Tara D. Sutton
Experience
Chair of Mass Tort Litigation Group
Trial practice focusing on representing individuals harmed by the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
Currently litigating cases involving the drugs Vioxx, Requip and Chantix.
Lead trial counsel in Mirapex Multi-District Litigation.
Member, Science Committee and Diversity Committee, Vioxx Multi-District Litigation.
Selected Results*
Trial Counsel in Charbonneau v. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc.. Represented plaintiffs in first Mirapex products liability bellwether trial. On July 30, 2008, jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiffs for $8,279,300, including $7.8 million in punitive damages for failing to warn of risk of compulsive behaviors, including pathological gambling, from the Parkinson's drug Mirapex.
Trial Counsel in Zwayer v. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc.. Represented plaintiffs in second Mirapex bellwether trial. Case was confidentially settled prior to closing argument.
Confidentially settled more than 280 Mirapex cases represented by Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. during Fall of 2008.
Trial counsel, State of Minnesota and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota v. Philip Morris, et al. In May 1998, the case settled after a four month trial when Tobacco Companies agreed to pay the State and Blue Cross & Blue Shield more than $6.6 billion.
Recognition
- Named a "Super Lawyer" and "Top 100 Women Minnesota Super Lawyer," Minnesota Law & Politics (2009)**
- "Member of the Year" award from the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association in recognition of work performed during the tobacco litigation.
- "Newsmakers ‘98" award from the Minnesota Women’s Press in recognition of extraordinary action taken in the public arena during 1998 that promotes equality, justice and respect for women.
- Named "40 Under 40" by City Business (2000)**
Memberships
Minnesota State Bar Association
American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), member of the Section & Litigation Group Coordination Committee
Minnesota Association for Justice (formerly Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association)
Hennepin County Bar Association
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
American Intellectual Property Law Association
The Sedona Conference Working Group on Protective Orders, Confidentiality & Public Access (Spring 2004)
Firm's Professional Development Committee (2004-2005), Co-Chair
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with honors (1992)
- University of Iowa, B.S., with high honors
Articles
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Consumer Alert: Hydroxycut Recalled
(May 4, 2009)
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Chantix Patients Report Dangerous Side-Effects
(January 30, 2009)
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Consumer Alert: Fosamax May Cause Osteonecrosis ("Jaw Death")
(April 12, 2006)
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New Study Shows Women Using the Ortho Evra Birth-Control Patch Double Risk of Blood Clots Compared With Those Taking Birth-Control Pill
(February 17, 2006)
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Ortho Evra Birth-Control Patch Exposes Women to High Estrogen Levels, Potential Risk of Dangerous Blood Clots
(November 22, 2005)
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Paxil® Linked To Birth Defects and Congenital Malformations
(October 2005)
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Consumer Alert: Guidant Defibrillators Recalled
(June 20, 2005)
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Consumer Alert: Guidant Ventak Prizm 2 Defibrillator
(May 24, 2005)
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Latest News on VIOXX Recall
(April 27, 2005)
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Vioxx Pulled Off the Market Because of Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
(Friday, October 1, 2004)
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Consumer Alert: FDA Panel Urges Stronger Child and Adolescent Suicide Warnings on Antidepressants, including Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor
(September 15, 2004)
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Ephedra Products Raise Questions
(April 11, 2003)
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Chapter titled "History of Complex Litigation in Minnesota", in book titled For the Record: 150 Years of Law & Lawyers in Minnesota
Minnesota State Bar Association
(1999)
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Decades of Deceit: Document Discovery in Minnesota Tobacco Litigation
25 William Mitchell L. Rev. 477 (1999) (with Michael Ciresi)
Selected Speeches
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Preemption in a Post-Levine World
Minnesota Association for Justice, Alexandria, Minnesota
(August 14, 2009)
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Obstacles to Justice
Iowa Association for Justice Annual Meeting
(November 6, 2008)
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So You Are in Federal Court - Now What?
MTLA, Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center, Alexandria, Minnesota
(August 9, 2007)
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Top 10 Cases You Never Saw Coming-Recognizing Mass Torts
South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association, Deadwood, South Dakota
(September 6-7, 2006)
Protecting the Public Health: Scientific Integrity at Risk
13th Trial Advocacy Seminar (October 26, 2006)
Defective Drug and Medical Device Litigation
MTLA Annual Convention (August 12, 2006)
Commencement Speech
Hamline University, Paralegal Studies Certificate Program (May 16, 2003)
Formulating a Discovery Plan in Complex Business Litigation Cases
MILE Complex Business Litigation Seminar (March 20, 2001)
Where There's Smoke There's Fire: An Insider's View of the Minnesota Tobacco Litigation
Association of University Woman, 3M, Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 26, 1999)