HarrisMartin's MDL Conference: Talcum Powder, ELIQUIS, PPI, Essure, Taxotere & Roundup Litigation Speaker Profiles

Allen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Mississippi. He was elected to numerous honor societies and served as Vice-President and Rush Chairman for his fraternity. Allen was also on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s Honor Rolls while attending Ole Miss. He obtained his Juris Doctor from Mississippi College School of Law.

Allen has spent nearly two decades representing and fighting for those who have been injured or killed due to the negligence of another individual or corporation. Allen is a fierce and skilled trial advocate who has litigated in State and Federal Courts throughout the United States.

Allen opened the Smith Law Firm, PLLC in 2007. Since that time he has recovered over $100 million in settlements and verdicts in products liability and personal injury cases.

After graduating from law school, Ted returned to his hometown of Prattville, Ala., where he joined the general practice law firm of Howell, Sarto & Howell. In 1995, Ted moved his growing personal injury practice to Birmingham, Ala., where he became a partner in the plaintiffs' litigation firm of Davenport, Lavette & Meadows, P.C. In 2001, Ted accepted an "of counsel" position at Beasley Allen. While he has spent his entire career helping the injured and defrauded, Ted now focuses on representing personal injury victims throughout the country in claims against pharmaceutical, cosmetic and medical device companies.

Ted became a principal at Beasley Allen in 2002. Since that time, he has been a leader at Beasley Allen with verdicts and settlements totaling more than $325 million, including a $72.6 million compensatory verdict in a hormone replacement therapy trial. This verdict was selected by the National Law Journal as No. 30 on its list of Top 100 Verdicts of 2011. Ted received the 2009 award for Beasley Allen Mass Torts Lawyer of the year, and the 2012 award for Beasley Allen Litigator of the Year. He is listed in the 2014 and 2015 Super Lawyers Magazines.

Neil D. Overholtz specializes in pharmaceutical litigation, and has successfully handled thousands of defective drug and medical device cases, including fen-phen, Rezulin, Baycol, Bextra/Celebrex, Vioxx, Medtronic Defibrillators, and Guidant Defibrillators.

Recently, Mr. Overholtz has the distinction of having been appointed as national counsel on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees for several federal products liability MDL’s (Mullti-District litigations), including the Trasylol MDL pending in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, before the Honorable Judge Middlebrooks, the Viagra MDL in the District Court in Minnesota, before the Honorable Judge Magnuson, as well as the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lead Wire MDL before United States District Court Judge Richard Kyle. Additionally, Mr. Overholtz has served as co-lead counsel in the In Re America Online, Inc Version 5.0 Software Litigation, MDL Docket No. 1341 (S.D. Fla), helping to negotiate a cash settlement for affected AOL members in excess of $15 Million as well as significant injunctive relief.

Born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, September 17, 1951, Robert attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches from 1969 – 1972 and obtained a B.S. in Political Science and History. He was a member of the Dean’s List. After graduation, he attended Loyola Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1973 – 1976. Robert graduated on January 15, 1976 and was admitted to the LA State Bar in April 1976. While in law school, he clerked for Dodd & Barker and Donald G. Kelly.

Robert Salim is admitted to practice before all courts, State and Federal, in Louisiana. He is also admitted before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

Robert is a member of the Natchitoches Parish Bar Association, Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice, Immaculate Conception Church, and a former member of Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He has been listed as one of the 100 Top Trial Lawyers since 2007 as listed by The American Trial Lawyers Association. Robert is also a founding member of The Class Action Trial Lawyers Association.

His hobbies include working with area youth: Natchitoches Dixie Youth Baseball (President 1996 – 1999, Director 1990 – 2000), Founder of Natchitoches American Legion Baseball (2000 – present), and Special Olympics (1976 – 1982). He is married to Christie Salim and has three children: Tony, Chris, and Jennifer.

Robert L. Salim was a Senior Partner of KELLY & SALIM law firm from 1976 – 1990, with its main office located in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He is experienced in the field of toxic tort, personal injury, negligence, product liability, environmental law litigation, class action litigation, mass torts, aviation law, trials, personal injury, worker’s compensation, probate, wrongful death actions, as well as general civil practice in all State and Federal Courts.

In 1990, Robert Salim formed ROBERT L. SALIM, APLC and continues to practice personal injury, product liability, and mass torts. He specializes in pharmaceutical litigation and currently is handling Vioxx, Bextra, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel, Digitek, welding rod, Fen Phen, Baycol, Avandia, Heparin, Ketek, Medtronic, Trasylol, Raptiva, and Zimmer Durom Cup cases. He is associated with the Houston firm Fibich, Hampton & Leebron; Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett located in Opelousas, LA; Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz located in Pensacola, FL; and the Law Office of Christopher Cueto, Ltd., located in Belleville, IL.