Former Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department, Mr. Sherman is “admired by clients for his litigation acumen, presence, dedication and tenacity.” Legal 500 US 2007. Chambers USA 2007 notes that Mr. Sherman is “a great oral advocate” and “a tireless worker” whose clients “think the world of him,” while Legal 500 2008 describes Mr.Sherman as “a real strategic thinker.” Chambers USA 2010 describes him as “a walking encyclopedia of law.” Chambers USA 2011 says Mr. Sherman is an "exceptional litigator" who is "noted for his broad antitrust experience as well as his experience in product liability and IP matters."
MEHRIn his 42 years of practice, Mr. Sherman has handled a wide variety of complex litigation, including products liability, antitrust, false advertising, trademarks, trade dress, derivatives, insurance, employment discrimination and contract disputes, for clients such as Novartis, CIBA Vision, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Texaco Inc., W.R. Grace and The Walt Disney Company.
Mr. Sherman has consistently been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America for antitrust litigation, which has been echoed by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2007–2011. From 2000–2007, Mr. Sherman was national coordinating counsel for Novartis in the phenylpropanolamine (“PPA”) product liability litigation, and co-lead counsel for all the pharmaceutical company defendants in the MDL proceedings in that litigation. Novartis’s successful defense of the PPA cases was featured in “A Line in the Sand,” Litigation 2005 (ALM, Counsel Supp.).
Among other litigations, Mr. Sherman is currently a senior member of a “virtual” law firm defending AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LLP against thousands of product liability lawsuits alleging that the antipsychotic drug Seroquel® causes diabetes and related injuries.
Mr. Sherman is also an accomplished appellate advocate, having argued appeals in the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Ninth Courts of Appeal. In PPA, he argued the prevailing position in the Ninth Circuit’s landmark ruling that MDL judges have extraordinary discretion to manage their dockets through dismissals for discovery noncompliance. In re Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) Products Liability Litigation, 460 F.3d 1217 (9th Cir. 2006).