Levin Papantonio (LP), the trailblazing mass torts law firm that has marched at the forefront of the national prescription opiates addiction litigation, is pleased to announce it has been awarded the American Association for Justice’s (AAJ) 2024 Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award, along with other member law firms of the Plaintiff Executive Committee (PEC) of this socially impactful multidistrict litigation (MDL 2084).

According to the AAJ website, the Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award recognizes “plaintiffs and the attorneys of plaintiffs whose cases help tell the story of the American civil justice system.” 

The PEC’s Tireless Efforts to Save Opioid-Ravaged Communities

MDL Judge Dan Aaron Polster appointed LP Attorney Peter Mougey as a member of the PEC, the primary role of which is to direct the efficient representation of plaintiffs. 

Mougey was also Co-Lead of the Distributor and Dispensing Case and serves as a formidable driving force on the opiates MDL’s Negotiation Committee.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the PEC’s mission-driven dedication recognized with the 2024 Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award,” Mougey said. “We’ve worked tirelessly to secure the financial resources needed to help communities devastated by opioid addiction, holding the corporations responsible for this crisis accountable. This award is a testament to the impact the PEC made and the lives we’ve helped to save.” 

According to Mougey, the complexity of the prescription opiates MDL made communication and collaboration of paramount importance—a challenge the PEC deftly managed. 

“The seamless collaboration with the MDL’s Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee through almost 20 plaintiff law firms allowed us to navigate the complexities of the litigation with remarkable efficiency, ensuring swift and effective action at every turn,” Mougey said.

Peter Mougey’s Dedication to This Litigation

In addition to his role on the Plaintiff Executive Committee, Mougey has played a pivotal role in the opioid litigation as Co-Lead of the MDL’s Distributor and Dispensing Case and a key member of the Negotiation Committee. He has also served as Co-Lead in two significant trials, contributing to landmark settlements: 

San Francisco secured a historic $230 million from Walgreens, the largest payout a city has received from a single company in an opioid lawsuit. The win means San Francisco’s opioid lawsuits yielded over $350 million for the city.  In New Mexico, the state obtained over $1 billion for opioid-crisis recovery, including $500 million from Walgreens and $274 million from Kroger, CVS, Albertsons, and Walmart. Mougey and LP Attorney Jeff Gaddy were co-leads of the trial team, along with Dan Alberstone and Mark Pifko of Baron & Budd PC, Anthony Majestro of Powell Majestro PLLC, and Luis Robles of Robles Rael Anaya.

Levin Papantonio’s Multiple Leadership Roles in the Opiates MDL

LP attorneys were appointed to leadership roles across various aspects of the national prescription opiates litigation, demonstrating their influence and expertise throughout the case.

• Co-Lead of the Distributor and Dispensing Case: LP Attorney Peter Mougey
• Lead Counsel for Walgreens: LP Attorney Peter Mougey and LP Attorney Jeff Gaddy
• ARCOS and Data Management: LP Attorney Peter Mougey and LP Attorney Page Poerschke
• Co-Lead and Member of Law and Briefing: LP Attorney Laura Dunning and LP Attorney Page Poerschke

Life-Changing Outcomes

LP’s advocacy for over 700 local government clients was pivotal in driving the national opioid litigation forward. In this landmark case, local governments took the lead, ensuring their communities were not overlooked and securing vital treatment resources. Unlike other national litigations where cities and counties often fall behind, local leadership was key to making a real difference in the fight against the opioid crisis.

Mougey, along with fellow members of the PEC’s Negotiation Committee, led the charge in securing the settlement on behalf of more than 35 states and their communities involved in the federal opioid litigation.

A coalition of law firms across the country spearheaded the national prescription opiates addiction litigation. The total national settlement value in the national prescription opiates litigation approaches $60 billion, with funds already beginning their flow into communities. These funds are earmarked for combating the opioid crisis through treatment, education, and prevention efforts.

Links to Additional LP News on Opiates MDL

Mougey’s years of dedication have been instrumental in achieving the tremendous outcomes that today are making headlines across the country as settlement funds make their way to U.S. cities, counties, and states.The following links connect to news stories over the years, reflecting LP’s drive to end the opioid crisis:

• 08/16/2024: Mississippi’s $370M Windfall: A Turning Point in the Opioid Battle
• 06/13/2023: $500 Million Opioids Settlement Secured from Walgreens​
• 06/13/2023: National and State Opioid Settlements: Trailblazer Law Firm in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Tells Its Story  
• 09/08/2023: Kroger Will Pay $1.4 Billion to Resolve its Opioid Cases
• 10/29/2022: Judge Breyer’s Historic Judgment Against Walgreens Concluded Evidence was “Devastating”
• 11/02/2022: CVS agrees to $5 billion settlement to resolve opioid cases – The Washington Post
• 11/02/2022: CVS, Walgreens announce $10B opioid settlement – CBS News
• 08/10/2022: Walgreens helped fuel San Francisco’s opioid crisis, judge rules – The Washington Post
• 07/26/2022: Teva to pay over $4 billion to communities in pending nationwide opioid settlement (prnewswire.com)
• 03/03/2022: The Opioid Settlement: The Hardest-Hit Communities Might See Funds as Early as May – Red Lake Nation News
• 02/25/2022: Thousands of U.S. communities to receive opioid recovery funds from $26 billion global settlements as soon as May 2022
• 07/21/2021: State Attorneys General Reach A $26 Billion National Opioid Settlement