Texas

Founded in 1990, Lanier Law has established itself a coveted position as perhaps the most celebrated product-liability-oriented plaintiff shop in the country, etching itself national-level recognition – and, more remarkably, universal admiration – through its offices in Houston, New York and Los Angeles. The firm lays claim to an astonishing run of trial verdicts and settlements on behalf of plaintiffs, with eye-popping dollar figures being regularly ratcheted up. “Lanier gets verdicts and settlements that sometimes are in the billions – billions with a ‘B’ – and those within the hundreds of millions are almost routine,” marvels a peer. Illustrating this point, Lanier boasts securing a $9 billion award against Takeda & Eli Lilly for cancer risk for diabetes drug Actos; a $4.5 billion verdict in against Merck concerning a Vioxx settlement; a $4.69 billion verdict in the first trial linking baby powder, asbestos and ovarian cancer, and the upholding of a $2.1 billion verdict against J&J in the trial concerning the same issues of talc and ovarian cancer.

     Unanimous credit for the firm’s market standing is given to its founder and namesake, lead partner Mark Lanier, considered a one-of-a-kind ace trial lawyer who is revered by all peers and opponents. “Mark was the first among equals who got into this world,” confirms a peer (and frequent opponent). “He is so talented – his name and presence carry a lot of value. He is a plaintiff that, when he’s against me, I say, ‘OK… it’s on!’” Another confides, “It is brutal to go against Mark Lanier. He is so good, he bonds with the jury, he is amazing in court and has huge influence. Mark is universally revered, and his fans run just as deep on the defense side as among other plaintiffs.”