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Katherine B.W. Insogna

Katie Insogna

Partner
Co-Chair, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Product Liability Sub-Practice Group
About

Katie Insogna serves as Co-Chair of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Product Liability Sub-Practice Group. A four-time honoree by Legal 500 for life sciences and pharmaceutical and medical device defense (2020 as a Rising Star; 2021-2023 as a Next Generation Partner), Katie’s practice focuses on litigation, regulatory, and enforcement challenges facing pharmaceutical, medical device, and life science companies. Her litigation practice primarily involves representing clients in complex, multi-jurisdictional product liability litigation and complex commercial litigation, for which DLA Piper's Product Liability and Mass Tort practice group has been recognized as a leader for years. As part of her Legal 500 recognition, Katie was described as "highly skilled" and "a name to note."  Clients recognized that she "excels at handling high-stakes litigation and counselling."

Katie has extensive expertise with fact and expert witness development, discovery and dispositive motion practice, and trial preparation. Katie has taken and defended numerous party and third-party witness depositions in product liability and commercial litigation cases. She also has argued motions in state and federal courts.

In addition to her litigation practice, Katie counsels clients on research and development, risk management, and other compliance issues.

Bar admissionsCaliforniaMassachusetts
CourtsUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Southern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the District of Massachusetts

EXPERIENCE

Representative of her experience are the following matters:

  • In re Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2924 (S.D. Fla.): Serves as co-national counsel for Sanofi in MDL and related state court litigations involving thousands of cancer claims and third party payor, medical monitoring, and consumer fraud class actions. Appointed by MDL Court to Leadership Development Committee.
  • In re Eliquis Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2754 (S.D.N.Y.): National counsel for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Pfizer in product liability litigation alleging that Eliquis causes bleeding, in which the DLA Piper team obtained landmark rulings finding that plaintiffs’ claims were preempted at the pleading stage (Utts v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., 226 F. Supp. 3d 166, 177 (S.D.N.Y. 2016) ("Utts I"); Utts v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., 251 F. Supp. 3d 644, 658 (S.D.N.Y. 2017) ("Utts II")). The MDL decisions were affirmed on appeal (Gibbons v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., No. 17-2638, 2d Cir. Mar. 26, 2019), a ruling the Drug & Device Law Blog called "the TwIqbal decision to end all TwIqbal decisions" in the preemption context and noted, "If anyone wonders why we consider preemption our side’s most powerful defense, Gibbons is Exhibit A."
  • In re Proton Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation (II), MDL 2789 (D.N.J): National counsel for Pfizer and Wyeth in product liability litigation alleging that proton pump inhibitors cause chronic kidney disease and other kidney injuries.
  • Dunham v. Covidien, et al. and Krulewich v. Covidien, et al. (S.D.N.Y.): Argued successful motions to dismiss in product liability litigations alleging that Medtronic's hernia mesh was defective. Also serves as co-national counsel in MDL and related state court coordinated proceeding.
  • Burnham v. Wyeth, et al. (D. Mass): Obtained successful ruling on motion to dismiss product liability claims related to Effexor.
  • Essure Product Liability Litigation: Counsel for Bayer in product liability litigation alleging injuries caused by permanent contraceptive device.
  • Counsel for medical device company in product liability matter involving cold therapy device.
  • Advised pharmaceutical company on contractual provisions in supply agreements.
Education
  • J.D., University of Southern California Gould School of Law 2009
  • B.A., Psychology, Georgetown University 2006
    magna cum laude

Awards

  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Next Generation Partner, Healthcare: Life Sciences (2021-2023)
    • Next Generation Partner, Dispute Resolution Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - Defense (2021-2023)
    • Rising Star, Healthcare: Life Sciences (2020)
    • Rising Star, Dispute Resolution Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - Defense (2020)

Bylines

Seminars

Externship Experience

During law school, Katie externed for the Honorable Valerie Baker Fairbank, United States District Court for the Central District of California.

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