Managing Partner: Ron Meneo

Practicing law for over 25 years, Attorney Meneo has a diverse professional resume. He is experienced in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, sexual abuse litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, tax litigation, administration and planning, estate and will litigation and administration, and commercial transactions and litigation. Since 2005, Attorney Meneo has consistently received the prestigious AV® Preeminent Rating by Martindale Hubbell, the widely recognized and premier national attorney ratings organization. The AV® Preeminent Rating is Martindale Hubbell’s “Highest Possible Rating in both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards, It is only awarded to attorneys who, in the opinions of their peers, possess high to preeminent legal ability based on one's expertise, experience, integrity and overall professional excellence. Following are highlights of Attorney Meneo’s noteworthy experience.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation

In pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, Attorney Meneo represents individuals (and their families) injured by defective drugs and medical devices. Currently, he (The Meneo Law Group) is investigating potential claims involving the anti-clotting drug Xarelto®, the Depuy Pinnacle, metal-on-metal hip implant and those involving Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters. Here are summaries of his roles and accomplishments in prior pharmaceutical and medical device litigations.

Pradaxa Litigation

Recently concluded with a $650 million settlement, the Pradaxa litigation was consolidated both in federal court (MDL 2848 assigned to Judge David Herndon in St. Louis) and in Connecticut state court (In Re Pradaxa Litigation assigned to Complex Litigation Judge Grant Miller in Hartford).Having filed one of the first Pradaxa product liability cases in the country and having the first nationwide trial date assigned to that case, Attorney Meneo played a significant role in the litigation. In addition to Co-Lead counsel for the Connecticut litigation, US District Court Judge Herndon appointed him State-Federal Liaison Counsel for Connecticut. In that role he served as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Negotiating Team that crafted a global settlement for some 4,000 plaintiffs nationwide.

Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) Litigation

Attorney Meneo played a significant role in the nationwide litigation involving OTC appetite suppressant and cough/cold products containing the vaso-constricting compound phenylpropanolamine, commonly referred to as “PPA.” Beyond his leadership positions described below and drawing on his experience with the nationwide Diet Drug Settlement, he is very proud to have fashioned the original contours of a PPA settlement model that served as the genesis and framework for the final Dexatrim Settlement and Case Scoring System.

In addition to representing several individuals who suffered hemorrhagic strokes and other injuries after ingesting PPA, he served on the MDL Plaintiffs Discovery Committee, assuming primary responsibility for conducting discovery and developing the liability case against the manufacturers of PPA-containing appetite suppressants, Thompson Medical Company and Chattem, Inc. Ultimately, these two manufacturers entered into a nationwide settlement of all pending claims brought by people who alleged injury after taking the PPA-containing appetite suppressant Dexatrim®.

As an integral member of a select group of attorneys who negotiated the only global PPA settlements, Attorney Meneo served on the Dexatrim® Settlement Subcommittee of the PPA-MDL Plaintiffs' Steering Committee and as one of four Class Counsel in the Chattem Dexatrim® Class Settlement. He also served as a member of the Creditors Committee in the Delaco (formerly Thompson Medical Company) Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, playing an instrumental role in fashioning a global settlement of Delaco's PPA-containing Dexatrim claims. Until all administrative matters regarding the settlement are completed, he continues to serve as the Chairman of the Delaco Dexatrim® Settlement Trust Advisory Committee (TAC).

Diet Drug (fen-phen) Litigation

In the Diet Drug (fen-phen) litigation, Attorney Meneo represented over 400 clients including people suffering from valvular heart disease, endocardial fibrosis, and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), an often fatal respiratory illness. Among the many claims he has handled, Attorney Meneo represented the families of two young women who died after taking Diet Drugs. On their behalf, he zealously and steadfastly prosecuted claims based on a finding of endocardial fibrosis. These two claims were among but a handful of such Diet Drug claims brought to a successful conclusion nationwide. He has also represented several clients afflicted with PPH, resolving their cases and obtaining substantial recoveries for them and their families.[One such client, Sharon Faye, expressed her gratitude in a testimonial which you can read here],Through hard work and perseverance, Attorney Meneo has obtained over $60 million in recoveries for clients who were injured as a result of using Diet Drugs.

