Milberg joins forces with mass tort firm Sanders Philips Grossman
Class action and complex litigation firm Milberg and mass tort firm Sanders Phillips Grossman plan to partner up, becoming Milberg Tadler Phillips Grossman, the American Lawyer and Global Legal Post reported Monday.
The new law firm will be headquartered in New York City and represent plaintiffs across the United States in claims over a “wide range of commercial and pharmaceutical malfeasance,” according to a press release (PDF) from Milberg. That will include drug and medical device class actions, a focus of Sanders Phillips, as well as claims over securities fraud, data breaches, opioids, consumer fraud and more.
The move elevates Milberg managing partner Ariana Tadler to name partner in the new firm. Tadler will be part of the new firm’s management team, as will Milberg partner Peggy Wedgworth and Sanders Phillips Grossman partners Glenn Phillips and Marc Grossman.
“This strategic combination enables us to build on Milberg’s strong foundation in pioneering and delivering fierce and effective plaintiffs’ representation in litigation against well-financed corporations,” Phillips said in the press release. “Together, we can serve a broader range of clients who are seeking to enforce their rights as consumers and shareholders.”
Milberg made its name as a securities class-action law firm called Milberg Weiss, but its reputation took a serious hit a decade ago when several partners were convicted of paying kickbacks to name plaintiffs in securities fraud cases. Attorneys Melvyn Weiss, Bill Lerach, David Bershad and Steve Schulman all eventually entered guilty pleas and served prison time in connection with that practice, and the case spawned lawsuits and disputes over fees.
