Biography
Most recently, Ms. Brown served as trial counsel in a high-profile antitrust case brought by the Federal Trade Commission to block a multi-billion dollar merger between two national office supply companies. In addition to her active role in discovery, Ms. Brown’s trial role included conducting the cross examinations of several of the government’s key customer and competitor witnesses.
Ms. Brown currently serves as trial counsel for a Spanish energy company in a billion-dollar complex commercial dispute concerning pollution of the Passaic River in New Jersey. She successfully argued a summary judgment motion on an alter ego theory of liability, leading to the dismissal of all claims against her client, and is now pursuing a counterclaim under the New Jersey Spill Act on behalf of the same client.
Ms. Brown has extensive experience representing clients involved in the transportation of crude oil by rail, including both railcar lessors and crude oil shippers. She was involved in an international mass tort arising from a major train derailment in Lac Megantic, Quebec, which involved complex bankruptcy and contractual indemnification issues. She is currently serving as trial counsel in a multi-million dollar breach of contract case for a leasing company involving corrosion damage to over one thousand tank cars.
Additionally, over the last several years, Ms. Brown has been a senior member of multiple trial teams for a number of different pharmaceutical companies in product liability litigations, including Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. She has served as trial counsel, argued pre-trial motions, coordinated trial strategy and scientific theories, performed pre-trial briefing, developed and prepared numerous scientific and medical expert witnesses, and taken over one hundred depositions of plaintiffs, prescribing physicians and treating specialists.
Ms. Brown played an integral role on the trial team that that secured a defense verdict for Philip Morris USA, Inc., in a case brought by 37 St. Louis hospitals against six tobacco companies, claiming more than $455 million dollars in economic damages. Ms. Brown regularly argued evidentiary matters throughout the four-month trial and prepared key aspects of the defense case against the individual hospital witnesses. She continues to perform various different trial roles on behalf of Philip Morris.
In 2017, Allison Brown was recognized by Legal 500 as a recommended lawyer in two product-related areas: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices – Defense and Toxic Tort – Defense.
Ms. Brown has an active pro bono practice. She regularly appears in Philadelphia Family Court on behalf of the Support Center for Child Advocates, as a court-appointed attorney for dependent children. She also recently secured a six-figure settlement for a Riker’s Island inmate, alleging physical injuries, as well as a violation of his religious rights.