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Geoffrey Drake is a partner in our Product Liability & Mass Torts Practice, for which he serves as the Practice Management/Operations Partner. Geoffrey is also Chair of our Consumer Products & Automotive Litigation Team, which Legal 500 has recognized as one of the top five such practices in the country. Before that, Geoffrey led our Pharmaceutical/Medical Device Litigation Team. Geoffrey represents life sciences, automotive and transportation, technology and energy/mining companies in high-profile product liability, toxic tort and mass tort litigation. He has extensive experience litigating all phases of individual, MDL and class action cases, as well as serving as coordinating and strategic counsel in connection with large dockets of cases at both the federal and state levels. He also has an active trial practice, having represented clients in several high-stakes trials. Geoffrey has significant experience with legal project management, having helped structure, lead and manage several large, cross-practice, cross-office matters, including to design and implement sophisticated budgets and alternative billing arrangements and manage the organization, workflow and staffing plans to deliver the client exceptional and efficient services.

An experienced litigator, Geoffrey represents clients in nationwide, high-exposure product liability, mass tort, class action, toxic tort and whistleblower litigation, along with internal and government investigations. He litigates all phases of cases in federal and state courts nationwide, including in the most challenging jurisdictions for corporate clients. From the start, Geoffrey handles each matter with a view toward trial, considering how to communicate effectively to a jury a host of complex scientific, technical and regulatory issues. In addition to litigation, he advises manufacturers on issues such as risk assessment, liability avoidance, product labeling, government regulation and indemnification. Geoffrey chairs our nationally recognized Consumer Products & Automotive Litigation Team. And for five years before that, he chaired our leading Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Litigation Team. He has been recommended by Legal 500 as a Key Lawyer in consumer product litigation, automotive litigation and pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, and he recently co-authored the leading treatise, Drug and Device Product Liability Litigation Strategy, 2nd Edition (Oxford Univ. Press). In 2018, Law360 selected Geoffrey to serve on its Product Liability editorial advisory board. Before that, in 2016, Law360 listed Geoffrey as a “Rising Star” in product liability litigation, recognizing him as among top legal talent under the age of 40. He was named to the Benchmark Litigation "40 & Under Hot List” for five consecutive years, was named by Benchmark Litigation as a "Future Star" in 2018, was named in 2018 to the Daily Report’s “On the Rise” list of attorneys under the age of 40 who are expected to go far in the field, and was for eight consecutive years recognized as a “Georgia Super Lawyer – Rising Star” in product liability defense by Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine. Geoffrey also served as a member of the inaugural Next Generation Advisory Board for Emory University's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims.

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Vanderbilt University

B.A., University of Virginia

Court of Appeals of Georgia

Georgia

Supreme Court of Georgia

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products


Legal 500, 2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices


Legal 500, 2020-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive


Legal 500, 2023-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Rail And Road - Litigation and Regulation


Legal 500, 2024

Named to Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation


2023

Named to "On the Rise" list


Daily Report, 2018

Named to Product Liability Editorial Advisory Board


Law360, 2018

Named Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2018

Named to Under 40 Hot List


Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020

Named a Rising Star in Product Liability Litigation


Law360, 2016

Appointed to Next Generation Advisory Board


Emory University's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, 2016

Named a Georgia Super Lawyer - Rising Star


Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine, 2013–2020

Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Trial Academy


2012

Order of the Coif


Vanderbilt University Law School, 2005

Best Oralist Award


Vanderbilt University Law School Intramural Moot Coot Competition, 2004

Executive Development Editor


Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 2005

Close

Recognition

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products


Legal 500, 2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices


Legal 500, 2020-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive


Legal 500, 2023-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Rail And Road - Litigation and Regulation


