Lauren J. Elliot is a litigation partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of Gibson Dunn’s Life Sciences, Class Actions, Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment Practice Groups.

Ms. Elliot has extensive experience litigating complex, multi-party and multi-jurisdictional, high-profile mass torts, employment and commercial cases in trial and appellate courts around the country for companies in the pharmaceutical, technology, and professional services industries.   She has represented clients in matters involving antibiotics, consumer products, contraceptives, lead pigments, medical devices, multi-vitamins, NSAIDs, pesticides and vaccines.  She often assesses product liability risks in connection with planned corporate acquisitions on behalf of acquiring companies and has been advising clients on COVID-19 liability risks and workplace vaccination policies.  Ms. Elliot also defends labor and employment claims in class actions and individual lawsuits and in connection with government investigations.

Legal Media Group has named Ms. Elliot to its Expert Guides Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law for Product Liability five times.  She is a member of the Committee on Drugs and Medical Devices for the Defense Research Institute and served two terms as a member of the Product Liability Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Ms. Elliot graduated from Brown University in 1989 with honors (International Relations) and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 1993.  Ms. Elliot is admitted to practice in New York.

Representative Matters:

Pharmaceutical and Biotech Litigation

• Led product liability team in multi-year investigation for Board of Directors of pharmaceutical company, undertaken in response to shareholder demand after thousands of lawsuits were filed alleging that company’s product caused cancer. The investigation required analyzing scores of epidemiological and other scientific studies and six decades of internal documents and conducting dozens of fact and expert witness interviews, culminating in a 350-page report that was publicly filed.
• Represented European pharmaceutical company in dispute with its CMO over manufacturing facility’s FDA compliance which threatened ability to produce and supply the active pharmaceutical ingredient of pharmaceutical company’s orphan drug.
• Served as national trial and appellate counsel to pharmaceutical company in its successful defense of close to 400 product liability cases alleging that childhood vaccines caused autism.  Managed the large litigation team (including local counsel in dozens of states), argued motions in courts around the country, presented and cross-examined expert witnesses and led the company’s response to discovery.  Outside the courtroom, responded to the relentless and well-coordinated attacks by advocacy groups through the Internet and in the media.*
• Represented pharmaceutical company in its defense of all New York cases arising out of alleged injuries from overuse of NSAIDs.*
• Represented pharmaceutical company in its defense of all New York cases involving alleged injuries from use of a contraceptive implant.*
• Represented pharmaceutical company in cases involving alleged injuries from use of tetracycline antibiotics.*
• Represented pharmaceutical company in case alleging incorrect inventorship, copyright infringement, and common law torts, requiring two bench trials.*
• Represented biotechnology company in multiple cases involving patents for making genes that code for insect resistance and inserting genes into crops.*
• Advised pharmaceutical company in connection with dispute arising out of co-development and marketing agreements.*

Employment Litigation/Counseling

• Represents major technology company against individual and class claims alleging discrimination and retaliation.
• Represents major technology company in responding to government agency investigations of leave and accommodations policies and practices.
• Represents professional services firm in California and New York wage-and-hour class action lawsuits alleging violations of state labor laws and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Advised clients on implementation of workplace vaccination policies and COVID-19 liability risks for employers.

Software Implementation Litigation:

• Represented professional services firm against highly publicized fraud and breach of contract claims seeking hundreds of millions of dollars brought by the City of Los Angeles in connection with client’s implementation of a customer billing information system.  After our team uncovered criminal conduct, the City voluntarily dismissed its case with prejudice, the trial court awarded client $2.5 million in sanctions for discovery misconduct and City officials pleaded guilty to felonies.
• Represented information technology services company in a software implementation action in the Eastern District of New York, involving allegations of breach of contract, fraudulent inducement to enter into a contract, negligent misrepresentation, breach of warranty and violations of New York General Business Law, Section 349.

Other Litigation

Represented high net worth individual against allegations of fraudulent conveyance and preference payment claims.  Served as lead trial counsel in three-week Bankruptcy Court trial and secured dismissal of all claims.*

Publications, Speech Engagements & Programs

• Presenter, “COVID-19 Vaccines: Employer Strategies and Consideration,” Gibson Dunn webcast (February 10, 2021)
• Co-author, “An Employer Playbook for the COVID “Vaccine Wars”: Strategies and Considerations for Workplace Vaccination Policies,” PLA Article (February 4, 2021)
• Co-author, “New York State Businesses Must Adhere to Strict Compliance Requirements as they Reopen,” GDC Client Alert (June 18, 2020)
• Co-author, “Employer Liability and Defenses from Suit for COVID-19 Related Exposures in the Workplace,” GDC Client Alert (May 4, 2020)
• Lead author, “Food Litigation: The New Frontier,” New York Law Journal (GC Edition, July 8, 2010)
• Lead author, “No Small Matter: Indemnifying Prescribing Physicians and the Issues that Must be Considered,” DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar (May 2005)
• Guest Lecturer, Ethics: Discovery and Litigation, University of Chicago Law School (2008-2010)
• Speaker, “No Small Matter: Indemnifying Prescribing Physicians and the Issues that Must be Considered,” DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar (May 2005)

*Representations occurred prior to attorney’s association with Gibson Dunn.