Firm Partners Warren T. Burns and Daniel Charest have been selected by the Lawdragon legal guide as two of the top 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers in America for 2020.

The publication’s staff annually researches attorneys across the country looking for the best-of-best for their top 500 guides. 

Burns and Charest are part of a select group of attorneys to be recognized for their achievements in business litigation and antitrust claims on behalf of plaintiffs who would otherwise never be able to take on defendant giants.

Mr. Burns as co-lead in the EpiPen Antitrust ligation had a big win this year when the consumer plaintiffs earned class certification in Kansas District Court. They look forward to having their day in court in 2021 against major pharmaceutical companies for their alleged racketeering and state antitrust violations in connection with the emergency allergy medication. 

And, as a member for the plaintiffs’ executive committee, Mr. Burns helped coordinate a year-long Daubert process for experts in the Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Litigation. As a result, tens of thousands of women will be able to present expert testimony in their cases. 

Mr. Charest had a major victory on behalf of plaintiffs against the U.S. Government for flooding damage that occurred during Hurricane Harvey. These plaintiffs won a liability trial in 2019, and Mr. Charest served as lead trial counsel in support of the plaintiffs’ property rights and to extend their protection. The Court sided with plaintiffs, clearing the way for the upcoming damages trial.

In an international oil and gas arbitration, Mr. Charest guided his client’s efforts to secure valuable deep-water offshore drilling rights off the coast of Africa. The arbitration had parallel litigation in the United States, which was also spearheaded by Mr. Charest. 

And, as co-lead counsel for the class, Mr. Charest negotiated a $52 million class action settlement with Facebook on behalf of a class of content moderators who were required to watch disturbing content as part of their position. Besides monetary relief, the settlement will provide for workplace safeguards and changes in policy to improve the safety of content moderators.