Concentration

Medical products liability, False Claims Act and governmental litigation, consumer fraud and class action litigation, pharmaceutical and toxic tort litigation and civil trial and appellate matters 

Summary

Earl Austin heads Baker Botts’ Life Sciences Practice and co-chairs the firm’s Pharmaceutical Litigation Practice. His primary concentration since 1986 has been on pharmaceutical and toxic tort litigation and his areas of focus include prescription drugs, vaccines and medical devices. He has extensive experience in class action litigation, as well as False Claims Act and related governmental litigation, and assists manufacturers with medical and pharmaceutical product labeling and other regulatory and administrative matters.  

In addition to his pharmaceutical practice, Mr. Austin represents clients in toxic tort and other products liability litigation, including black mold, pesticide and chemical products cases.

Mr. Austin has served as national and regional coordinating counsel for various product manufacturers in complex multiparty litigation and has handled trial and appellate matters throughout Texas and in thirty other states.

Representative Engagements

• AstraZeneca – national coordinating counsel in Seroquel litigation
• Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. – representation as national and regional coordinating counsel in products liability and consumer class action litigation
• Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation – Parlodel and other pharmaceutical product litigation
• Connecticut General Life Insurance Company – black mold litigation concerning a 250-unit apartment complex
• Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. – infant formula and pharmaceutical product litigation
• The Upjohn Company – Halcion litigation
• Velsicol Chemical Corporation – chlordane litigation
• GTE Corporation – a series of multistate consumer class action cases
• Texas Oncology Physicians Association – antitrust litigation