William M. Gage

Office Information
“Sources describe William Gage as a ‘very capable trial lawyer with tremendous charisma,’ pointing to the ‘depth of his experience and the strength of his skill.’ He is highly regarded for his expert handling of large-scale pharmaceutical and medical device disputes, including leading pelvic mesh multidistrict litigation.”
Biography – View PDF Bio
- About William
- Associations
- Bar Admissions
- Distinctions
- Education & Honors
- Experience
- In the News
- Papers, Presentations, & Publications
Narrative Bio
William is an attorney in Butler Snow LLP’s Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Healthcare Litigation Group, which LMG Life Sciences selected as its 2019 Product Liability Firm of the Year. He previously served as Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. He is a trial attorney with nearly 30 years of experience in drug and medical device, product liability, personal injury and mass torts litigation.
William currently serves as MDL lead counsel for Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon, Inc. in In re: Ethicon, Inc., Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2327, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, one of the largest litigations in U.S. history. He also serves as MDL lead counsel in In re: Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2782, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. He previously served as statewide coordinating counsel for the Wyeth diet drug litigation and trial counsel in the New Jersey Accutane litigation.
Profiled as one of Law360’s 2016 Trial Pros, William has extensive trial experience. He was retained in 2019 as lead trial counsel in a Washington state attorney general action related to pelvic mesh that resolved shortly before trial. He was also was retained in 2019 as co-lead trial counsel in a first-of-its-kind eight-week bench trial in an attorney general action in California involving pelvic mesh. Over the past five years, he tried eight product liability mesh cases to verdict, obtaining defense verdicts in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (2017) and in state court in Dallas, Texas (2015). The Texas trial was one of Law360’s 2015 Product Liability Trials to Watch, and the verdict was named as one of CVN’s Top 10 Defense Verdicts of 2015.
William is recognized by many prestigious industry publications, including Chambers USA (nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts), The Legal 500 US (recognized in the editorial for nationwide Product liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense), Who’s Who Legal: Product Liability Defence, Benchmark Litigation, The Best Lawyers in America, and Mid-South Super Lawyers. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has presented on numerous occasions about litigation and trial related topics, including speaking at the 2018 and 2019 Contemporary Issues in Complex Litigation Conference at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, the Defense Research Institute’s Product Liability Conference and Drug and Medical Device Seminar, and the American Conference Institute’s Drug & Medical Device Litigation Seminar.
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi, 1990
- U.S. District Courts
- Mississippi: Northern, Southern
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 5th Circuit
Distinctions
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
- Product Liability & Mass Torts – Nationwide, 2017-2020
- The Legal 500 US
- Recognized in the editorial for nationwide Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense, 2018-2020
- Who's Who Legal, Product Liability Defence, 2017-2020
- Benchmark Litigation
- Litigation Star, 2017, 2021
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, 2011-2021
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2018-2021
- Super Lawyers®
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Personal Injury – General: Defense, 2006-2020
- Martindale-Hubbell®
- AV®– Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
More... - Graduate, International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Trial Academy
- Life Sciences Star, LMG Life Sciences
Education & Honors
- University of Mississippi, J.D., cum laude, 1990
- Casenote Editor, Mississippi Law Journal
- University of Mississippi, B.A., Accountancy, cum laude, 1987
Experience
- MDL and Mass Tort Management
- MDL Lead Counsel, In re: Ethicon, Inc., Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2327, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- MDL Lead Counsel, In re: Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2782, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- Statewide Counsel, diet drug litigation for Wyeth.
- Regional Counsel, Gammagard® litigation for Baxter Healthcare Corporation.
- Trials
- The People of the State of California v. Johnson & Johnson – California State Attorney General Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2019); “4 Key Moments From J&J’s Mesh Marketing Battle With Calif.,” Law360, October 2, 2019; “Breaking Down J&J and California’s $1B Pelvic Mesh Trial,” Law360, July 12, 2019.
- Hrymoc v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – New Jersey Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2017).
- Adkins v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – Pennsylvania State Court Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2017); “Philly Jury Clears J&J in Latest Pelvic Mesh Case,” Law360, June 9, 2017.
- Carlino v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – Pennsylvania State Court Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2016).
- Cavness v. Johnson & Johnson, et al – Texas State Court Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2015); “J&J Wins 1st Trial Over Prosima Pelvic Mesh,” Law360, October 5, 2015.
- Perry v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – California State Court Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2015).
- Batiste v. Johnson & Johnson, et al – Texas State Court Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2014).
- Kendall v. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., – New Jersey Accutane litigation (Trial Counsel, 2014).
- Gross v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – New Jersey Pelvic Mesh Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2013).
- Reynolds, et al. v. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. – New Jersey Accutane Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2012).
- McCarrell v. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. – New Jersey Accutane Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2010).
- Speisman, et al. v. Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., – New Jersey Accutane Litigation (Trial Counsel, 2008).
- Budzinski v. City of Clinton, et al., (Trial Counsel).
- Weed v. Dickerson, (Trial Counsel).
- Delaughter v. Lucious Cannon, Jr., et al., (Trial Counsel).
- Powell v Mississippi Farm Bureau, (Trial Counsel).
- Reported Decisions
- Akins v. Golden Triangle Planning & Development District, Inc., 34 So. 3d 575 (Miss. 2010).
- American Home Products Corp. v. Sumlin; 942 So. 2d 766 (Miss. 2006).
- Wyeth Laboratories v. James, 918 So. 2d 1243 (Miss. 2005).
- Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories v. Caldwell, 905 So. 2d 1205 (Miss. 2005).
