Lori Leskin

She handles all aspects of litigation strategy for complex nationwide and multidistrict litigations involving a variety of products, including successfully defending consumer fraud and other class actions on behalf of clients such as Hain Celestial and Avon in the Southern District of New York and other venues throughout the country, and representing Bayer Corporation and Pfizer Inc. as national counsel in several on-going product liability litigations.

In addition to her work in mass actions and class actions, Ms. Leskin has represented death row inmates in challenges to convictions and sentences, including the commuted death sentence of Virginia inmate Percy Levar Walton to life in prison without parole on the grounds that he was mentally incompetent to understand his situation. For her work with death row inmates, Ms. Leskin was one of four firm recipients of the 2008 Thurgood Marshall Award for Capital Representation from the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Committee on Capital Punishment.

Experience

Product Liability Pfizer, as national counsel in defending against nationwide claims that its talc was contaminated with asbestos. Bayer, as lead counsel in MDL alleging that its fluoroquinolone antibiotics cause peripheral neuropathy and aortic aneurysm/dissection. In re: Fluoroquinolone Products Liability Litigation (D. Minn.) Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, as lead counsel in MDL alleging that prenatal use of its acetaminophen-containing products causes autism and ADHD in children. In re Acetaminophen - ASD-ADHD Products Liability Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) Pfizer, as lead and national counsel in nationwide litigation alleging its prescription product, Viagra®, causes various injuries, including heart attack, ischemic optic neuropathy and melanoma. Class Actions Credentials Education JD, Rutgers Law School, 1992, highest honors, Order of the Coif, Anthony Englebrecht Prize BA, American University, 1988, magna cum laude, University honors with high distinction, Phi Kappa Phi Admissions New York New Jersey US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Supreme Court of New Jersey US District Court, Eastern District of New York US District Court, Southern District of New York © Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP 2023 All Rights Reserved. arnoldporter.com IKEA US Retail and IKEA North America Services, as lead counsel in defending against a consumer fraud class action arising out of the companies’ 2016 recall of 17 million chests and dressers. Dukich, et al. v. IKEA US Retail, et al. (E.D. PA) Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., as national counsel defending against multiple consumer class actions related to the companies Ear Buds Pro and Galaxy phones in US District Courts in New Jersey and California. McDonald’s, as co-lead counsel in defending multiple consumer fraud class actions alleging the presence of PFAS in its food packaging in US District Courts in Illinois. Coty, as lead counsel in defending multiple consumer fraud class actions alleging the presence of PFAS in various cosmetic products in US District Courts in New York and California and in DC Superior Court. Britax, as lead counsel in successfully resolving consumer fraud class action arising from CPSC-initiated information campaign involving its BOB jogging strollers. Perez, et al. v. Britax Child Safety (D. S.C.) Hain Celestial, as lead counsel in successfully defending consumer fraud class action challenging organic labeling of its Earth’s Best baby food products. Segedie v. Hain Celestial (S.D.N.Y.) and Organic Consumers Association v. Hain Celestial (D. D.C.) Avon, as lead counsel in successfully defending consumer fraud class action against its anti-aging skin care products. In re: Avon Anti-Aging Skincare Creams and Products Marketing and Sales Practice Litig. (S.D.N.Y.) Recognition Best Lawyers Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions—Defendants (2009-2023) Product Liability Litigation—Defendants (2009-2023) “Lawyers of the Year”—Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions—Defendants (2022) LMG Life Sciences Guide "Life Sciences Star"—Product Liability (2017–2022) "Life Sciences Star"—Non-IP Litigation (2012–2016) The Legal 500 US Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Consumer Products (including tobacco) (2013, 2014, 2016, 2021–2022) Who's Who Legal Life Sciences (2013–2014, 2016) Euromoney LMG Americas Women in Business Law Award, Litigation (2013)