Legal 500, 2024

Named to Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation


2023

Named to "On the Rise" list


Daily Report, 2018

Named to Product Liability Editorial Advisory Board


Law360, 2018

Named Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2018

Named to Under 40 Hot List


Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020

Named a Rising Star in Product Liability Litigation


Law360, 2016

Appointed to Next Generation Advisory Board


Emory University's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, 2016

Named a Georgia Super Lawyer - Rising Star


Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine, 2013–2020

Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Trial Academy


2012

Order of the Coif


Vanderbilt University Law School, 2005

Best Oralist Award


Vanderbilt University Law School Intramural Moot Coot Competition, 2004

Executive Development Editor


Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 2005

Matters

Co-Lead Counsel to TikTok in nationwide litigation in which individual plaintiffs allege personal injuries and school districts and other governmental entities allege economic damages arising from adolescent use of various online communications services, including in the In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Litigation MDL pending in the Northern District of California and the In re Social Media Cases JCCP pending in Los Angeles County.

Lead counsel to Activision Blizzard in connection with nationwide lawsuits alleging a variety of personal injuries and psychiatric harms arising from addiction to playing video games.

Representing Renco Group and Doe Run Resources in mass tort litigation in two federal court consolidated proceedings in St. Louis concerning personal-injury allegations by several thousand Peruvians citizens allegedly harmed by exposure to lead and other contaminants from a smelter in the Andean Highlands of Peru.

See more

Close

Matters

Co-Lead Counsel to TikTok in nationwide litigation in which individual plaintiffs allege personal injuries and school districts and other governmental entities allege economic damages arising from adolescent use of various online communications services, including in the In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Litigation MDL pending in the Northern District of California and the In re Social Media Cases JCCP pending in Los Angeles County.

Lead counsel to Activision Blizzard in connection with nationwide lawsuits alleging a variety of personal injuries and psychiatric harms arising from addiction to playing video games.

Representing Renco Group and Doe Run Resources in mass tort litigation in two federal court consolidated proceedings in St. Louis concerning personal-injury allegations by several thousand Peruvians citizens allegedly harmed by exposure to lead and other contaminants from a smelter in the Andean Highlands of Peru.

Co-Coordinating and Strategic Counsel to a U.S. automobile manufacturer in connection with thousands of California consumer lawsuits; previously co-led team representing another U.S. automobile manufacturer in hundreds of consumer-fraud lawsuits in California.

National Counsel to Viking Group, Inc. with respect to claims and lawsuits relating to property damage arising from alleged manufacturing or design defects in fire suppression equipment.

Representing a large industrial real estate company in connection with hundreds of lawsuits in Georgia state courts alleging cancers and personal injuries, as well as property devaluation, from exposure to ethylene oxide from a lessee's medical-device-sterilization operation.

Serving as one of a core group of partners leading the national coordinating and trial counsel team representing GlaxoSmithKline in nationwide litigation concerning allegations of suicidality and birth defects from use of the company’s antidepressant.

Representing Coloplast as part of the team serving as National Coordinating and Trial Counsel in nationwide product liability litigation relating to injuries allegedly caused by the company’s female pelvic mesh devices.

Represented Merck in multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving allegations of injuries from use of the company’s osteoporosis medication, including in three bellwether trials in two different MDLs. In Glynn v. Merck, the jury returned a complete defense verdict, after which the court granted judgment based on federal preemption.

Represented the manufacturer of FDA-cleared surgical gowns in nationwide litigation concerning the design, labeling, advertising and manufacture of the devices, including: a federal class action trial; a qui tam suit brought under the Federal False Claims Act in which the court granted defendants' motion to dismiss; and a federal Lanham Act lawsuit concerning allegations of false marketing.

Co-led several 360-degree risk assessments for a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in connection with the launch of new medications.

Representing healthcare companies and employers in multiple COVID-19-related wrongful death lawsuits.

Represented Purdue Pharma in an action filed by the Kentucky Attorney General seeking Medicaid-related costs and other damages allegedly caused by the company’s marketing and promotion of its prescription pain medication.

Represented DaVita Healthcare Partners in a qui tam case brought under the federal False Claims Act claiming improper billing of Medicare for unnecessary wastage of two medications used to treat dialysis patients.

