(PHILADELPHIA) April 7, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP today announced that Raymond M. Williams, an attorney who has significant first-chair jury trial and pretrial experience in drug and medical device litigation, will join the firm’s Philadelphia office as a partner. He will continue to focus on pharmaceutical drug and medical device litigation as a member of the firm’s Product Liability and Toxic Tort practice.
Williams has represented clients at the local and national level in litigation that has involved allegations of wrongful death, blindness and cancer. He has experience in cases concerning prescription drugs (including vaccines), over-the-counter drugs, and medical devices. Williams has also handled insurance bad faith litigation for life, health, and disability insurance carriers. His experience includes defending clients in punitive damage claims and class actions in cases involving, for example, food warmers, pesticides and treadmills.
“Ray has an excellent reputation as a litigator, and like DLA Piper, he represents some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers,” said William Kiniry, former chair of the firm’s Product Liability and Toxic Tort practice and Managing Partner of the firm’s Philadelphia office. “One of the many reasons he is successful in jury trials is because he knows how to simplify complex medical and scientific concepts and explain to juries how those concepts intersect with product liability laws.”
Williams is an active member of Defense Research Institute (DRI) and, in particular, DRI’s Drug and Medical Device Section. He has served as President of DRI’s Young Lawyers’ Section, is a Steering Committee member, is a frequent speaker at DRI’s annual meeting, and has authored several articles for the organization’s monthly magazine. He also is a frequent contributor to litigation journals and speaking panels in California and Pennsylvania, and he often writes for the American Bar Association’s publications.
Williams has also been actively involved in recruiting and diversity programs at his previous firm, in professional organizations and in the Los Angeles-area community. For example, Williams is active in the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group and the California Minority Corporate Program. He also serves on the Steering Committee for the Drug and Medical Device Section, Long Range Strategic Planning Committee, and Diversity Issues Committee at the DRI.
Prior to joining DLA Piper, Williams was a partner with Reed Smith PLP, which merged in early 2003 with California-based Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May. Williams was a partner in Crosby’s Los Angeles office. He later relocated to Reed Smith’s Philadelphia office to help integrate that firm’s products liability and drug and medical device practice.
Williams received a J.D. from Pepperdine University’s School of Law. He received a B.S. in business from the University of Rhode Island.
Prior to attending law school, Williams played professional football in the National Football League as a member of the Pittsburg Steelers for one season.
Williams is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California.
About DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP is a business law firm of 1,350 lawyers in offices throughout the US, whose core practices are real estate, corporate and securities, litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Worldwide, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary has 2,800 lawyers in 49 offices in 18 countries, including the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and Asia, offering leading practices in commercial, corporate and finance, human resources, litigation, real estate, regulatory and legislative, and technology, media and communications. More information about DLA Piper is available at www.dlapiper.com.
In the U.S., the Product Liability and Toxic Tort practice group represents clients in mass tort and class action litigation, as well as individual claims. Our clients include leading domestic and foreign automotive manufacturers and their component parts suppliers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, chemical manufacturers, and food companies. We also represent industry leaders in such areas as tobacco, construction equipment, heavy trucks, personal watercraft, appliances, elevators, escalators, and tools.
