blog, Blogging Team Member

Bar Admissions

  • Tennessee, 2003
  • Vermont, 1998
  • U.S. District Courts
    • Wisconsin: Western
    • Michigan: Eastern
    • Vermont: District of Vermont
    • Tennessee: Eastern, Middle, Western
  • U.S. Court of Appeals
    • 6th Circuit
    • 7th Circuit
    • 8th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

  • Vermont Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1998
    • Head Notes Editor, Vermont Law Review
    • Am Jur Awards, Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property, Appellate Advocacy
  • University of South Florida, M.A., Biology, 1995
  • Vanderbilt University, B.S., Biology, 1993

Associations

  • American Bar Association
    • Litigation Section
      • Mass Torts Committee
        • Co-Chair, 2012-2015
      • Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee
        • Co-Chair, 2010-2012
      • Toxic Torts Subcommittee
        • Co-Chair, 2008-2010
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
    • Drug and Medical Device Committee
  • Federal Bar Association
    • Memphis Mid-South Chapter
      • President, 2013
      • Treasurer, 2010
  • Tennessee Bar Association

Papers, Presentations & Publications

Civic Involvement

  • Nuber YMCA
    • Volunteer of the Year, 2014
    • Annual Campaign Co-Chair, 2013 and 2014
    • Board of Directors
  • Memphis Area Legal Services
    • Pro Bono Volunteer

Eric E.

Hudson

Overview

Eric Hudson focuses his practice on the defense of mass tort litigation for pharmaceutical, medical device and other product manufacturers. He has extensive experience defending federal multidistrict litigation and state court consolidated litigation throughout the United States. He has served as lead counsel for manufacturers in nationwide MDLs as well as nationwide coordinating counsel in a number of mass torts. Eric also has an extensive settlement practice throughout the United States, and he has represented manufacturers in connection with mass tort settlements in Australia, Canada and Europe.  He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed general civil mediator.

About

In over 25 years of practice, Eric has handled every aspect of mass tort litigation, including discovery, depositions, experts, motions, trials and settlement. Based on that experience he regularly advises clients on the strategic defense and management of mass torts. Clients rely on Eric for everything from substantive defense strategy to the cost-effective administration of virtual law firms.  Apart from mass torts, Eric regularly defends high stakes, individual lawsuits involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, general product liability and chemical products.

Eric frequently writes and speaks about product liability litigation. He is a blogging team member for the award-winning Drug & Device Law Blog, where he writes regularly about legal developments impacting the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.  He co-authored “Mass Torts in the United States,” Chapter 6 – Management of Mass Torts by the Judiciary, American Bar Association, and he frequently contributes to the Mass Torts Newsletter for the American Bar Association’s Mass Torts Committee.

The Legal 500 US, which recognized Eric as a key lawyer in its editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, stated that he “is a ‘solid strategist and manager of litigations’ with vast experience in nationwide MDLs and mass tort settlements at both national and international levels.” Eric is also listed in Best Lawyers in America®, Mid-South Super Lawyers and is AV®– Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®. He received the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law Award (2010), and Memphis Business Journal selected him as one of its Top 40 Under 40 (2007). He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, the Tennessee Bar Foundation and the Memphis Bar Foundation.

Eric previously served as Co-Chair of the Mass Torts Committee for the American Bar Association (2012-2015), Co-Chair of the Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee (2010-2012) and Co-Chair of the Toxic Torts Subcommittee (2008-2010). He received the ABA’s Outstanding Subcommittee Chair Award (2008 and 2010). He is a member of the Drug and Medical Device Committee of the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He served as President (2013) and Treasurer (2010) of the Memphis Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

Experience

  • Representation of chemical manufacturer in thousands of environmental and products liability PFAS claims in state and federal courts nationwide brought by individuals, municipalities, and states alleging groundwater contamination and personal injury as individual claims, consolidated proceedings, and class actions.
  • National wave discovery coordinating counsel for a multinational manufacturing company in the largest mass tort MDL in history concerning sale of allegedly defective earplugs to the military.
  • National Coordinating Counsel and MDL Liaison Counsel for branded pharmaceutical manufacturer in MDL proceedings in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois & coordinated state court proceedings in California, Connecticut and Delaware.
  • Co-trial counsel for branded pharmaceutical manufacturer in one of the first bench trials conducted pursuant to Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. v. Albrecht, 139 S.Ct. 1668 (U.S. 2019). Following a multi-day trial in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the court held that plaintiff’s claims were preempted based on the absence of newly acquired information that would have permitted the defendant to implement a label change.
  • National settlement counsel for U.S. device manufacturer in mass tort litigation. Negotiated and implemented settlements of tens of thousands of cases in the United States, as well as class action settlements in Australia and Canada.
  • Lead Counsel in MDL proceedings in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York on behalf of generic pharmaceutical manufacturer. Obtained summary judgment on all claims.
  • Lead Counsel for pharmaceutical manufacturer in mass tort cases filed in Las Vegas, Nevada alleging Hepatitis C infection associated with re-use of vials of the anesthetic propofol. Obtained dismissals of more than 4,000 plaintiffs’ claims against the firm’s client.
  • Summary judgment obtained for manufacturer of metalworking fluids in mass torts case involving over 200 plaintiffs with claims exceeding $100 Million in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan.
  • After removal pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act, successfully defeated remand efforts by plaintiffs in a putative class action seeking more than $50 Billion for alleged identity theft, ultimately leading to outright dismissal.
  • Defense of environmental contamination cases involving CERCLA and contribution actions.

Distinctions

  • BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2022-2026
    • Commercial Litigation, 2013-2026
  • Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers®
    • Mid-South Super Lawyers, Class Action / Mass Torts, 2011-2020, 2024
    • Mid-South Rising Stars, 2008-2010
  • Martindale-Hubbell®
    • AV®- Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Memphis Business Journal
    • Top 40 Under 40, 2007
  • The Legal 500 US
    • Recognized in the editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, 2019, 2025
  • Outstanding Subcommittee Chair, Litigation Section, American Bar Association, 2008 & 2010
  • Tennessee Bar Association, Leadership Law 2010
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Life Sciences Star, LMG Life Sciences
  • Fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
  • Drug & Device Law Blog, Blogging Team Member

Bar Admissions

  • Tennessee, 2003
  • Vermont, 1998
  • U.S. District Courts
    • Wisconsin: Western
    • Michigan: Eastern
    • Vermont: District of Vermont
    • Tennessee: Eastern, Middle, Western
  • U.S. Court of Appeals
    • 6th Circuit
    • 7th Circuit
    • 8th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

  • Vermont Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, 1998
    • Head Notes Editor, Vermont Law Review
    • Am Jur Awards, Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property, Appellate Advocacy
  • University of South Florida, M.A., Biology, 1995
  • Vanderbilt University, B.S., Biology, 1993

Associations

  • American Bar Association
    • Litigation Section
      • Mass Torts Committee
        • Co-Chair, 2012-2015
      • Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee
        • Co-Chair, 2010-2012
      • Toxic Torts Subcommittee
        • Co-Chair, 2008-2010
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
    • Drug and Medical Device Committee
  • Federal Bar Association
    • Memphis Mid-South Chapter
      • President, 2013
      • Treasurer, 2010
  • Tennessee Bar Association

Papers, Presentations & Publications

Civic Involvement

  • Nuber YMCA
    • Volunteer of the Year, 2014
    • Annual Campaign Co-Chair, 2013 and 2014
    • Board of Directors
  • Memphis Area Legal Services
    • Pro Bono Volunteer