Represented a leading automobile manufacturer in connection with government investigations and multi-jurisdictional civil litigation relating to a series of high-profile vehicle recalls.

Represented the owner of petroleum pipeline terminals in federal MDL proceedings in an action filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General involving claims of groundwater contamination from MTBE-containing gasoline.

Represented Lincoln Electric Company and other manufacturers in cases involving claims from exposure to manganese fumes from welding rods, and serving as national discovery counsel in the litigation for Eutectic Corporation.

Represented Cooper Industries, the successor of a former operator of a Superfund site, in litigation involving allegations of a variety of personal injuries from PCB exposure.

Represented Phillips Services Corp. in a class action lawsuit involving nuisance allegations arising from the release of odors from a wastewater treatment facility.
 
 

Insights

Article · Source: Law360

February 3, 2022
Upcoming Rulings Key To Defining PREP Act Protections

Article · Source: IADC’s Defense Counsel

January 26, 2022
Taking a “Hard Lookat Expert Witness Testimony Under Rule 702

Article · Source: Bloomberg BNA

October 10, 2016
Antibacterial Soaps: When Squeaky Clean Is Not Enough

View all

Matters

Co-Lead Counsel to TikTok in nationwide litigation in which individual plaintiffs allege personal injuries and school districts and other governmental entities allege economic damages arising from adolescent use of various online communications services, including in the In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Litigation MDL pending in the Northern District of California and the In re Social Media Cases JCCP pending in Los Angeles County.

Lead counsel to Activision Blizzard in connection with nationwide lawsuits alleging a variety of personal injuries and psychiatric harms arising from addiction to playing video games.

Representing Renco Group and Doe Run Resources in mass tort litigation in two federal court consolidated proceedings in St. Louis concerning personal-injury allegations by several thousand Peruvians citizens allegedly harmed by exposure to lead and other contaminants from a smelter in the Andean Highlands of Peru.

See more

Close

Matters

Co-Lead Counsel to TikTok in nationwide litigation in which individual plaintiffs allege personal injuries and school districts and other governmental entities allege economic damages arising from adolescent use of various online communications services, including in the In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Litigation MDL pending in the Northern District of California and the In re Social Media Cases JCCP pending in Los Angeles County.

Lead counsel to Activision Blizzard in connection with nationwide lawsuits alleging a variety of personal injuries and psychiatric harms arising from addiction to playing video games.

Representing Renco Group and Doe Run Resources in mass tort litigation in two federal court consolidated proceedings in St. Louis concerning personal-injury allegations by several thousand Peruvians citizens allegedly harmed by exposure to lead and other contaminants from a smelter in the Andean Highlands of Peru.

Co-Coordinating and Strategic Counsel to a U.S. automobile manufacturer in connection with thousands of California consumer lawsuits; previously co-led team representing another U.S. automobile manufacturer in hundreds of consumer-fraud lawsuits in California.

National Counsel to Viking Group, Inc. with respect to claims and lawsuits relating to property damage arising from alleged manufacturing or design defects in fire suppression equipment.

Representing a large industrial real estate company in connection with hundreds of lawsuits in Georgia state courts alleging cancers and personal injuries, as well as property devaluation, from exposure to ethylene oxide from a lessee's medical-device-sterilization operation.

Serving as one of a core group of partners leading the national coordinating and trial counsel team representing GlaxoSmithKline in nationwide litigation concerning allegations of suicidality and birth defects from use of the company’s antidepressant.

Representing Coloplast as part of the team serving as National Coordinating and Trial Counsel in nationwide product liability litigation relating to injuries allegedly caused by the company’s female pelvic mesh devices.

Represented Merck in multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving allegations of injuries from use of the company’s osteoporosis medication, including in three bellwether trials in two different MDLs. In Glynn v. Merck, the jury returned a complete defense verdict, after which the court granted judgment based on federal preemption.

