Paul Pennock

Attorney
New York, NY

Biography Overview

Paul Pennock is widely considered one of the best and most aggressive plaintiff litigators in the country. His work has led to more than a billion dollars in recoveries for his clients.

For two decades, Pennock served as chair of one of Weitz & Luxenberg’s national litigation practice groups. He was directly responsible for leading a large national litigation department covering all aspects of litigation, from inception through trial. He has served as lead plaintiffs’ counsel, plaintiff steering committee member, and liaison counsel in numerous state and federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) mass tort cases.

In 2015, he was named national co-lead counsel of the federal power morcellator MDL, where he organized the first majority-women plaintiff steering committee in the 47-year history of multidistrict litigation. He also served as Chair of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) MDL.

For years he has spearheaded efforts to hold accountable businesses that have profited from sex trafficking. Pennock has also worked to expose the purveyors of opioids, including conducting depositions of key corporate executives at the nation’s fourth largest drug distributor. As co-lead of the federal Actos MDL coordination from 2012 through 2018, he helped lead the litigation efforts that resulted in a $9 billion jury verdict, at the time the highest jury verdict in history for a personal injury lawsuit. Pennock has also handled numerous bellwether trials and Daubert hearings on expert witness testimony in both state and federal courts.

As a well-respected member of the bar, he has been invited to speak at dozens of legal conferences around the country, as well as at several law schools, including Yale, Brooklyn, and the University of Denver, among others.

In 2007, he authored the mass tort litigation chapter in a two-volume legal treatise, The Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Action in New York State, edited by Patrick J. Higgins and published by the New York State Bar Association. It was published in 2009, and Pennock regularly provides updates. 

Every year since 2007, Pennock has been designated a Super Lawyer. He also has been a long-running Best Lawyers honoree, and The National Law Journal named him one of  America’s Elite Trial Lawyers. Recently, he received the coveted Clarence Darrow Award, which recognizes dedication and excellence in the legal profession and is given to attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional conviction in their work. He is thrilled to continue that fight at Morgan & Morgan, advocating For The People, not the powerful.

Practice Areas

Mass Tort Litigation Lawyers

Education

  • J.D., St. John’s University, 1988
  • B.A., Syracuse University, 1984

Memberships

  • American Association of Justice
  • New York State Bar Association
  • New York State Trial Association

Experience

Leadership Roles (Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees or Liaison Counsel)

  • Actos Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2299, Co-Lead Counsel
  • Elmiron (Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2973, Co-Lead Counsel
  • Ethicon, Inc., Power Morcellator Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2652, Co-Lead Counsel
  • Seroquel Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1769, Co-Lead Counsel
  • 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2885, Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee
  • Accutane Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1626
  • Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc., Pinnacle Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2244, Science Committee
  • Guidant Corp. Implantable Defibrillators Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1708
  • New York State ReNu with MoistureLoc Product Liability Litigation, Index No. 766,000/2007, Liaison Counsel
  • Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2789, Co-Chair of Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee
  • Silicone Breast Implant Litigation, Index No.  500,000/1993, Liaison Counsel
  • Wright Hip System Cases, Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding (JCCP) No.  4710
  • Yasmin and Yaz (Drospirenone) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2100

Multidistrict Litigation

  • Elmiron, appointed co-lead counsel
  • Co-Lead Counsel for Gardasil
  • PEC for PPI
  • PEC for 3M

Author

  • Pennock, Paul J. “Mass Tort Litigation In New York State Courts: A Practice Manual.” The Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Action In NY State. Vol. One. NY State Bar Association, 2009
  • Increased Scrutiny of Pharmaceutical Company Clinical Trials – The Plaintiff Responds. AML Law Journal Newsletters. LJN’s Product Liability Law & Strategy. Vol. 25, #2. August 2006
  • Merck’s Strategy for Dealing with Vioxx: Why the Old Recipes for Success Won’t Succeed. AML Law Journal Newsletters. LJN’s Law Journal Newsletters. June/July 2005

