Shook Obtains Second Defense Verdict in Taxotere MDL

Shook won another important defense verdict for Sanofi in the second bellwether trial in multidistrict litigation involving allegations that the breast cancer chemotherapy drug Taxotere causes permanent hair loss. A Louisiana jury returned a defense verdict in less than two hours after a two-week trial. 

The win earned the team, led by Partners Hildy Sastre and Jon Strongman, the runner-up spot for American Lawyer Media’s “Litigators of the Week.” Media outlets including ALM and Reuters reported on the outcome. 

In addition to Sastre and Strongman, Partners Harley Ratliff, Chris Kaufman, Matt DePaz and Connor Sears round out the trial team. Associates Jordan Baehr, Torrey Peterson and Stephen Nichols also assisted in the win. 

Reuters featured the trial in its Winning Strategies video series, interviewing Sastre for “Winning Strategies: How We Steered a Win for Sanofi Despite a Sympathetic Plaintiff.” 

The case is Kahn v. Sanofi Aventis U.S. LLC, No. 16-17144 (E.D. La.); In re Taxotere (docetaxel) Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL No. 2740.