HarrisMartin's 3M Combat Earplugs Litigation Conference: Military Discovery, Science and Other MDL 2885 Hurdles Speaker Profiles

D. Todd Mathews graduated from Nova Southeastern University School of Law in 1996. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Illinois and Florida. He is admitted to U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri,U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit.

Mr. Mathews is a member of National Trial Lawyers Association, Madison County Bar Association, Missouri Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Committee, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Member, American Association for Justice, American Association for Justice Leaders Forum, National Asbestos Mesothelioma Trial Lawyers, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Additionally, he has served on numerous Mass Tort committees in the past and as lead counsel on the Granuflo Litigation in St. Louis City.

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.

Mr. Overholtz has also recently served as co-chair of the Defective Medtronic Pacemakers and Defibrillators MDL discovery committee, and lead the firm’s efforts in national litigation, which resulted in a settlement of over $100 Million dollars. United States District Judge James Rosenbaum appointed Mr. Overholtz, to serve 25 of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee Fee Committee. Mr. Overholtz also served a key role on the Guidant Defibrillators and Pacemakers MDL, which resulted in a settlement of over $200 Million dollars.

In the Guidant MDL, Mr. Overholtz was appointed by the federal court as chair of the Guidant National Settlement Allocation Plan Committee, and was appointed to serve as a member of the Settlement Allocation Committee. He is also co-chair of the AAJ Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution Litigation Group. Mr. Overholtz limits his practice to the areas of: pharmaceutical litigation, medical device litigation, consumer class actions, medical malpractice, wrongful death and personal injury; and is currently involved in the following matters: Avandia, Trasylol Heart Surgery Drug cases, Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lead Wires, Viagra NAION Vision Loss Cases, Bausch & Lomb ReNu Contact Lens Solution, and Medical Malpractice claims.

Mr. Overholtz graduated from the Stetson University College of Law in 1999. Before attending college, Mr. Overholtz graduated Valedictorian from Crestview High School in Crestview, FL. While in law school, Mr. Overholtz was an associate member of the Stetson Law Review and participated in Stetson’s Trial Advocacy Program which was ranked number one in country by U.S. News and World Report from 1995-1999. Mr. Overholtz received Highest Grade Honors in several classes including Torts and Property. During law school he was nominated three times to the National Dean’s List of law students. In law school, Mr. Overholtz served as an Honors Intern to the Honorable Elizabeth Jenkins on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. From 1999-2001 Mr. Overholtz volunteered as coach for the Tate High School Mock Trial Team, who won the 2001 Florida State Championship, finishing 6th nationally.

Rachel Lanier joined the Lanier Law Firm’s New York office as an associate in 2016 and practices in the areas of toxic torts, pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, and product liability.

Ms. Lanier is dedicated to representing injured clients and their families by pursuing justice for those who have been harmed by toxic substances and defective products. Prior to joining the Lanier Law Firm, Ms. Lanier was an associate at a mid-sized firm in Manhattan, where she focused on representing individuals suffering from asbestos-induced diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Ms. Lanier is a native Houstonian and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Religion from Pepperdine University in California. She then pursued a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in New York, where she served as a legal advocate for domestic abuse victims through the Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic. She also worked as a teaching fellow for Dean Michael A. Simons, and was a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellent Service for her extensive pro bono work.

Ms. Lanier is a member of the American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, New York Bar Association, and New Jersey Bar Association. She enjoys speaking at Continuing Legal Education seminars, including the Annual Complex Litigation Symposium in Louisiana, about ethical attorney behavior.

Ms. Lanier was recent named by the American Academy of Attorneys organization as one of the Top 40 Under 40 attorneys in 2018. Additionally, Ms. Lanier earned a place on the 2017 and 2018 New York Rising Stars List.

Ms. Lanier is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.