Adam is an experienced product and environmental liability, toxic tort, and patent litigation trial attorney. His practice focuses on complex mass tort and class action product liability litigation involving consumer and commercial products containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), benzene, solvents, dioxins, and tobacco products. He defends manufacturers, suppliers and industrial users of these products against claims involving cancers, thyroid and endocrine disorders, neurodevelopmental deficiencies, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and medical monitoring.

Adam has advanced experience in the development of medical and scientific defenses and trial strategies relating to defense-critical technical issues, including the identification and development of medical and scientific expert witnesses and the effective cross-examination of opposing technical and scientific experts. In addition, he specializes in the legal and scientific responses to claims for medical monitoring, and allegations of property diminution relating to the presence of contaminants into the environment.

Representative Matters

Serves as national coordinating counsel for a Fortune 100 client defending public nuisance cases brought by several states and multiple municipalities along the West Coast of the U.S. and elsewhere. These claims arise out of the environmental presence of PCBs in streams, sediments, waste water and MS4 conveyance systems.

First-chaired an eight-week trial for Monsanto Company involving claims brought by seven individuals who alleged their exposure to PCBs caused permanent cognitive and other health effects.  

Participated in the trial teams that obtained multiple defense verdicts in favor of Monsanto Company in multi-plaintiff PCB/non-Hodgkin Lymphoma cases tried in state courts in Missouri and Los Angeles. Developed key scientific and medical defenses for this case and dozens of similar cases pending in multiple jurisdictions.

Obtained a defense verdict for Monsanto Company in the first-ever PCB personal injury cases to be tried to verdict in Alabama. Verdict followed the court’s exclusion of dismissed plaintiffs’ key medical causation witnesses prior to and during trial.

Defended client in federal court in San Jose, California, in more than 250 related lawsuits, including putative class action cases, alleging groundwater contamination arising from historical use of perchlorate. A four-week jury trial resulted in a complete defense verdict in selected bellwether cases. All remaining cases resolved favorably for the client.

Defended a cigarette manufacturer against a certified class of West Virginia smokers seeking medical monitoring for lung cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involving the use of low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) scans and positive electron topography. The case resulted in a defense verdict and was identified by the National Law Journal as a “verdict of the week.” 

Co-tried numerous patent actions on patent holders seeking damages for the infringing uses of biotechnology traits.

Publications and Presentations

A Practitioners Guide to Class Actions, Third Edition, American Bar Association, 2021.

A Practitioner’s Guide to Class Actions, Second Edition, American Bar Association, 2017.

Eat, Drink, but Be Wary: Plaintiffs’ New Attack on Chemicals in the
Food Chain
, In-House Defense Quarterly, Defense Research Institute,
Winter 2014.

Eat, Drink, but Be Wary: Plaintiffs’ New Attack on Chemicals in the
Food Chain
, DRI Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar, February
2014.

Environmental Law, Future Regulatory Policies and Law on Going
Green
, The Missouri Bar, September 2009.

Media coverage

Shook Hardy Names 3 New Office Leaders Amid ExpansionLaw360, July 21, 2021