- American Guarantee and Liability Ins. Co. v. The 1906 Co., 273 F. 3d 605 (5th Cir. 2001).
- American Guarantee and Liability Ins. Co. v. The 1906 Co., 129 F. 3d 802 (5th Cir. 1997).
- Ezell v. BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., 961 F.Supp. 149 (S.D. Miss. 1997).
- McCoy v. South Cent. Bell Telephone Co., 688 So. 2d 214 (Miss. 1996).
- Allstate Ins. Co. v. Chicago Ins. Co., 676 So. 2d 271 (Miss. 1996).
- Radmann v. Truck Ins. Exchange, 660 So. 2d 975 (Miss. 1995).
In the News
- 86 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2020 Mid-South Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars
- Benchmark Litigation U.S. 2021 Recognizes 20 Butler Snow Attorneys
- 198 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- Butler Snow Ranked by The Legal 500 U.S. for Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Health Care Work
- 12 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized by Who’s Who Legal
- Chambers USA 2020 Ranks 44 Butler Snow Attorneys and 15 Categories
- 93 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2019 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Butler Snow Attorney William M. Gage Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers
- William M. Gage to Present at Contemporary Issues in Complex Litigation Conference More...
- Five Butler Snow Attorneys named Life Science Stars by LMG
- 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
- Chambers USA 2019 Ranks 44 Butler Snow Attorneys as Leaders
- Butler Snow Ranked by The Legal 500 US for Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Health Care Work
- Chambers USA 2018 Ranks 41 Butler Snow Attorneys as Leaders
- Who’s Who Legal Recognizes 10 Butler Snow Attorneys
- Butler Snow Ranked No. 2 in Lex Machina’s ‘Top Law Firm Report’
- Butler Snow Named Product Liability Firm of the Year by Benchmark Litigation
- 106 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2017 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- 147 Butler Snow Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers®, 18 Named “Lawyer of the Year”
- Philly Jury Clears J&J In Latest Pelvic Mesh Case - Law360
- Butler Snow Ranked One of USA's Leading Product Liability Firms by Who's Who Legal
- Chambers USA 2017 Ranks 45 Butler Snow Attorneys as Leaders
- Law360 Trial Pros Q&A with William Gage
- CVN Top 10 Defense Verdicts of 2015 - CVN.com
- 102 Butler Snow Attorneys List in 2015 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- J&J Wins 1st Trial Over Prosima Pelvic Mesh - Law360
- Jury Asked To Award $9.5M Damages In J&J Pelvic Mesh Case - Law360
- 117 Butler Snow Attorneys Listed in 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers®
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Speaker, “An Analysis of the Role of Daubert in Modern, Complex Litigation," Contemporary Issues in Complex Litigation Conference, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, Ill., October 17, 2019.
- Speaker, “Current Issues in Multidistrict Litigation,” Contemporary Issues in Complex Litigation Conference, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, Ill., November 29, 2018.
- Speaker, “Cutting Edge Use of Graphics During Closing,” DRI Product Liability Conference, San Diego, Calif., February 2018.
- Speaker, “Hot Topics and Trends in Medical Device Litigation,” AdvaMed Litigation Counsel Working Group, January 2018.
- Author, “The Three C’s," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 10 No. 3, October 2017.
- Speaker, “How Expert Witnesses Can Help Win or Lose Cases at Trial,” SEAK 26th Annual National Expert Witness Conference, May 2017.
- Speaker, “Fighting Back Against Overbroad or No Injury Class Actions: Strategies for Drug and Medical Device Defense Counsel to Effectively Defeat Certification,” 19th Annual Drug and Medical Litigation Conference, American Conference Institute (ACI), New York, N.Y., December 2014.
- Speaker, "The Litigation Exchange: Drug and Device Edition," Co-Chair and speaker, Momentum Event Group, New York, N.Y., October 2013.
- Speaker, "Taking the Social Media Plunge: Engaging Customers Online While Minimizing the Inherent Litigation Risks of Viral Communication," ACI 17th Annual Drug and Medical Device Litigation Conference, New York, N.Y., December 2012. More...
- Author, "Effect of Judicial Estoppel on Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury Claim – What Every Defense Lawyer Needs to Know," Southern Law Network, Chicago, Ill., October 2010.
- Speaker, "Preparation and Use of Expert Witnesses," ACI Expert Witness and Scientific Evidence Conference, Philadelphia, Pa., July 2008.
- Speaker, "E-Discovery," Thirteenth Triennial Mississippi Oil and Gas Law Seminar, May 2008.
- Speaker, "To Catch A Thief," Defense Research Institute Drug and Device Seminar, May 2008.
- Speaker, Electronic Discovery Preparedness Training, Mississippi Association of Petroleum Landmen, 2007.
- Speaker, "E-Discovery Era," Central Mississippi Chapter of Institute of Internal Auditors Summer Seminar, 2007.
- Speaker, Federal Practice & Procedure Seminar, June 2007.
- Speaker, Memphis Paralegal Association Electronic Discovery Seminar, 2007.
- Speaker, "Taking and Defending Effective Depositions in Mississippi," Lorman Education Services, 2006-09, 2011.
- Author, "Litigation in the Digital Age," 2007.
- Speaker, "Structuring Defense Counsel for MDL Litigation," ACI Drug & Medical Device Litigation Conference, Chicago, Illinois, June 2006.
- Author, "Mediation in Multi-District Litigation," For the Defense, Defense Research Institute, 2003.