Robb W. Patryk

Robb W. Patryk is a trial lawyer and a partner in the firm’s Litigation Department. He focuses on complex litigation and has deep experience in these substantive areas:

Product Liability & Toxic Torts:  Robb has been Co-Chair of the firm’s Product Liability & Toxic Tort Group since 1999.  He has over 30 years of experience in the national and international defense of numerous mass torts involving prescription drugs, medical devices, pesticides, asbestos, tobacco, dietary supplements, machinery, blood products, specialty chemicals, motor vehicles and petroleum products. Robb has significant knowledge in particular of the pharmaceutical, medical device, tobacco, and specialty chemical industries, and serves as a trusted advisor to companies in those arenas in navigating the legal and regulatory challenges presented.  His many significant matters include the defense of Merck & Co. Inc. in Vioxx and Vytorin litigation, the defense of an oil refiner in MTBE litigation, the defense of Ferro Corp. in multiple, alleged water contamination cases involving 1,4 dioxane, and multiple jury trials for Lorillard Tobacco Company.

Labor & Employment Law:  Robb is Chair of the Firm's Labor & Employment Practice and has defended an array of employment-related claims brought under Title VII, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the ADEA, Title IX, whistleblower statutes, wage & hour laws, and various state anti-discrimination statutes. He has also conducted internal investigations related to employment claims and has counseled clients on their employment practices and policies.

Class Actions: Robb has successfully defended, among others, several consumer fraud and securities class actions in some of the nation’s most plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions. 

Commercial Litigation: Robb has been lead counsel on a variety of complex commercial matters. He has litigated and arbitrated commercial claims on behalf of the world’s premier banks and pharmaceutical companies, among others, in actions ranging from breach of contract cases to the representation of a prominent French bank in connection with fraud and other claims against monoline insurers.

Media & Entertainment:  In addition, Robb is active in providing legal services to the music community, representing emerging and established composers, singer-songwriters and independent labels in connection with contractual, licensing and other matters. His recent representations include, among others, the late Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, the Estate of the renowned jazz musician Roy Hargrove, and Grammy-nominee Maysa Leak. 

Charitable & Pro Bono:  Robb also has a deep commitment to providing pro bono legal services and, among other endeavors, serves as the legal advisor to the Board of Directors of the Make the Grade Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization devoted to mentoring and supporting at-risk kids.

• Defense of L3 in air crash involving flight simulators
• Defense of leading U.S. pharmaceutical and biologic manufacturers in national and international product liability and commercial litigation involving prescription biologics, nonsteroidal pain medications, diet drugs, statins and other medications, including class actions, multi-district litigations, Congressional investigations, criminal proceedings, and shareholder derivative litigation
• Conducted an internal investigation for, and provide ongoing FDA regulatory and labeling advice to, a leading European pharmaceutical manufacturer with regard to a diabetes medication
• Provided FDA regulatory and labeling advice to a Japanese manufacturer of dental medical devices
• Defense of, as well as FDA regulatory advice to, a European manufacturer of hip implant medical devices
• Defense of Lorillard Tobacco Company and RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company in numerous smoking and health cases pending in Florida and New York
• National coordinating counsel for Chemical Specialties Inc. in defense of class actions and individual cases concerning wood treated with chromated copper arsenate
• Defense of Chrysler in over 70 product liability cases
• Defense of Experimental and Applied Sciences in dietary supplements cases
• Defense of Chemtall Inc. in a class action pending in West Virginia involving polyacrylamide
• Defense of New York Blood Center Inc. in blood and anti-hemophilic factor cases and in employment litigation
• Defense of Lockheed Martin Corp. in an action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York involving claims asserted under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII and the False Claims Act
• Defense of Royal Bank of Canada in a Title VII gender discrimination matter in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
• Defense of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP against negligence and securities law claims in New York state and federal courts
• Defense of witnesses from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in an investigation conducted by the New York Stock Exchange