Member Directory

James R. Dugan, II, gained valuable experience working with the late Wendell H. Gauthier and the Law Firm of Gauthier, Downing, LaBarre, Beiser & Dean in the areas of class action, mass tort, and complex litigation, beginning with the seminal class action lawsuit filed against the tobacco industry on the basis of nicotine addiction, Castano v. American Tobacco, et al. After Mr. Gauthier’s untimely death in December of 2001, Mr. Dugan formed the Dugan & Browne Law Firm continuing to specialize in class action and mass tort litigation, which is now the present Dugan Law Firm and continues to specialize in class action and mass tort litigation. Mr. Dugan is willing and able to commit to a time consuming project, can work cooperatively with the Court and all counsel appointed to a Plaintiff’s Steering Committee, and has extensive experience in pharmaceutical litigation.

Over the years, Mr. Dugan has specialized in the area of complex pharmaceutical litigation representing numerous third part payors, including Blue Cross of Louisiana and other health insurers in cases against the manufacturers of Synthroid, Fen-Phen, Rezulin, Neurontin, Vioxx, Zyprexa, Bextra/Celebrex, Oxycontin, Ketek, Celexa/Lexapro, Effexor, and Prograf. Mr Dugan also represented the Louisiana Attorney General in the Synthroid, Baycol, Rezulin, Vioxx, Bextra/ Celebrex and Ketek litigations to recoup medical costs the state Medicaid program expended over these drugs. Mr Dugan also represents consumers and injured clients in a variety of pharmaceutical, aviation, railroad and maritime cases.

State Court

• Louisiana – 1997

Federal Courts

• Eastern and Middle District’s of Louisiana
• Southern District of Alabama
• Eastern District of New York
• United States 2nd Circuit Court
• United States 5th Circuit Court

• B.A.  –  University of Southwestern Louisiana.
• J.D. – Loyola University Law School.

• Louisiana Association for Justice
• Jefferson Parish Bar Association
• Orleans Parish Bar Association
• Louisiana State Bar Association
• American Bar Association

1. In Re: Synthroid Marketing Litigation, (MDL 1182), (1997-2004) USDC for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Judge Elaine E. Bucklo. Co-Lead Counsel for a class of Third Party Payors. Settlement $45,000,000.00
2. In Re: Diet Drugs Litigation, (MDL 1203), (1997-2002) USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Judge Lewis C. Bechtle. Mr. Dugan was also co-lead counsel for a large group of individually represented third-party payors. Settlement $35,000,000.00
3. In Re: Propulsid Litigation, (MDL 1355), (2000-Present) USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Eldon Fallon. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. Settlement $90,000,000.00
4. In Re: Rezulin Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1348), (2000-2008) USDC, Southern District of New York, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Mr. Dugan was appointed by the court as Liaison Counsel to a class of Health Benefit Providers. Settlement $22,500,000.00
5. In Re: Industrial Life Insurance Litigation, (MDL 1371), (2000-2007) USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Martin L.C. Feldman, presiding. Member: Plaintiff’s Executive Committee. Settlement $50,000,000.00
6. In Re: Inter-Op Hip Prosthesis Product Liability Litigation, (MDL 1401),(2001-2008) USDC, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Judge Kathleen O’Malley. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. Settlement $1,200,000,000.00
7. In Re: Baycol Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1431), (2001-2007) USDC, District of Minnesota, Judge Michael Davis. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. Settlement 1,000,000,000.00
8. In Re: Meridia Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1481), (2002-2006) USDC, Northern District of Ohio, Judge James S. Gwin. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee.
9. In Re: Serzone Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1477), (2002-2007) USDC, Southern District of West Virginia, Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee. Settlement $90,000,000.00
10. In Re: Neurontin Marketing & Sales Practices Litigation (MDL 1629), (2004-Present) USDC, District of Massachusetts, Judge Patti B. Saris. Member: Plaintiff’s Steering Committee.
11. In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1657), (2005-present) USDC of Louisiana, Judge Fallon, Magistrate Judge Knowles. Member: Co-Chair Purchase Claims Committee. Settlement $80,000,000.00
12. In Re: Zyprexa Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (MDL 1596), (2005-present) USDC for the Eastern District of New York, Judge Weinstein and Magistrate Judge Chrein. Member: Co-Lead Counsel for the Purchase Claims. Settlement $4,500,000.00
13. In Re: Bextra and Celebrex Marketing and Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1699), (2006-2010) USDC, Northern District of California, Judge Breyer. Member: Purchase Claims Committee. Settlement $89,000,000.00
14. In Re: Fosamax Product Liability Litigation (MDL 1789), (2006-present) USDC Southern District of New York, Judge Keenan. Member: Plaintiff Steering Committee.
15. In Re: Oxycontin Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (2007-2009) USDC for the Southern District of New York., Judge Koel. Co-lead counsel for third party payors. Settlement $20,000,000.00
16. In Re: Ketek Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (2008-Present) USDC Eastern District of New York, Judge Townes. Co-lead Counsel for third party payors.
17. In Re: Vytorin Marketing, Sales Practice, and Products Liability (MDL 1938), (2008-2010) USDC District of New Jersey, Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh. Member: Plaintiff Steering Committee. Settlement $45,000,000.00
18. In Re: Actimmune Product Liability Litigation (2009-Present) 08-CV-3797-MHP USDC for the Northern District of California, Judge Marilyn H. Patel. Member: Plaintiff Steering Committee
19. In re: Light Cigarettes Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (MDL 2068), (2009-Present) 09-md-02068, USDC for the District of Maine, Judge John Woodcock Jr., Member of Plaintiff’s Steering Committee.
20. In Re: Celexa/Lexapro Product Liability Litigation (MDL 2067), (2009) 09-CV-1033 USDC for the Eastern District of New York, Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Lead Counsel for the third party payors.
21. In Re: Fosomax Femur Litigation (MDL- 2243), 2011 – Present, 08-cv-00008, USDC for the District of New Jersey, Judge Joel A. Pisano. Member: Plaintiff Steering Committee.
22. In Re: Effexor Antitrust Litigation 11-CV-05590 USDC for the Eastern District of New Jersey, Judge Joel A. Pisano, Executive Committee Member for Indirect Purchasers.