Speaker

  • Speaker: Mass Torts Made Perfect: The Cutting Edge: How to Approach the Human Trafficking Litigation, August 22, 2019, Webinar
  • Speaker: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference: Critical Developments in Mass Torts, MDLs, and Game-Changing Jurisprudence, May 29, 2019, The Ritz Carlton, New Orleans, LA
  • Moderator & Speaker: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference: Current Mass Torts from E-Discovery Through Exit Strategies – Navigating “Game-Changing” Dynamics, November 28, 2018, The Westin New York Grand Central, New York, NY
  • Speaker: Mass Torts Made Perfect: Human Trafficking: Taking Down Goliath and PPI Litigation, October 3-5, 2018, The Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV
  • Panelist & Moderator: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference: The Mass Tort Litigation Landscape – A Critical Analysis, September 25-26, 2018, Westin Verasa, Napa, CA
  • Speaker: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference:  Opioid Litigation Landscape: Venues, Jurisdictional Hurdles, Defenses and Causes of Action, November 29, 2017, Four Seasons Hotel, St. Louis, MO
  • Speaker: Louisiana State Bar Association, 17th Annual Class Action/Complex Litigation Symposium, November 10, 2017, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New Orleans
  • Speaker:  Mass Torts Made Perfect, Nexium and Prilosec Litigation – Kidney Failure, October 19, 2017, Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 
  • Speaker: Mass Torts Made Perfect, Nexium and Prilosec Litigation – Kidney Failure, April 27, 2017, Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
  • Speaker: Counsel Financial, AAJ 2017 Winter Convention, Building a Mass Torts Practice: Straight Talk from the Experts, February 12, 2017, JW Marriott, Austin, TX
  • Co-Chair: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference: Proton Pump Inhibitors, Eliquis & Stryker Accolade Hip System, January 25, 2017, Nobu Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, FL
  • Co-Chair: HarrisMartin’s Proton Pump Inhibitors – Kidney Injury Litigation Conference, June 15, 2016, Philadelphia, PA
  • Moderator: HarrisMartin HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: ‘Bet-the-Company’ Mass Tort Litigation, Rapid Fire Updates on all Major Mass Tort Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation, May 25,  2016, Thompson Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • Speaker: Louisiana State Bar Association, 15th Annual Class Action/Complex Litigation Symposium, November 13, 2015, Hyatt French Quarter Hotel, New Orleans, LA
  • Co-Chair: Harris Martin, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Morcellator, Fluoroquinolone (FLQ) and Invokana Litigation, September 30, 2015, The Crowne Plaza Times Square, New York, NY
  • Speaker: AAJ 2015 Annual Convention, Section on Toxic, Environmental, and Pharmaceutical Torts (STEP), July 13, 2015, Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Canada
  • Invited Faculty: Power Morcellator Litigation Webinar Presented with the AAJ’s Laparoscopic Power Morcellator Litigation Group, February 11, 2015
  • Speaker: Louisiana State Bar Association, 14th Annual Class Action/Complex Litigation Symposium, Experts:  How to Protect, Select and Survive Daubert – Expert Roundtables, Science Tutorials, Rule 706, and Principal Investigations, November 21, 2014, New Orleans, LA 
  • Speaker: Mass Torts Made Perfect:  Actos Litigation Update, October 9, 2014, Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
  • Invitee: Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Best Practices Conference, Duke Law Center for Judicial Studies, Crystal Gateway Marriott, September 11-12, 2014, Arlington, VA
  • Speaker: Perrin Conferences National Complex Litigation Conference:  A Symposium on Current & Emerging Issues. The Role of Document Preservation and Sanctions in Mass Torts — A Necessary Protection or a New Sword, June 11, 2014, Omni Chicago Hotel, Chicago, IL
  • Speaker: AAJ Education’s Plaintiff-Only Hot Topics and Trends in Litigation Seminar: GM Auto Recall, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Devices, May 27-28, 2014, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Chicago, IL  
  • Speaker: Louisiana State Bar Association, 13th Annual Class Action/Complex Litigation Symposium Experts; How to Protect, Select, and Survive Daubert – Expert Roundtables, Science Tutorials, Rule 706, and Principal Investigators, November 22, 2013, Westin New Orleans Canal Place Hotel, New Orleans, LA
  • Speaker: AAJ Annual Convention, Getting the FDA to Act: Testimony Before the FDA and How it Impacts Consumer Safety, July 22; Litigation Strategy, July 23, 2013, Hilton, San Francisco, CA
  • Speaker: Louisiana State Bar Association, 12th Annual Class Action/Complex Litigation  Symposium, Where’s the Fifth Circuit on Daubert?, November 30, 2012, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New Orleans, LA
  • Speaker: MTMP Presents: Actos Litigation: Winning the Cancer Case, October 11, 2012, The Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
  • Speaker: Harris Martin’s Mass Tort Litigation Conference with Judge Marina Corodemus (Ret.), Off Label vs. Approved Labeled Representations, June 4, 2012, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia, PA 
