Barnes & Thornburg Adds Product Liability Litigator in Chicago

CHICAGO (January 27, 2016) – Barnes & Thornburg LLP announced today that James Murdica has joined the firm’s Litigation Department as a partner in the Chicago office. Murdica comes from Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, where he was partner in the firm's litigation group and vice-chair of its products liability practice group. His arrival comes on the heels of four former Brinks, Gilson & Lione attorneys joining the firm’s Intellectual Property Department in Chicago.

Murdica focuses his practice on products liability with a concentration on the defense of pharmaceutical and medical device cases in state and federal courts nationwide, including consolidated and multidistrict litigation.

“Today’s complex product liability cases require a strategic and focused approach for litigation success,” said William McErlean, a partner in the firm’s Chicago office and chair of the Litigation Department. “Jim has been an exceptional and successful advocate for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers’ rights in products claims at both the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts throughout the United States. We are excited to welcome such a talented and proven litigator such as Jim to our department and firm."

“Jim’s arrival demonstrates the aggressive growth strategy the firm has been implementing within key practice groups in the Chicago office,” said Mark Rust, managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office. “The product liability litigation experience that Jim brings to Barnes & Thornburg will be a great addition to the work we do as national counsel in significant pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. Simultaneously, he will expand the breadth and depth of services we’re able to offer our clients in Chicago.”

Throughout his career, Murdica has served as coordinating counsel for consolidated products liability litigations across the U.S. involving thousands of plaintiffs with a focus on cases involving consumer products, medical devices or pharmaceuticals.

He is a frequent speaker on current issues regarding drug and device law, federal preemption and electronic discovery.

Murdica earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University.

With more than 600 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from 13 offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Delaware, Indiana, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.