Jeffrey Yeatman, a partner in the Litigation practice group, represents domestic and international manufacturers in connection with class action, consumer fraud, products liability and warranty litigation. His practice focuses on the preparation, trial, and appeal of complex civil litigation cases, many of which involve complicated technological and procedural issues.

Mr. Yeatman has represented a number of clients in statewide and nationwide class action suits, including actions arising from mass disasters or based on claims of product defect or consumer fraud. He has successfully opposed motions for class certification in numerous jurisdictions, both in state and federal court. Mr. Yeatman has extensive experience in the areas of case investigation, discovery practice, motions practice, and the preparation and presentation of expert witness testimony. He also has broad experience in the drafting and negotiation of warranties and commercial contracts, including the drafting and revision of warranty provisions for several international manufacturers of heavy machinery and automobiles.

Mr. Yeatman also has represented numerous product manufacturers and distributors in cases involving serious personal injury and death relating to allegations of product defects or malfunction. He serves as national counsel for a major British manufacturer of heavy equipment and forklifts. In that role, he manages the investigation and defense of fatality and personal injury claims against the company.

Mr. Yeatman's practice also includes the counseling of companies regarding governmental reporting obligations and compliance with various federal statutes and regulations, including the Consumer Product Safety Act. He has handled investigations into potential product safety defects, prepared and submitted Section 15(b) reports to the Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC"), and served as the interface with the CPSC on product recalls. In connection with these activities, Mr. Yeatman has also advised clients as to their potential remedies against remote suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors associated with product recalls. In addition, he has prepared submissions in response to investigations and requests for information from governmental agencies such as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration ("NHTSA"). He has also supervised product recalls through NHTSA, including preparation of defect reports, negotiating with NHTSA regarding the content of consumer point-of-sale notifications, and the submission of quarterly recall status reports.

Mr. Yeatman also has significant appellate litigation experience. He has argued cases in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals and has submitted briefs and pleadings in numerous appellate courts, including the Maryland Court of Appeals, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He has also prepared amicus curiae appellate briefs and submissions on behalf of trade groups.

At DLA Piper, Mr. Yeatman serves as the Litigation Training Partner for the Baltimore office, and is responsible for the development of its litigation associates. He also serves on the Pro Bono and Hiring Committees for the Baltimore office.

Representative Matters

• Representation of a national chemical corporation in numerous, overlapping putative class actions arising out of a significant chemical release and fire.
• Representation of a major tire manufacturer in a putative nationwide class action based on allegations of consumer fraud and breach of warranty.
• Representation of a major British heavy equipment manufacturer in a products liability fatality case in Corpus Christi, Texas, relating to alleged defects in a rough terrain forklift.
• Representation of a major British heavy equipment manufacturer in a products liability fatality case in California, relating to alleged defects in a backhoe.
• Representation of a manufacturer of automotive equipment in a NHTSA-supervised product recall.
• Representation of a manufacturer of consumer electronics before the CPSC on a potential product defect, including the preparation of the company's Section 15(b) reports and working with CPSC on the eventual product recall.
• Representation of a major Japanese automotive manufacturer and domestic distributor in a class action on behalf of all United States purchasers of certain 1997-2002 models of the manufacturer's vehicles, alleging violation of consumer protection statutes and breach of warranty due to claimed misrepresentation of the performance of wheel rims on those vehicles. Obtained a decision in July 2003 denying class certification; after this decision, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the entire action.
• Representation of a major British automotive manufacturer and domestic distributor in class action on behalf of all United States purchasers of the manufacturer's vehicles sold in the United States between 1987-1999, alleging negligent misrepresentation of the corrosion characteristics of these vehicles and Maryland Consumer Protection Act violations. Obtained decision in August 1999 denying class certification; after this decision, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the entire action.
• Representation of a major domestic automotive manufacturer in products liability action in U.S. District Court for District of Maryland, relating to the claimed failure of an air bag to deploy during an accident. Obtained summary judgment for spoliation of evidence, where plaintiff failed to preserve the accident vehicle or notify manufacturer of the accident prior to filing suit three years later. Summary judgment was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in a reported opinion that substantially expanded the federal law of spoliation in that circuit.
• Representation of a major Japanese automotive manufacturer in products liability action in Maryland state court, relating to a claimed inadvertent deployment of an air bag during an accident. Obtained summary judgment as a discovery sanction for plaintiffs' repeated failure to answer discovery.
• Representation of a major Japanese automotive manufacturer in a products liability action in Martinsburg, West Virginia state court, relating to a claimed seat belt failure during an accident. Obtained dismissal shortly after plaintiff's deposition, where evidence was obtained of plaintiff's prior accidents in the vehicle and his misrepresentations to various courts about those accidents.

Published Opinions

• Silvestri v. General Motors Corporation, 271 F.3d 583 (4th Cir. 2000)
• Ford Motor Co. v. General Accident Ins. Co., 365 Md. 321 (2001) (amicus curiae)

Felvétel

• Maryland
• United States District Court for the District of Maryland
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

Tagságok

• Defense Research Institute