Adam focuses his practice on the representation and defense of manufacturers in products liability litigation, with an emphasis on complex pharmaceutical medical device litigation in both state and federal courts, including multidistrict litigation. He has provided on-site trial support to lead trial counsel in multiple medical device jury trials, which has included preparing defense experts, preparing witness outlines, arguing case-specific and company witness deposition designations, and arguing motions in limine against lead Plaintiffs’ counsel. Most recently, Adam served as a key member of the trial support team that obtained defense verdicts in medical device cases in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (January 2023), Central District of California (September 2022) and Southern District of Mississippi (June 2022). Best Lawyers in America® selected him as one of its “Ones to Watch” for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.
Overview
Adam focuses his practice on the representation and defense of manufacturers in products liability litigation, with an emphasis on complex pharmaceutical medical device litigation in both state and federal courts, including multidistrict litigation. He has provided on-site trial support to lead trial counsel in multiple medical device jury trials, which has included preparing defense experts, preparing witness outlines, arguing case-specific and company witness deposition designations, and arguing motions in limine against lead Plaintiffs’ counsel. Most recently, Adam served as a key member of the trial support team that obtained defense verdicts in medical device cases in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (January 2023), Central District of California (September 2022) and Southern District of Mississippi (June 2022). Best Lawyers in America® selected him as one of its “Ones to Watch” for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.
Practice Areas
About
Adam is active in the Defense Research Institute, Jackson Young Lawyers, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association and Capital Area Bar Association. He also writes and presents on litigation-related topics, including for Butler Snow’s Pro Te: Solutio.
He graduated first in his law school class, receiving his J.D., summa cum laude, from Mississippi College School of Law, where he was Associate Editor of the Mississippi College Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Board. He obtained his B.B.A., cum laude, in Managerial Finance from the University of Mississippi. He is admitted to practice in Mississippi.
Experience
- Provided on-site trial support to lead trial counsel in medical device product liability trials, including assisting with development of strategy, coordinating deposition designations of company and case specific witnesses, arguing objections to deposition designations and motions in limine, preparing company and expert witnesses, and assisting with preparations of cross examinations of plaintiffs’ case specific and general causation experts.
- Hudspeth v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Pelvic Mesh Litigation, 2023, eight-day jury trial.
- Freeman v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., United States District Court for the Central District of California, Pelvic Mesh Litigation, 2022, 10-day jury trial.
- Knoth v. Apollo Endoscopy US, Inc. et al., United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, 2022, a four-day jury trial in which we obtained a complete defense in a medical device products liability action related to the company’s ORBERA® Ingastric balloon. Adam served as a key member of the defense team, successfully arguing one of the remaining two claims for directed verdict at trial.
- Emmet v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pelvic Mesh Litigation, 2018-2019, six-week jury trial.
- Mesigian v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – Philadelphia Court Common Pleas, Pelvic Mesh Litigation, 2019, five-week jury trial.
- Dunfee v. Johnson & Johnson, et al. – Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pelvic Mesh Litigation, 2019, four-week jury trial in which the jury only awarded compensatory damages. The Dunfee trial resulted in the lowest plaintiff jury verdict in the Philadelphia pelvic mesh litigation.
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Obtained complete dismissal with prejudice in legal malpractice lawsuit where the plaintiffs were seeking $13 million—the amount of the default judgment entered against them as a discovery sanction in a previous case.
Distinctions
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Ones to Watch, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2023-2024
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi, 2016
Education
- Mississippi College School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2016
- Associate Editor, Mississippi College Law Review
- Member, Moot Court Board
- Hearin Scholar
- Amjur Award in 14 legal areas
- Mississippi Defense Lawyer Award
- American Inns of Court, The Charles Clark Inn, 2015-2016
- University of Mississippi, B.A., Business Administration, cum laude, 2010
Associations
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- Jackson Young Lawyers
- Capital Area Bar Association
- Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
- Mississippi Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Papers, Presentations & Publications
- Author, "Trust the reProcess? A Practical and Legal Overview of Reprocessing Single-Use Medical Devices in the United States," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 15, No. 4, December 2022.
- Author, "Ready or Not … Here Comes a Global Pandemic: A Legal and Practical Overview of the New Normal to Patient Healthcare – Telehealth," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 13, No. 2, June 2020.
- Speaker, “2018: Life Sciences Year End Roundup,” In-house Client Presentation, December 2018.
Civic Involvement
- Make-A-Wish Mississippi: Old Waverly Golf Tournament Committee