David R. Buchanan focuses his practice on complex individual and class action litigation involving pharmaceutical injury, securities and investment fraud, consumer protection, and pension litigation.
Dave has spearheaded litigation on behalf of injured victims of the anti-acne drug Accutane. As co-lead counsel for four consecutive trials, Dave brought each case to a resounding victory – winning $2.6 million for a young man in 2007, $10.6 million for a young woman in 2008, $13.5 million for three young victims in 2008, and $25.16 million in a retrial of the 2007 case in 2010.
Dave served as Liaison Counsel for the closely watched New Jersey Vioxx Litigation, which involved approximately 16,000 individual cases, and settled in November 2007 for a landmark $4.85 billion. He currently acts as Liaison Counsel in the Gadolinium Contrast Dyes litigation, in conjunction with fellow partner Christopher Seeger, in the Accutane litigation, and Aredia and Zometa litigation. As Liaison Counsel, Dave facilitates communication between the plaintiffs’ counsel, defense counsel and the respective courts.
Dave's diverse practice includes lead or co-lead counsel positions in high profile litigation, including nationwide or statewide pharmaceutical class actions and mass torts against drug manufacturers, frequently serving on the discovery, expert, executive or administrative committees. In these roles, he is involved in every facet of these complex cases, from pre-litigation strategy through trial and appeal-frequently on behalf of thousands of plaintiffs.
Before joining Seeger Weiss, Dave practiced with a major Wall Street law firm where he worked on complex commercial matters, including corporate change of control and securities litigation. At Seeger Weiss, Dave has earned prominent leadership and steering committee positions in several landmark securities litigation matters. He also represents aggrieved individual investors and groups of investors in arbitration proceedings and litigation against public companies and brokerage firms for losses arising out of the deceptive marketing and sale of securities.
Recognized as an expert in the discovery and preservation of electronic information, Dave has extensive experience with matters pertaining to the discovery of email, corporate databases, and other forms of electronic information. He has served as a consultant in this capacity for many other law firms. He is frequently invited to lecture to judges and other attorneys on federal rules and discovery issues, as well as mass tort strategies.
David R. Buchanan focuses his practice on complex individual and class action litigation involving pharmaceutical injury, securities and investment fraud, consumer protection, and pension litigation.
Frequently lauded by his peers and the press, Dave has spearheaded litigation on behalf of injured victims of the anti-acne drug Accutane. As co-lead counsel for four consecutive trials, Dave brought each case to a resounding victory – winning $2.6 million for a young man in 2007, $10.6 million for a young woman in 2008, $23.5 million for four young victims in 2009, and $25.16 million in an appeal of the 2007 case in 2010.
Dave served as Liaison Counsel for the closely watched New Jersey Vioxx Litigation, which involved approximately 16,000 individual cases, and settled in November 2007 for a landmark $4.85 billion. He currently acts as Liaison Counsel in the Gadolinium Contrast Dyes litigation, in conjunction with fellow partner Christopher Seeger, and in the Aredia and Zometa litigation. As Liaison Counsel, Dave facilitates communication between the plaintiffs’ counsel, and the courts and judges.
Dave's diverse practice includes lead or co-lead counsel positions in high profile litigation, including nationwide or statewide pharmaceutical class actions and mass torts against drug manufacturers, frequently serving on the discovery, expert, executive or administrative committees. In these roles, he is involved in every facet of these complex cases, from pre-litigation strategy through trial and appeal-frequently on behalf of thousands of plaintiffs.
Before joining Seeger Weiss, Dave practiced with a major Wall Street law firm where he worked on complex commercial matters, including corporate change of control and securities litigation. At Seeger Weiss, Dave has earned prominent leadership and steering committee positions in several landmark securities litigation matters; he represents aggrieved individual investors and groups of investors in arbitration proceedings and litigation against public companies and brokerage firms for losses arising out of the deceptive marketing and sale of securities.
Recognized as an expert in the discovery and preservation of electronic information, Dave has extensive experience with matters pertaining to the discovery of email, corporate databases, and other forms of electronic information. He has served as a consultant in this capacity for many other law firms. He is frequently invited to lecture to judges and other attorneys on federal rules and discovery issues, as well as mass tort strategies.
Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Dave attended the University of Delaware where, in addition to majoring in Chemistry and Biology, he was a standout for the school's football team. A three-year starter for the Fightin' Blue Hens and offensive MVP his senior year, Dave received both regional and national accolades for his football and academic achievements. While he credits his rigorous athletic and competitive training for the discipline, focus, and teamwork necessary for the complex cases Dave brings to trial, his undergraduate and graduate study is an ever present asset in the science-focused cases in which he focuses. Dave's experience includes the following pharmaceutical, consumer and securities matters:
Pharmaceutical
- As trial co-counsel, obtained a $2.67 million verdict against Hoffmann-La Roche on behalf of consumers who suffered severe side effects after using the acne medication Accutane. Additionally served on the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee.
- Currently serves as Plaintiff's Co-Liaison Counsel in the New Jersey state mass tort proceedings concerning Vioxx, which involves approximately 16,000 individual cases, and is Co-Chair of the Discovery Committee in the federal Vioxx Multi-District Litigation (MDL) which involves approximately 27,000 separate cases against Merck & Co.
- Current representation of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local #68 Welfare Fund and other similarly-situated third-party payors in their suit against Merck to recover money that they paid for Vioxx prescriptions. Argued before the trial court to certify the nationwide class.
- Representation of Frederick "Mike" Humeston and his wife Mary in a Vioxx related personal injury lawsuit in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which began in September 2005 and received national attention, and resulted in a 2007 jury verdict of compensatory and punitive damages against Merck & Co. in the amount of $47.5 million. Successfully argued the motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence that Mr. Humeston, an ex-marine and twice-decorated Vietnam veteran, had suffered a heart attack after using Vioxx for a short period of time. Originally, in October 2005 the jury sided with Merck but after the firm uncovered evidence that had been withheld, in August 2006 Judge Carol E. Higbee vacated Merck's jury win and granted Mr. Humeston a new trial.
- Membership on the Propulsid Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in both the federal MDL case pending in the Eastern District of Louisiana and the New Jersey state litigation in Middlesex County.
Consumer Class Actions
- Lead Counsel in the $47 million settlement on behalf of consumers against Apple Computer concerning its Apple iMac personal computer and defects in its software based DVD player.
- Currently serves as Co-Lead Counsel on behalf of consumers in a multistate class action against Panasonic for deceptively marketing and selling defective cordless phones.
- Counsel in consumer fraud actions against MCI for improper and unauthorized phone charges, resulting in $88 million settlement-the largest settlement of a consumer telecommunications claim to date.
- Co-Lead Counsel in actions nationwide claiming violations of consumer protection statutes and breach of warranty with regard to defective IBM hard drives. The matter resulted in a substantial eight-figure settlement for the class.
Securities Class Actions
- Lead counsel in a securities fraud class action in New Jersey against The MIIX Group, a New Jersey medical malpractice insurance carrier, and several of its former and current directors and officers, which settled after a protracted company bankruptcy.
Individual Representations
- Represents individual investors against their brokerage firms in stock arbitrations and securities suits.
- Following rounds of successful motion practice in the NY Supreme Court, successfully settled a case for an individual against Salomon Smith Barney concerning the investment advice rendered by its lead analysts about Worldcom stock.
