Angela has more than 20 years of experience focusing on complex litigation, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical product liability defense. She has represented product manufacturers in highly regulated industries and has been an integral part of trial teams defending product manufacturers across the country.   

Angela has developed a deep knowledge of the scientific and medical aspects of product liability litigation. In connection with her practice, Angela has worked with experts in the areas of cardiology, pulmonology, pathology, oncology, radiology, urology, hepatology, thoracic surgery, otolaryngology, epidemiology, toxicology, neurology, psychiatry and industrial hygiene. She also has extensive experience deposing plaintiffs' experts and treating physicians in these fields.

 

Representative Matters

Multidistrict Litigation

  • Defended pharmaceutical manufacturer and worked up bellwether cases in multidistrict litigation involving anti-seizure medication;
  • Represented pharmaceutical company through discovery and trial phase of multidistrict litigation involving diabetes medication;
  • Successfully argued for a one-year limit on diversity-based removals in cases involving plaintiffs' tactical efforts to defeat removal. In re Rezulin Prods. Liab. Litig., No. 03-4763 (S.D.N.Y. 2004);
  • Conducted full workup of cases involving allegations of personal injury in connection with the plaintiffs' use of weight loss medication;
  • Assisted with development of medical expert witnesses in lawsuits brought against manufacturer of hormone therapy medication;
  • Defended pharmaceutical manufacturer in cases involving over-the-counter decongestants.

Coordinated State Court Litigation

  • Developed medical defense strategy in dozens of smoking-and-health cases throughout the state of Florida, including expert witness development from the pretrial phase through deposition and trial testimony;
  • Defended pharmaceutical manufacturer in lawsuits involving claims of vision loss in connection with use of heart medication;
  • Successfully excluded six medical experts and obtained summary judgment. Nelson v. Am. Home Prods. Corp., 92 F.Supp. 954 (W.D. Mo. 2000);
  • Briefed and assisted with argument to Missouri Supreme Court involving pharmaceutical manufacturers' claim that plaintiffs were manipulating jurisdictional requirements. State ex rel. Wyeth et al. v. Grady, 262 S.W. 3d 216 (2008)(en banc). 

FDA Advisory Committee Experience

  • Assisted with preparation for FDA advisory committee meeting on Cox-2 inhibitors;
  • Assisted pharmaceutical manufacturer with preparation for FDA advisory committee meetings regarding black-box warnings.

Publications and Presentations

Intro to COVID-19: Enforcement Action Guidelines, Legal Liabilities and Concerns, Food and Drug Law Institute, August 18, 2020 (with Sonali Gunawardhana).

The Pre-emption Doctrine, American University, June 29, 2020 (with Lori McGroder).

Litigation Mitigation When the PREP Act Is Not Applicable, "Navigating PREP Act Immunity" Webinar Series, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, June 16, 2020 (with Michelle Mangrum). 

The New Drug Approval Process—Basic Concepts, Food & Drug Legal Institute, April 2020.

Angela M. Seaton, "New Drug Approval Process: Basic Concepts," Food and Drug Law Institute's Introduction to US Drug Law and Regulation, April 2018.

Angela M. Seaton, Strategies to Consider When Deposing Treating Physicians Who May Offer Expert Testimony, 21:1 Rx for the Defense, January 2013. 

Angela M. Seaton, "The New Drug Approval Process: NDA Submission and Review," Food and Drug Law Institute's Introduction to Drug Law and Regulation: How the Government Regulates the Drug Industry, 2011.

Deposition Skills Workshop, Faculty member for intensive two credit intersession course at University of Kansas Law School, January 2010.

Harvey L. Kaplan and Angela M. Seaton, Strategies For Dealing With the Risk of Punitive Damages, Chapter 2 in Global Legal Group: The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Product Liability 2007, 5th Ed. 

Harvey L. Kaplan and Angela M. Seaton, Avoiding/Minimizing the Risk of Punitive Damages, The International Comparative Legal Guide to Product Liability 2004.

Marie S. Woodbury and Angela M. Seaton, An Arsenal for Excluding Expert Witness Causation Testimony, Defense Research Institute Monograph and Presentation, May 2001.

Media Coverage

Preparation the Key to Avoiding Pandemic-Driven Litigation, BioWorld, August 18, 2020.

 

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