James E. Hooper, Jr.

Biography

Cases

• In re Juul Labs Inc. Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation (19-md-02193-WHO, N.D. Cal.) - Serving as lead national trial counsel to a major U.S. distributor of vaping products in federal multidistrict litigation in California. WTO is liaison counsel to all of the distributor defendants in the litigation.
• In re Gadolinium-Based Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2868 (J.P.M.L. 2018) - As lead national trial counsel to GE Healthcare, successfully argued before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to defeat plaintiffs' attempt to create an MDL involving gadolinium-based contrast agents.
• Developed, presented, and defended multiple defense expert witnesses in the fields of occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, and state-of-the-art scientific knowledge.
• Coordinated asbestos-defense strategies integrating historical and newly developed scientific research in toxicology, epidemiology, analytical chemistry, and particulate analysis and characterization.
• In re: Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) Products Liability Litigation (E.D. Pa. 2016) - Successfully excluded all of plaintiffs' general causation experts to help Pfizer secure summary judgment in federal Zoloft birth defect MDL.
• Porter v. Smithkline Beecham (Phila. Ct. Com. Pl. 2015) - Contributed to summary judgment win for Pfizer in a Zoloft birth defect case in Philadelphia.
• McNellis v. Pfizer (3d Cir. 2008) - Won an appeal for Pfizer in a groundbreaking preemption case before the Third Circuit.
• Taylor v. Solvay Pharmaceuticals - Obtained voluntary dismissal of claims against Solvay Pharmaceuticals in litigation stemming from the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.
• Miller v. Pfizer - Won exclusion of a star expert for the plaintiffs in antidepressant suicide litigation and won summary judgment for Pfizer in federal court in Kansas in a case alleging that the company's antidepressant led to the suicide of a minor.
• Motus v. Pfizer - Obtained summary judgment for Pfizer in a case alleging wrongful death, failure to warn, and other claims involving the company's popular antidepressant, and won on appeal in the Ninth Circuit.
• Smith v. Pfizer - Won exclusion of a plaintiff's causation experts and summary judgment for Pfizer in federal court in Kansas in a case alleging that the company's antidepressant led to the suicide of an adult male patient.
• Tebbetts v. Ford - Won a New Hampshire "no airbag" trial for Ford before getting all no-airbag cases held preempted in Geier in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

Presentations

• "Punitive Damages," presented at 27th Annual Conference of Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, (August 20, 2004).
• "Court-Appointed Experts," presented at The Network of Trial Law Firms, (March 14, 2002).
• "The Future of Preemption," presented at Defense Research Institute, (May 3, 2001).
• "Daubert and Differential Diagnosis," presented at The Network of Trial Law Firms, (January 4, 2001).
• "Bright Lines, Dark Deeds: Counting Convictions Under the Armed Career Criminal Act," 89 Mich. L. Rev. 1951, (1991).

Press

• Chambers USA: WTO "Acts Totally with the Client's Interest at Heart."
• Benchmark Litigation 2021 Includes 23 WTO Lawyers
• 27 WTO Lawyers Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2019
• WTO Leads Top 100 in Colorado Super Lawyers
• 26 WTO Lawyers ranked in the 24th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America
• Who's Who Legal Names Seven from WTO for Product Liability Defense
• Chambers USA 2017 recognizes Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell among the top litigation firms nationwide and in Colorado
• 42 WTO Lawyers Named to the 2017 Colorado Super Lawyers List
• 20 WTO Lawyers ranked in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
• Chambers USA 2016 Ranks WTO Among Top Firms Nationwide and in Colorado
• 20 WTO Lawyers ranked in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
• WTO Leads the Nation for Ranked Lawyers in Product Liability & Mass Torts Defense in Chambers USA 2015
• Legal 500 US Ranks Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell in Three Areas Nationwide
• Best Lawyers® 2015 Ranks 20 WTO Attorneys
• Benchmark Litigation 2013 Ranks Seven WTO Partners Among 33 Colorado Litigation Stars
• Legal 500 US Ranks WTO as One of Two Top Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense Firms in the Automotive Industry
• Benchmark Litigation Ranks Six WTO Partners Among 30 Colorado Litigation Stars

Other Experience

Legal Memberships, Activities, and Honors

Teaching Positions

Personal Interests