Adam Miller has a national trial practice focusing on toxic tort, environmental, product liability and commercial disputes. He has tried and litigated numerous toxic tort, product liability, and environmental tort liability cases. As Co-Chair of Shook Hardy & Bacon’s Toxic Tort and Environmental Liability practice groups, Adam represents clients in the chemical and product manufacturing sectors around the country.
Adam represents clients in civil jury trials including class actions in federal and state courts around the country, as well as in high-stakes environmental disputes.
Adam is skilled at presenting complex scientific and technical issues to judges and juries. He has received recognition from Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, and the Missouri Lawyers Weekly, which named Adam to its Power List of Environmental Lawyers in 2023.
Representative Matters
Represents a Fortune 100 client defending public nuisance cases brought by several states and multiple municipalities along the West Coast of the U.S. and elsewhere. These claims arise out of the environmental presence of PCBs in streams, sediments, waste water and MS4 conveyance systems.
First-chaired multiple eight-week trials for Monsanto Company involving claims brought by individuals who alleged catastrophic cognitive and numerous health effects were caused by dielectric fluids and plasticizers.
Led and participated in trial teams that obtained multiple defense verdicts in favor of Monsanto Company in multi-plaintiff PCB/non-Hodgkin Lymphoma cases tried in state courts in Missouri and Los Angeles. Developed key scientific and medical defenses for this case and dozens of similar cases pending in multiple jurisdictions.
Obtained a defense verdict for Monsanto Company in the first-ever PCB cancer cases to be tried to verdict in Alabama. Verdict followed the court’s exclusion of dismissed plaintiffs’ key medical causation witnesses prior to and during trial.
Defended client in the Northern District of California in more than 250 related lawsuits, including putative class action cases, alleging groundwater contamination arising from historical use of perchlorate. A four-week jury trial resulted in a complete defense verdict in selected bellwether cases. All remaining cases resolved favorably for the client.
Defended a cigarette manufacturer against a certified class of West Virginia smokers seeking medical monitoring for lung cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involving the use of low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) scans and positive electron topography. The case resulted in a defense verdict and was identified by the National Law Journal as a “verdict of the week.”
Co-tried numerous patent actions on patent holders seeking damages for the infringing uses of biotechnology traits.
Publications and Presentations
Navigating the Complexities of Toxic Tort Litigation, Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference, September 24, 2024.
A Practitioner’s Guide to Class Actions, Third Edition, American Bar Association, 2021.
A Practitioner’s Guide to Class Actions, Second Edition, American Bar Association, 2017.
Eat, Drink, but Be Wary: Plaintiffs’ New Attack on Chemicals in the
Food Chain, In-House Defense Quarterly, Defense Research Institute,
Winter 2014.
Eat, Drink, but Be Wary: Plaintiffs’ New Attack on Chemicals in the
Food Chain, DRI Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar, February
2014.
Environmental Law, Future Regulatory Policies and Law on Going
Green, The Missouri Bar, September 2009.
Media coverage
Shook Hardy Names 3 New Office Leaders Amid Expansion, Law360, July 21, 2021