Michael F. Healy has significant experience in the defense of pharmaceutical, medical device and biologic manufacturers in complex product liability litigation, involving regulatory as well as liability issues. He has served as national, regional or state counsel in nationwide litigation on behalf of a variety of clients.
Michael F. Healy has significant experience in the defense of pharmaceutical, medical device and biologic manufacturers in complex product liability litigation, involving regulatory as well as liability issues. He has served as national, regional or state counsel in nationwide litigation on behalf of a variety of clients.
Mr. Healy is an experienced and accomplished trial lawyer, having successfully tried to verdict cases in various state and federal courts. Mr. Healy has substantial experience in complex litigation matters, including federal and state class actions, multi-district litigation and coordinated proceedings in state courts.
Mr. Healy has also handled a broad spectrum of civil cases, including antitrust, contract disputes, premises liability, products liability and environmental matters. He has represented clients on numerous fire claims including, fire prevention, investigation and defense of liability actions.
In addition to his trial work, Mr. Healy's practice also involves counseling clients regarding document management, product labeling (including the drafting of package inserts) and other litigation preemptive strategies.
Mr. Healy recently helped generic drug manufacturer Perrigo Pharmaceuticals Company (Perrigo) avoid several multi-million dollar claims by convincing the Northern District of California that plantiffs' state-law claims against the generic drug manufacturer were preempted under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FDCA). The court's ruling has broad implications, because it is one of the first to explicitly recognize the preemptive effect of federal Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) labeling requirements with respect to generic drug manufacturers, who are required to provide the exact labeling information used by the brand-name drug manufacturer - no less, but also no more.
His environmental and toxic tort experience includes California's Proposition 65 and Business and Professions Code §17200 claims. Mr. Healy has written substantial comments concerning the process through which chemicals are added to the Proposition 65 "list." Mr. Healy has also dealt with the California Attorney General's Office concerning Proposition 65 interpretation and enforcement.
Memberships & Honors
Mr. Healy is a member and participant in the California Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, International Association of Defense Counsel, California Bar Association and San Francisco Bar Association. He frequently is requested by California Superior Courts to act as an arbitrator and judge pro tem. Mr. Healy has been named a "Northern California Super Lawyer" by the publishers of San Francisco Magazine and the Journal for Law & Politics. Mr. Healy was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2012 and 2011 editions of Best Lawyers in America in the field of product liability litigation. Mr. Healy was also recently selected to appear in The International Who’s Who of Product Liability Defense Lawyers for 2012. He frequently lectures and has authored a number of legal articles. Mr. Healy was recently featured as a Life Science Star in LMG’s Life Sciences 2012’s inaugural issue.