Product Liability Litigation

Maury Leiter, a partner based in Los Angeles, is a trial lawyer and senior litigator.  He has tried more than 20 cases to verdict, and is regularly retained by corporations and individuals as first-chair trial lawyer for cases in federal and state courts in California and throughout the United States. 

Mr. Leiter has extensive experience in high-stakes lawsuits involving the consumer products, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.  He represents companies in cases alleging unfair business practices brought by consumer classes, individual plaintiffs and law enforcement, and in complex cases alleging product liability, toxic torts, commercial fraud and other business disputes.

Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Mr. Leiter served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles, where he was the lead trial lawyer in approximately 15 trials, including multiple complex white collar criminal cases involving the banking and defense industries, and in government corruption cases. He had a 100 percent conviction rate and a 100 percent success in affirming the verdicts in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Leiter also served as Assistant Chief of the Criminal Division, training other Assistant US Attorneys in trial practice.

Mr. Leiter brings a trial lawyer's perspective to all aspects of advising clients and handling litigation.  He advises consumer products companies on compliance programs and responsible business practices that can reduce risks in litigation and at trial.  He is adept at managing complex litigation to prepare cases for trial thoroughly and cost effectively, with a strategic focus on the key issues that can drive the outcome of the case.  He works with clients in product liability, mass tort and other lawsuits to develop trial themes and presentations that will resonate with juries, and that will explain complicated scientific, medical, and technical issues persuasively.  He has obtained numerous dismissals, summary judgments and favorable settlements in complex cases. Mr. Leiter is regularly brought into cases as first-chair trial lawyer as cases approach trial.

Mr. Leiter's practice also includes representing corporations and individuals in federal grand jury investigations and other law enforcement proceedings, and conducting internal investigations into allegations of civil and criminal wrongdoing.  Recently he has represented clients in investigations involving potential violations of federal environmental laws, mail and wire fraud statutes, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Mr. Leiter is a 1982 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an editor of the American Criminal Law Review.

Product Liability Litigation Representative Matters

• Tried more than 20 cases to verdict in federal and state courts.
• First-chair trial lawyer in more than 40 cases, including:
  • Product liability lawsuits involving pharmaceuticals and other consumer products.
  • False advertising litigation.
  • Unfair business practice litigation.
  • Toxic tort litigation.
  • Breach of contract and other business disputes.
• Represented consumer products companies in California Unfair Business Practices Act cases brought by putative classes, individual plaintiffs and law enforcement.
• Conducted internal investigations for consumer products companies and manufacturing companies.
• Represented multinational corporation in federal grand jury investigations and law enforcement proceedings.