Janet Gilligan Abaray

Janet G. Abaray acts as managing shareholder for the Cincinnati Ohio office of Burg Simpson. She has litigated extensively in the area of pharmaceutical products liability and represents plaintiffs in employment, insurance and contract disputes. She was appointed Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs in the Depakote Products Liability Cases (SDIll); served as Science Co-Chair in the Yasmin MDL (SDIll); member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Heparin MDL (NDOH); appointed National Co-Lead Counsel in the Orthro Evra MDL (NDOH), and served as National Liaison Counsel for the Ephedra MDL (SDNY) She also served as Chair of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Sub-Committee on the Judicial Branch and Administration of Justice. She counseled with the Kentucky Attorney General to represent the Commonwealth in consumer claims against Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Best Lawyers named Ms. Abaray Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury in Cincinnati 2020 and 2015 Top 15 Business Women in Ohio by the National Diversity Council. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, 2005-2020. She was named 2014 Lawyer of the Year by Carl B. Rubin Legal Society. She earned her B.A. (1979) and J.D. (1982) degrees from the University of Cincinnati, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences and Order of the Coif from the College of Law. Ms. Abaray received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences. She has published in Trial Magazine, the American Bar Association Litigation Journal, the University of Cincinnati Law Review, the University of Dayton Law Review and the American Bar Association Products Liability Newsletter. She serves as Chair of the AAJ Preemption Litigation Group and is a member of the AAJ Legal Affairs Committee. She lectures frequently in the areas of products liability litigation, trial techniques, civil procedure and epidemiology.

University of Cincinnati College of Law

(1982)

1982

Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs

In re Depakote Products Liability Litigation

Current

Appointed by the Honorable Nancy Rosenstengel, S.D. Ill

Member of Plaintiffs Executive Committee and Naitonal Liaison Counsel

In re Ephedra Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1598)

Current

Appointed by the Honorable Jeb Rakoff, USDC, SDNY

Co-lead Counsel for Plaintiffs

In re Ortho Evra Products Liabity Litigation (MDL 1742)

Current

Appointed by the Honorable David D. Katz, N.D. Ohio

Executive Committee

In re Heprin Products Liabity Litigation (MDL 2100)

Current

Appointed by the Honorable James G. Carr, Chief Judge, N.D. Ohio

Lead Counsel for Plaintiff Class

Reedy v. Cincinnati Bengals

Current

Appointed by the Honorable Robert P. Ruehlman

Lead Counsel for Plaintiff Class

Dunkelman v. CIncinnati Bengals

Current

Appointed by the Honorable Robert P. Ruehlman

Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Bayer (Yaz Consumer Litigation)

2013 - Current

Appointment approved by Kentucky Attorney General

Chair of Subcommittee on the Judicial Branch and Administration of Justice

Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission

2011 - 2017

Navigating Preemption After Merck

Trial Magazine

January, 2020

Keep Defense Experts in Check

AAJ Trial Magazine, Vol. 54, No. 12

December, 2018

Modern Realities Render the Learned Intermediary Doctrine Obsolete

American Bar Association Products Liability, Winter

2010

Reply in Support of "Modern Realities Render the Learned Intermediary Doctrine Obsolete"

American Bar Association Products Liability, Summer

2010

Deja Vu All Over Again: Ohio's 2005 Tort Reform Act Cannot Survive a Rational Basis Challenge

University of Dayton Law Review, Vol. 31, Sec. 2

2006

Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs, for Cincinnati

Best Lawyers

2020

2020 Legal Eagle

Top 100 Registry - Business Leads & Professionals

2020

2020 Best Lawyers "Women In The Law" Spring Business Edition

Best Lawyers

2020

Top 100 Civil Plaintiff

National Trial Lawyers

2019

Attorney of the Year

Top 100 Registry - Business Leads & Professionals

2019

Recognition outstanding efforts and achievements in the field of law.

Ohio State Bar

Member

Current

American Bar Association

Current

Federal Bar Association

Current

American Association for Justice

Legal Affairs Committee

2018 - 2021

Ohio

Ohio

Supreme Court of Ohio Office of Attorney Services

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