  • Speaker: Mass Tort Strategies CLE Workshop, Actos: Act now? State & Federal Court Coordination – Criteria for Evaluating Cases, May 21, 2012, Trump International Chicago, IL
  • Co-Chair: MTMP Productions Presents: Actos and Pelvic Mesh Litigation. A plaintiffs only forum, February 8-9, 2012, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Philadelphia, PA
  • Co-Chair/Speaker: Harris Martin’s MDL Conference: Transvaginal Mesh and ACTOS Litigation, January 25, 2012, Miami, FL
  • Speaker: Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Litigation, 11th Annual Class Action/Mass Tort Symposium, Louisiana State Bar Association, December 9, 2011, New Orleans, LA.
  • Speaker: Actos Science, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Transvaginal Mesh and ACTOS Litigation, November 30, 2011, Savannah, GA
  • Speaker: American Association for Justice Education Yaz/Yasmin Teleseminar re: FDA/ Advisory Committee (Ad-Comm) November 10, 2011
  • Speaker: Mass Torts Made Perfect Presents Yaz Litigation and Emerging Torts: SSRIs, Transvaginal Mesh and Actos
  • Speaker: The Regulatory Story – How Yaz and Yasmin Got Approved and Actos Litigation – Overview and Analysis, Mass Torts Made Perfect Presents: YAZ and SSRI/Birth Defect Litigation, September 13, 2011, The Westin Hotel, Philadelphia, PA
  • Speaker: Mass Tort Settlements-The Ideal and the Reality, Mass Torts Judicial Forum with Hon. Marina Corodemus (Ret.), June 27, 2011, The Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia
  • Speaker: Harris Martin Publishing, Development of the Product: Design-Through-Recall Including FDA 510k Approval and DePuy’s Promotion and Marketing of the ASR Hip, Johnson & Johnson DePuy Hip Implant Litigation Conference, November 17, 2010 – Durham, NC.
  • Speaker: The Case for Mass Torts, Yale Law School, November 1, 2010, New Haven, CT
  • Speaker: Defense Research Institute Corporate Counsel Roundtable, St. Regis Hotel, January 22, 2010, New York, NY
  • Speaker: Seroquel Update, Mass Torts Made Perfect, October 15-16, 2009, Las Vegas, NV
  • Lecturer: Medical Products Liability, Vioxx Liability, Brooklyn Law School, April 4, 2007
  • Co-Chair: Mealeys’ Vioxx Litigation Conference, December 11-12, 2006, Key Biscayne, FL
  • Speaker: Identifying the Emerging Areas of Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Litigation, Mealey’s Teleconference, August 17, 2006
  • Speaker: Contact Lens Solution Litigation, Focus on the Contact Solution Litigation, Mealey’s Teleconference, June 27, 2006
  • Speaker: Verdicts & Mistrials – Where Are We Now? The Impact of the First Vioxx Trials on the Future of the Litigation, Mealey’s Vioxx Litigation Conference, May 8 – 9, 2006, Amelia Island, FL
  • Speaker: ATLA Heart Device Litigation Group, Guidant MDL Meeting, The Unsettled J&J Takeover of Guidant, December 15, 2005, Minneapolis, MN
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Vioxx Litigation Conference, What’s Next? A Look to the Future in the Vioxx Litigation, December 12 – 13, 2005, Las Vegas, NV
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Vioxx Litigation Conference, Consolidated Proceedings, NJ Update, December 12 – 13, 2005, 2005, Las Vegas, NV
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Vioxx Litigation Conference, Case Evaluation: What’s New, June 22 – 23, 2005, New Orleans, LA
  • Speaker/Faculty Member: New York State Trial Lawyers’ Association, Federal Practice for State Practitioners, The Use of Jury Questionnaires and Motions in Limine from a Plaintiff’s Perspective, April 6, 2005, New York, NY
  • Invitee: Conference on Electronic Discovery, February 20-21, 2004, Fordham University School of Law, New York, NY
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Conference on Baycol Litigation, The Non-Rhabdo Case: Disease Processes With or Without Elevated Enzyme Levels, June 2- 3, 2003, Amelia Island, FL
  • Speaker: The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, The Future of Expert Testimony, Science of Technical Testimony, January 30, 2003, New York, NY
  • Speaker: Association of Trial Lawyers Association, Baycol and its Impact on Elderly Women, October 25 – 26, 2002, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Speaker: Mealey’s PPA & Ephedra Litigation Conference, Medical Literature: What is Known Regarding Heart Attacks, Strokes and Psychosis, February 4 -5, 2002, Philadelphia, PA
  • Speaker: Association of the Bar of the City of New York, The Future of Expert Testimony, January 30, 2002, New York, NY
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Conference on Baycol Litigation, Theories of Liability, January 14 -15, 2002, San Diego, CA
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Conference on Propulsid Litigation, The “Hot” Documents and the “Key” Documents, June 14-15, 2001, New Orleans, LA
  • Speaker: Mealey’s Conference on Propulsid Litigation, Liability Issues Part I: The Internal Documents, January 22 – 23, 2001, New Orleans, LA

Bar Admission

  • 1989, New York
  • 1992, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • 1997, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • 2003, United States Supreme Court
  • 2005, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
  • 2011, U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • 2014, United States Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit

Locations

Map marker New York City, NY

In the News