Ketek Litigation

Along with two other prominent law firms, Attorney Meneo (The Meneo Law Group) served as Co-Lead Counsel for the Ketek® litigation that was consolidated in New Jersey State Court. In that role, he co-managed all of the litigation and, along with his Co-Lead counsel conducted initial and ongoing discovery, took all depositions of company witnesses, engaged in significant, ongoing motion practice, engaged all necessary scientific and medical expert witnesses and assisted in producing their reports, conducted and defended expert witness depositions, developed our clients’ cases, vigorously defended our clients’ depositions and negotiated a confidential and substantial global settlement of all cases with the two primary defendants.

Our lead client, a young Iraqi war veteran from Ohio, was seriously injured and hospitalized with severe liver failure as a result of his exposure to the antibiotic Ketek®. His case and our efforts were chronicled on the “CBS News with Katie Couric.” Throughout the litigation, we worked with a former FDA Medical Officer who left the FDA as a result of his vocal and unwavering opposition to the approval of Ketek® He and Defendants’ company officials were called to testify before Congress by Senator Charles Grassley who was investigating allegations of fraud and other improper conduct in the clinical trials that were used in support of the approval of Ketek®

Zyprexa Litigation

Attorney Meneo also represented over 95 individuals who alleged injuries as a result of taking the atypical anti-psychotic Zyprexa®. His clients were part of a $700 million settlement of Zyprexa®-related claims that was announced by the Eli Lilly Company. He formerly served as a member of the Plaintiffs' Discovery Committee in the nationwide Zyprexa® Multi-District Litigation (MDL).

Other Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation

Attorney Meneo also represented individuals who were injured after taking the following drugs:

• YAZ®/Yasmin® oral contraceptives
• Ortho Evra contraceptive patch
• Baycol
• Rezulin
• Guidant (cardiac) Defibrillators and Pacemakers
• Medtronic Fidelis Sprint Defibrillator Leads
• Sulzer Hip Implants

Noteworthy Pharmaceutical Cases

Among the more notable pharmaceutical cases handled by Attorney Meneo are the following:

• Nagroski v. DePuy Medical (USDC – Hartford, Connecticut 2013) – current MDL litigation consolidated in the Northern District of Texas involving the Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip implant.
• Sardinha v Boehringer Ingelheim (Connecticut Complex Litigation, 2012 - 2015) – consolidated Connecticut complex litigation involving the anti-clotting drug Pradaxa. Attorney Meneo served as Co-Lead counsel for the Connecticut litigation and as State-Federal Liaison Counsel for Connecticut in the federal MDL litigation. The litigation was resolved via a $650million global settlement. Attorney Meneo served as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Settlement Negotiating Team.
• Gregg v Sanofi-Aventis (NJ State Court – New Brunswick) – concluded consolidated litigation involving serious liver injury caused by the anti-biotic Ketek. Attorney Meneo served as Co-Lead counsel for all litigation and settlement matters. The litigation has been resolved.
• Park v. Chattem, Inc. (USDC W.D. WA 2004) Attorney Meneo served as one of four Plaintiffs' Class Counsel in this class action settlement involving the PPA-containing appetite suppressant Dexatrim® that was sold by Chattem, Inc. The estimated value of the settlement is $56 million and includes some 175 individual claimants.
• In re Delaco (USBC S.D. NY 2004) Attorney Meneo served on the Creditors Committee in this class settlement, structured as a Chapter 11 Reorganization, involving the PPA-containing appetite suppressant Dexatrim® that was sold by Delaco's predecessor, The Thompson Medical Company. The estimated value of the settlement is $122 million and includes some 300 individual claimants.
• Estate of Loberg v. AHP (U.S.D.C. PA 2002) - a case in which a young woman died from complications related to endocardial fibrosis which she developed after using Diet Drugs. Attorney Meneo successfully prosecuted the claim under the Nationwide Diet Drug Settlement, one of the very few such claims that was paid under the Settlement.
• Estate of Breach v. AHP (U.S.D.C. PA 2005) - a case in which a young woman died from complications related to endocardial fibrosis which she developed after using Diet Drugs. Attorney Meneo successfully prosecuted the claim under the Nationwide Diet Drug Settlement, one of the very few such claims that was paid under the Settlement.
• Wilson v. AHP (CA 2002) - a case in which a young man developed primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) after using Diet Drugs. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo and co-counsel.
• Dallman v. AHP (NJ 2003) - a case in which a young woman developed primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) after using Diet Drugs. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo and local counsel.
• Canter v. AHP (CA 2003) - a case in which a woman developed primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) after using Diet Drugs. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo and co-counsel.
• Faye v. AHP (NJ 2005) - a case in which a woman developed primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) after using Diet Drugs. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo and local counsel.
• Rosewood v. AHP (NJ 2005) - a case in which a woman developed primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) after using Diet Drugs. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo and local counsel.
• Lewis v. GSK (U.S.D.C. CT 2004) - a case in which the Plaintiff suffered a hemorrhagic stroke after ingesting a cough/cold containing phenylpropanolamine. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff who was represented by Attorney Meneo.

