Richard “Rick”
Meadow
Rick Meadow, for 30+ years, has demonstrated and committed himself to true advocacy for the injured (and their families). As a highly skilled litigator, his peers laud his leadership and courtroom expertise, and attorneys against whom he battles equally respect Rick as a superlative opponent.
Rick has and continues to successfully battle for the rights and recovery of individuals injured by medical devices, pharmaceuticals, defective products, construction defects, lead poisoning, motor vehicle accidents, and negligent security/premises owners (both private entities and municipalities). In both State and Federal courts, Rick’s client-centric focus in personal injury, product defect, and medical malpractice matters differentiates him from the masses; Rick is a staunch warrior for his clients and has been instrumental in consumer-protection enhancements, which continue to benefit our society as a whole.
As a partner at The Lanier Firm, Rick has been a leader in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property disputes, and class action matters. In 2004, prior to relocating to the Houston office of The Lanier Firm, Rick opened, managed, and grew the New York office to a 3 floor, 17 attorney team.
Professional
Accolades & Media
National and International media recognize Rick Meadow as a vanguard in mass tort, class action, and complex litigation, and regularly consult him for related matters.
Rick has contributed to and appeared in the following media entities:
Rick is regularly appointed to leadership committees in complex litigation, mass tort and class action cases, and is frequently a featured presenter at national legal conferences.
In 2008, he was asked to testify before the United States Congress regarding his expertise on the Sunshine in Litigation Bill, which explored many issues germane to the legal and medical communities. He is also a distinguished member of The Sedona Conference.
Rick Meadow was selected by his peers in the elite America’s Top 100 Attorneys® and is an active member of The American College of Trial Lawyers.
Representative Cases
As a founding member of The Lanier Law Firm, Rick Meadow has been involved in numerous pharmaceutical cases against major drug manufacturers, including:
$17.4B
SETTLEMENT
Yaz® and Yasmin® Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation
Since 2008, Rick has served as co-lead counsel for plaintiffs in federal litigation involving Yaz® and Yasmin® birth control pills manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc., leading to a historic $1.74 billion settlement for women injured by this dangerous drug.
$4.69B
VERDICT
Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Liability Litigation
Rick has been a stalwart advocate for women injured by talc (and the families who have lost loved ones) since the emerging days of this colossal legal action.
In St. Louis, Missouri, in July of 2018, the $4.69 billion jury verdict achieved by The Lanier Firm supported the claims of 22 women that talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer.
$4.85B
SETTLEMENT
Vioxx® Products Liability Litigation
In 2010, Rick was instrumental in securing a $4.85 billion settlement from Merck Pharmaceuticals on behalf of plaintiffs who had suffered injuries as a result of taking Merck’s prescription drug Vioxx®.
The case was tried in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and resulted in one of the largest personal injury product liability settlements in U.S. history.
$894M
SETTLEMENT
Bextra and Celebrex Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation
In 2006, Rick was appointed by the U.S. District Court to serve as a member of the Committee of Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in Bextra and Celebrex Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation against Pfizer Pharmaceutical in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of San Francisco (MDL No. 1699).
The litigation involved claims that Pfizer engaged in fraudulent marketing practices by promoting Bextra for unapproved uses and concealing serious risks of heart attacks associated with Bextra and Celebrex use to increase sales. The case settled for $894 million in 2009.
$3.5B
SETTLEMENT
Avandia Marketing, Sales Practices & Products Liability Litigation
Rick was Co-Liaison Counsel for the MDL concerning Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate), a diabetes medication that was alleged to cause heart attacks, congestive heart failure, strokes and other serious cardiovascular events.
He achieved a $3.5 billion settlement with GlaxoSmithKline, one of the largest settlements of its kind in history.
Education, Admissions, and Certifications
Rick earned his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 1984 after completing his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University in 1981.
Rick Meadow is an erudite trial attorney licensed to practice in all state courts in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, and is admitted to practice in federal court and the Bar of the United States Supreme Court.
Personal Background
Born in New York and currently residing in Houston, Texas, Rick enjoys playing golf and watching his beloved New York Yankees. Above his love for golf and the Yankees is Rick’s love of his children and family.
Rick’s charitable spirit and generous heart encompass not only legal advocacy for those injured by the negligence of others; Rick Meadow is committed to philanthropy, as well. He is on the Board of Directors for Guatemala SANA – an organization that provides medical and educational necessities to Guatemalan children.