Kaye Scholer

Sheila has practiced before both state and federal courts, and has MDL experience in mass tort actions. She has served as national coordinating counsel of experts, involving the retention, development and preparation of experts for depositions, Daubert/Frye hearings and trials. Her most notable product liability experience includes major pesticide class action litigation, penile prosthesis class action litigation, Viagra litigation, Rezulin (diabetic drug) litigation and Seroquel (antipsychotic drug) litigation.

Sheila’s most recent publications include co-authoring “When Will Plaintiffs Learn to Let Treating Physicians Be Treating Physicians?” in RX For The Defense, vol. 20(1) (April 5, 2012); “Alert: Pharmaceutical Company Internal Documents Are Being Accumulated, Organized, Indexed and Posted on the Internet,” in RX For The Defense, vol. 18(2) (Nov. 20, 2010); and a chapter titled “Advantages and Disadvantages of Multidistrict Litigation” for Practising Law Institute’s treatise Product Liability Litigation: Current Law, Strategies and Best Practices (October 2009). She also presented a seminar and paper titled “Sales Rep 101: A Primer of Issues Relating to Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Sales Representatives,” at the DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar (May 2007).

One of Sheila’s proudest moments in her career involved a litigation outside of the product liability arena. She served as one of the trial counsel in McReynolds v. Sodexho, Inc., a promotion discrimination class action brought on behalf of over 2,400 African-American mid-level manager plaintiffs. The litigation resolved favorably in a $80 million settlement with injunctive relief.

Sheila is an active participant in the firm and serves as a member of the Recruitment Committee and Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee; she served as the Chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee for eight consecutive years. Sheila is also quite active in the wider legal community. In May 2011, she received the New York City Bar Association’s Diversity Champion Award, and in 2009, she received the Columbia Law School BLSA Distinguished Alumni Award.

Sheila’s memberships and leadership positions have included:

• NY State Attorney General-Elect Schneiderman’s Transition Team (11/2010–1/2011)
• Departmental Disciplinary Committee, Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department (2009–present)
• Legal Momentum Board of Legal Advisors (2013)
• Vice President of the Federal Bar Council (2009–2012)
• Membership Chair, Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court (2008–present)
• Church Clerk, Abyssinian Baptist Church (2009–present)
• Vice Chair of Marketing (2011–present) and Steering Committee Member (2006–present), DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar Planning Committee
• Committee to Nominate Alumni Trustees, Princeton University (2011-present)
• Chair (September 2012-present) and Member (September 2004-present), Enhance Diversity in the Profession Committee, The New York City Bar
• Secretary, The New York City Bar (2007–2012)
• Chair, Committee on Recruitment and Retention of Lawyers, The New York City Bar (September 2004–August 2007)
• Trustee, Federal Bar Council (November 2006–November 2009)
• Advisor/Mentor, Bronx High School of Law, Government & Justice Mock Trial Team (2004–2011)
• Member, Public Interest Committee, New York State Bar Association (1997–1999)

Sheila is committed to pro bono legal services.  She was awarded the title Empire State Counsel for pro bono representation in 2011 and 2012. In 2008, she was one of the recipients of the “Forty Under 40” award given by The Network Journal, a minority professional business magazine. She received the “Lawyer of the Year” award (2007) from the Metropolitan Black Bar Association for her contributions to the New York City legal community and for her many civic contributions to the African American community at large. Also, she received the Network for Women’s Services Associate Justice Award (2000) for her legal representation of indigent women. In addition to her provision of pro bono legal services, Sheila volunteers as a motivational speaker for schools, churches and youth groups.