JOHNSON et al v. SMITHKLINE BEECHAM CORPORATION et al

  1. December 09, 2025

    Hagens Berman's Novel DOJ Referral May Have Chilling Effect

    A Pennsylvania federal judge's unusual decision to refer prominent plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman LLP to the U.S. Department of Justice for possible criminal investigation over its pursuit of claims related to morning sickness drug thalidomide could have a chilling effect on lawyers' advocacy, law professors and attorneys said.

  2. December 04, 2025

    Judge Nixes Hagens Berman's Recusal Bid After DOJ Referral

    Two days after referring powerhouse plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman to the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged misconduct, a Pennsylvania federal judge on Thursday dismissed the firm's request that he recuse himself from the long-running product liability suit, calling the firm's arguments "absurd."

  3. December 02, 2025

    Hagens Berman Referred To DOJ For Alleged Misconduct

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Tuesday recommended to the U.S. Department of Justice that it investigate powerhouse plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP's conduct in connection with several since-dropped product liability cases that a special master found to be filed in bad faith.

  4. October 24, 2025

    Hagens Berman Wants Judge DQ, Alleges Drug Lawsuit Bias

    Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP asserted Friday that the Pennsylvania federal judge overseeing the long-running thalidomide birth-defect litigation in the state should be recused, alleging over 100 undisclosed private contacts between the court and special discovery master as an indication of bias.

  5. October 06, 2025

    Hagens Berman Fights Sanctions Over Thalidomide Suits

    Plaintiffs firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP strenuously denied claims that it should be sanctioned for filing since-dropped product liability cases, responding to a judge's show cause order by saying it spent hundreds of hours researching the legal theories it pursued before filing the cases and devoted substantial time and resources to them.

  6. August 05, 2025

    Judge Mulls Sanctioning Hagens Berman In Thalidomide Suits

    The Pennsylvania federal judge presiding over dozens of product liability actions against manufacturers of the morning sickness drug thalidomide Tuesday ordered Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP to explain why it shouldn't be sanctioned for allegedly conducting "grossly inadequate" pre-suit inquiries, obstructing discovery and doctoring evidence.

  7. May 24, 2021

    Hagens Berman Loses Privilege In Thalidomide Sanction Fight

    The law firm of Hagens Berman Sobel Shapiro LLP must turn over documents related to its dropping of thalidomide lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline, after a Pennsylvania federal judge ruled Monday the firm waived any privilege attached to those documents when it shared them with an outside expert.

  8. May 19, 2021

    Hagens Berman Suffers Privilege Defeat In Thalidomide Row

    A special master has said that Hagens Berman Sobel Shapiro LLP waived its privilege when it gave an expert witness certain information related to its handling of lawsuits over birth defects allegedly caused by the drug thalidomide.

  9. July 22, 2020

    Special Master Rips Hagens Berman's Privilege Arguments

    A special master tasked by a Pennsylvania federal judge to find out if Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP dropped thalidomide birth defect claims against GlaxoSmithKline and others in good faith or simply to save its own skin lambasted arguments the firm made regarding potentially privileged material Wednesday.

  10. July 10, 2020

    Client Says Hagen Berman Pulled Fast One On Special Master

    A Minnesota woman told a Pennsylvania federal court that Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP used clients' protected information as "a sword and a shield" to hide its alleged wrongdoing in its report provided to a special master, who was investigating the firm's bid to drop clients suing GlaxoSmithKline and others for birth defects caused by thalidomide.