Jan is a fierce client advocate and experienced trial attorney. Her significant trial experience allows her to foresee potential strategies, defenses, and negotiation tactics; and has given her the skills to work successfully with people—clients, colleagues, witnesses, and experts. Jan is a great asset on any client team, as she knows the ins-and-outs not only of her clients’ businesses and products, but also evidence, documents, and testimonies.
Jan’s background in science has given her an advantage when translating complexities into solid defense strategies. With an eye for detail, she enjoys digging into intricate investigations, picking apart contracts, and advising and negotiating less risk for her clients.
Jan spends her time away from work with her husband, Robert, and their daughter, Hannah. They enjoy being on the lake, playing golf, and coaching Hannah’s various athletic teams. Jan is also the Director of a Junior Olympic traveling volleyball club.
Key Practice Experience
- Local counsel for brand name and generic pharmaceuticals manufacturers for cases involving Hormone Replacement Therapies, birth control medications, NSAIDs (COX-2 inhibitors), bisphosphonates, and cholesterol medications.
- Local counsel for hip replacement manufacturers, hernia mesh and vaginal mesh manufacturers.
- Multi-District-Litigation (MDL) counsel for brand name manufacturer of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
- Regional and local counsel for foodborne illness cases and claims of tainted food.
- Regional and local counsel for various manufacturers of products alleged to have contained asbestos.
- National counsel in defense of personal injury, governmental, abatement and medical monitoring actions against a former manufacturer of lead pigment and lead paint in actions across the United States; including two trials: the longest civil trial in Rhode Island history (2005-2006) and in Wisconsin (2007).
- Experienced in coordinating electronic document collections, processing and production, including cases consisting of tens of millions of pages.
- Experienced in the preparation and trial presentation of witnesses and documents, video and graphics.
- Experienced in MDL practice and procedure.
- Experienced in class action defense.
Key Industry Experience
- Pharmaceutical
- Medical Device
- Mass Tort
- Toxic Tort
- Product Manufacturing
- Foodborne Illness
- Drug Testing in Sports
- Hospitality
Representative Matters
- Straka v. Johnson & Johnson (MDL bellwether trial 2012)
- Christensen v. Johnson & Johnson (MDL bellwether trial 2011)
- Macey v. Dole (trial 2011)
- Williams v. National Football League (trial 2010)
- Thomas v. Millennium Holdings, Inc. (trial 2007)
- State of Rhode Island v. Lead Industries Ass’n, (trial 2005-2006)
- Slidell, Inc. v. Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc. (trial 2005)
Representative Products
Prescription Drugs (Brand Name and Generic)
- SSRIs (class action)
- Birth control
- Anxiety prevention
- Hormone replacement therapy
- NSAIDs
- COX-2 inhibitors
- Pain control
- Anti-inflammatories
- Antibiotics
- Cholesterol
- Bisphosphonates
- Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (MDL)
- Dopamine agonists
Over-the-Counter Drugs
- Nasal relief/cold medicines
- Allergy medications
- Analgesics
Medical Devices
- Knee replacement systems
- Hip replacement systems
- Hernia mesh
- Vaginal mesh
- Anti-adhesion surgical gel
- Breast implants
Other Products
- Industrial and military/navy valves
- Brake shoes and linings, gaskets and automotive parts
- Lead pigment
- Lead paint
- Food (packaged salads, eggs)
- Dietary supplements
Professional Associations
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- Defense Research Institute
- Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
Community Engagement
- Salvation Army
- Minneapolis Crisis Nursery Volunteer
- North Branch Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #6424 and the Ladies Auxiliary