Amy Laurendeau, Managing Partner of O’Melveny’s Newport Beach office, has extensive experience defending class and mass tort actions. She routinely defends pharmaceutical and medical device companies in multi-district litigation and other coordinated proceedings and in high-stakes trials and appeals. She has defended class actions involving prescription and over-the-counter medicines, cosmetics, electronics, automobiles, pet food, and insurance, to name a few.
In addition to her mass tort and class action work, Amy has represented clients across varied industries in complex business litigation matters, ranging from contract disputes, to trade secret violations, to insurance coverage and bad faith claims.
Amy also dedicates significant time to pro bono work, including political asylum and civil rights matters.
- Defending major pharmaceutical manufacturer in nationwide litigation brought by states, municipalities and other entities involving opioid medicines.
- Trial counsel for pharmaceutical defendant in California opioid trial, involving claims by municipalities seeking more than US$50 billion and resulting in complete defense victory. Courtroom View Network named the win #1 on its "Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts of 2021" and AmLaw reported "Defense wins just don't get much bigger."
- Trial counsel for major pharmaceutical company in re-trial of personal injury claim that in original trial resulted in US$48 million plaintiff’s verdict. Obtained dismissal just prior to commencement of re-trial.
- Won summary judgment for Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca, against claims brought by hundreds of plaintiffs in personal injury cases involving Byetta®, an injectable medication for type-2 diabetes, in a federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL) and California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding (JCCP).
- Trial counsel for major pharmaceutical company in California JCCP involving more than 10,000 personal injury claims. Obtained complete defense jury verdict in first (and only, to date) California bellwether trial.
- Representing major insurance company in putative nationwide class action litigation involving business interruption claims from COVID-19, major auto manufacturer in class action litigation alleging product defect and warranty claims, and major consumer products company in class action litigation alleging false advertising of pet foods.
- Obtained dismissal on the pleadings of putative class action challenging insurance broker’s monthly administrative fee.
- Represented medical device manufacturer in appeal from adverse judgment. Obtained US$50 million reduction in punitive damages award on appeal.
- Represented major manufacturer of sun care products in class action litigation in California, Florida and New Jersey alleging improper risk and efficacy disclosure and seeking economic damages. Obtained orders dismissing California state court class actions and significantly narrowing Florida federal court class actions on preemption grounds. Won summary judgment in one Florida class action and defeated class certification in another.
- Defended product liability litigation over alleged side-effects from over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription pain patches.
- Represented major pharmaceutical company in a successful three-week trial in federal court involving misappropriation of trade secrets by a competitor. Part of trial team that obtained a “head start” injunction barring the competitor from introducing its competing product for a year and requiring the return or destruction of trade secret materials.
- Represented Merck in nationwide product liability litigation over Vioxx®. Integrally involved in Merck v. Garza appeal, in which the Texas Supreme Court established a new standard for the sufficiency of epidemiological general causation evidence.
- Defended subsidiary of a major insurance company in a US$30 million bad faith jury trial, which settled three weeks into trial when plaintiffs accepted a standing settlement offer.
- Defeated class certification in personal injury and economic harm case involving prescription pain medication recalled due to an alleged manufacturing defect.
- Advise clients in various industries regarding product recalls, scientific developments and regulatory compliance.
- Argued motions and appeals and tried cases in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
Education
- University of Michigan, J.D., 1998: cum laude
- University of Toledo, B.A., English, 1995
Honors & Awards
- Named to Daily Journal's list of “Top Women Lawyers” (2023)
- Awarded Warren Christopher Values Award, an honor bestowed on those who exemplify the Firm’s legacy of excellence, leadership and citizenship (2019)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Automotive/Transport (2023)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Consumer Products (Including Tobacco) (2017, 2023)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (2023)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Toxic Tort (2023)
- National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) Faculty Member (2017)
- Named a “Rising Star” in General Litigation in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in Los Angeles magazine and the Southern California edition of Super Lawyers (2009, 2010, 2011)
Professional Activities
Amy is an established leader in the Orange County legal community. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL). She is Past President of the Federal Bar Association, Orange County Chapter, having served as President for the 2017 - 2018 term.
She served for several years as a Board Member for the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Orange County and on the Orange County Bar Association’s Judiciary Committee, responsible for evaluating judicial candidates.
Amy was an Inaugural Emerging Leader for Emory Law's Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims.
Amy also holds several leadership positions within O’Melveny, including heading the Newport Beach office, and serving as the Firmwide Talent Development Partner and on the Partner Compensation Committee.
Speaking Engagements and Publications
- Panelist, Mass Torts Made Perfect (April 2019)
- “The Federal Courts: The Latest on Lexicon,” Emory Law Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, State-Federal Coordination Conference (March 2019; conference Co-Chair)
- “Settlement Strategies,” Emory Law Institute for Complex Litigation and Mass Claims, FJC/JPML Conference (December 2016)
- Moderator: “Complex Case Management,” Los Angeles County Bar Association Complex Courts Symposium (November 2016)
- “The Importance of Ascertainability in Consumer Products Class Actions,” Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report (Fall 2016)
- “Article III Standing and Class Certification After Spokeo,” Strafford CLE (July 2016)
- “Pharmaceuticals: Federally Approved Labels and Preemption,” George Mason University Law School Judicial Symposium on Civil Justice Issues (May 2016)
- “Developments in Ethics,” O’Melveny & Myers CLE Marathon (December 2015; January 2013)
- “Preemption in Class Actions,” Bridgeport Consumer Class Actions Conference (January 2015)
- “Writing Skills, Tips & Tricks for Insurance Lawyers,” ExecSense (April 2010)
- “Bad Faith in Insurance Claims: Strategies for Prosecuting and Defending Against Claims of Insurer Misconduct,” Strafford CLE (July 2009; October 2008)
- Moderator: “Protective Orders, Discovery Motions, Settlement Conferences and the Magistrate Judge Pilot Program,” Federal Bar Association, Orange County Chapter (November 2007)