Represented the manufacturer of FDA-cleared surgical gowns in nationwide litigation concerning the design, labeling, advertising and manufacture of the devices, including: a federal class action trial; a qui tam suit brought under the Federal False Claims Act in which the court granted defendants' motion to dismiss; and a federal Lanham Act lawsuit concerning allegations of false marketing.

Co-led several 360-degree risk assessments for a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in connection with the launch of new medications.

Representing healthcare companies and employers in multiple COVID-19-related wrongful death lawsuits.

Represented Purdue Pharma in an action filed by the Kentucky Attorney General seeking Medicaid-related costs and other damages allegedly caused by the company’s marketing and promotion of its prescription pain medication.

Represented DaVita Healthcare Partners in a qui tam case brought under the federal False Claims Act claiming improper billing of Medicare for unnecessary wastage of two medications used to treat dialysis patients.

Represented a leading automobile manufacturer in connection with government investigations and multi-jurisdictional civil litigation relating to a series of high-profile vehicle recalls.

Represented the owner of petroleum pipeline terminals in federal MDL proceedings in an action filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General involving claims of groundwater contamination from MTBE-containing gasoline.

Represented Lincoln Electric Company and other manufacturers in cases involving claims from exposure to manganese fumes from welding rods, and serving as national discovery counsel in the litigation for Eutectic Corporation.

Represented Cooper Industries, the successor of a former operator of a Superfund site, in litigation involving allegations of a variety of personal injuries from PCB exposure.

Represented Phillips Services Corp. in a class action lawsuit involving nuisance allegations arising from the release of odors from a wastewater treatment facility.
 
 

Insights

Article · Source: Law360

February 3, 2022
Upcoming Rulings Key To Defining PREP Act Protections

Article · Source: IADC’s Defense Counsel

January 26, 2022
Taking a “Hard Lookat Expert Witness Testimony Under Rule 702

Article · Source: Bloomberg BNA

October 10, 2016
Antibacterial Soaps: When Squeaky Clean Is Not Enough

View all

Credentials

J.D., Vanderbilt University

B.A., University of Virginia

Court of Appeals of Georgia

Georgia

Supreme Court of Georgia

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products


Legal 500, 2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices


Legal 500, 2020-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive


Legal 500, 2023-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Rail And Road - Litigation and Regulation


Legal 500, 2024

Named to Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation


2023

Named to "On the Rise" list


Daily Report, 2018

Named to Product Liability Editorial Advisory Board


Law360, 2018

Named Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2018

Named to Under 40 Hot List


Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020

Named a Rising Star in Product Liability Litigation


Law360, 2016

Appointed to Next Generation Advisory Board


Emory University's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, 2016

Named a Georgia Super Lawyer - Rising Star


Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine, 2013–2020

Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Trial Academy


2012

Order of the Coif


Vanderbilt University Law School, 2005

Best Oralist Award


Vanderbilt University Law School Intramural Moot Coot Competition, 2004

Executive Development Editor


Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 2005

Close

Recognition

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products


Legal 500, 2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices


Legal 500, 2020-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive


Legal 500, 2023-2024

Recommended/Key Lawyer in Rail And Road - Litigation and Regulation


Legal 500, 2024

Named to Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation


2023

Named to "On the Rise" list


Daily Report, 2018

Named to Product Liability Editorial Advisory Board


Law360, 2018

Named Future Star


Benchmark Litigation, 2018

Named to Under 40 Hot List


Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2020

Named a Rising Star in Product Liability Litigation


Law360, 2016

Appointed to Next Generation Advisory Board


Emory University's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, 2016

Named a Georgia Super Lawyer - Rising Star


Super Lawyers and Atlanta Magazine, 2013–2020

Graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Trial Academy


2012

Order of the Coif


Vanderbilt University Law School, 2005

Best Oralist Award


Vanderbilt University Law School Intramural Moot Coot Competition, 2004

Executive Development Editor


Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 2005