Other Litigation

In other areas of law, Attorney Meneo has successfully represented individuals who suffered economic injuries and losses. Some of the more noteworthy are:

• In Re Publication Papers Antitrust Litigation (U.S.D.C. Connecticut 2014) – an anti-trust, price-fixing class action in which Attorney Meneo represented a putative class member, xpedx, a division of International Paper. The class action was resolved through class settlements reached with the two foreign defendants, producers of publication paper.
• In re Estate of Youngster (CA ) a will contest in which Attorney Meneo and co-counsel successfully represented the parent and sister of a deceased family member. The contest was settled among the parties.
• Maguire et al v. ORS Corporation et. al, (U.S.D.C. W.D. OK) - securities litigation involving shareholder rights in affiliated companies that owned proprietary oil field technology and other intellectual property used in the production of heavy oil. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiffs, who were represented by Attorney Meneo and Oklahoma counsel.
• In re D. Osmun v. Shearson, Lehman Bros. (NY) - securities arbitration involving churning of client's account, unauthorized trading and other improper practices. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiff, whom was represented by Attorney Meneo.
• SFS Bank Matter (CT) - representation of a class of individuals whose employment was terminated with prejudice to their retirement and other benefits. Attorney Meneo secured a pre-litigation settlement of the matter that restored all of the lost benefits to the employees.
• Germe et. al v N.E. Mortgage Co. (U.S.D.C. CT) - securities fraud litigation involving misrepresentations made to individuals who invested in second mortgages. The case was settled on terms favorable to the Plaintiffs, whom were represented by Attorney Meneo.
• In re Estate of H. Ermel (CT) - representation of a class of beneficiaries in a will contest alleging undue influence and lack of testamentary capacity. Attorney Meneo successfully negotiated a settlement on terms favorable to all class members.
• In re Estate of Talar (CT) - representation of family members in a professional negligence case involving the handling of an estate and its tax liabilities. The case was settled with the family recouping their losses.
• 1935-1 Trust v. U.S.A.C. (MT) - representation of Trust and beneficiaries in securities litigation involving subordinated debentures and other debt-financed instruments. The case was resolved on terms favorable to the Trust and beneficiaries, whom were represented by Attorney Meneo and Montana Counsel.

Education and Professional Licensure, Affiliations and Activities

Annually since 2005, Attorney Meneo has been awarded an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the widely recognized and premier national attorney ratings organization. The AV® rating is only awarded to attorneys who, in the opinions of their peers, possess high to preeminent legal ability based on one's expertise, experience, integrity and overall professional excellence.

Attorney Meneo is a graduate of Fairfield University (BA 1975), Western New England School of Law (JD 1978, cum laude) and Boston University School of Law (LLM 1980). He is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and the District of Columbia and is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, American Bar Association and the American Association of Justice (AAJ). He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Claims, the United States Tax Court and the United States District Court for Connecticut. He formerly served as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Business at Southern Connecticut State University and as a member of the Legal Committee of USA Triathlon.

Attorney Meneo has been an invited speaker at Mealey's PPA Litigation Conferences (2001, 2002 and 2005) and has presented at other conferences involving PPA litigation including the PPA-MDL Liability Conferences. Attorney Meneo has served as a Contributing Editor of The Journal of Individual Taxation and has contributed to the DePaul Commercial Law Journal.