Survivor Stories | Fighting the Talc War vs. Johnson & Johnson with Leigh O’Dell

<p>Leigh O’Dell serves as Co-Lead Plaintiff Counsel in MDL 2738 against Johnson & Johnson. The litigation centers on J&J’s marketing and distributing talcum powder and the powder’s link to the development of ovarian cancer in users. According to Beasley Allen, nearly 35,000 plaintiffs remain pending in the MDL and five plaintiff settlements totalling in $2.9 billion. Leigh also represents plaintiffs of litigations including transvaginal mesh, Gardasil, and Vioxx. </p> <p>Leigh works closely with the Emory University School of Law’s Institute for Complex Litigation, by co-chairing the Institute’s Bridge to Practice and Next Generation Programs, which help attorneys new to complex litigation better understand the principles and strategies of the practice. She also leads in a number of non-profit organizations, sitting on the Board of Directors for Children’s Hope Ministry, Telling the Truth Ministries, Joni and Friends, and the Jimmy Hitchcock Award.</p> <p>Outside of the courtroom, Leigh serves on the Executive Committee for the National Trial Lawyers Association and holds memberships with the Federal Court Practice Section, the Montgomery County Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Christian Legal Society, the Federal Bar Association, and Public Justice. Leigh also serves on the Transvaginal Mesh and Talcum Powder Litigation Groups within the American Association for Justice. </p> <p>Leigh received mention on Best Lawyers’ 2022 Women in the Law list for her work in Health Care, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions, and Personal Injury Litigation. She received mention the previous year on Best Lawyers 2021 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions list in the Plaintiffs category. Leigh also received selection for the National Trial Lawyers’ Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association Top 25 list, The National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Trial Lawyers list, and The Trial Lawyers’ RoundTable 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers list. Leigh has received mention on the Best Lawyers in America list since 2011