Anne A. Gruner
Associate
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Phone: +1 215 979 1165
- Duane Morris LLP
30 South 17th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
USA
Anne A. Gruner represents major medical device and pharmaceutical industry clients in complex products liability, class action and multidistrict litigation disputes. She serves on national counsel teams representing global and Fortune 500 company clients in a variety of high-profile mass tort and regulatory matters. Her current work focuses on defense of medical device manufacturers in both single-plaintiff and coordinated settings, including on leadership counsel teams for multidistrict litigations.
Ms. Gruner handles cases in all phases of litigation and has experience in federal and state court motion practice, managing and steering comprehensive discovery strategies in individual and coordinated state and federal court matters, handling numerous party, fact and expert witness depositions, and working with consultants and experts to rebut technical theories of scientific and medical causation. Ms. Gruner has worked on multiple high-stakes trials involving misuse of a pharmaceutical product and has prepared various scientific experts for testimony in a federal jury trial involving claims related to alleged damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina. Appellate experience includes briefing and arguing two civil appeals in New York’s Second Department.
Ms. Gruner publishes regularly on products liability issues including federal preemption and other novel defense strategies. She serves on the Board of Directors for Turning Points for Children, one of the largest social services providers for children in Philadelphia, and is a Programming Chair for Duane Morris’ Women’s Impact Network for Success.
Admitted to practice in New York and Pennsylvania, Ms. Gruner is a 2009 cum laude graduate of Boston College Law School and a magna cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Areas of Practice
- Litigation
Representative Matters
Represented major dietary supplement company in numerous product liability cases, including first case alleging cancer due to ingestion of 30+ products over ten-year period, and assisted with favorable resolution.
Represented global pharmaceutical manufacturer in their largest single-plaintiff case involving alleged contamination of recalled product and claim of wrongful death.
Represented pharmaceutical company in multiple trials alleging misuse of anesthesia product, and coordinated expert causation theories and trial testimony.
Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Education
- Boston College Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2009
- Vanderbilt University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2005
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Associate, 2017-present - Dechert LLP
- Associate, 2016-2017 - Goodwin Procter LLP
- Associate, 2010-2016 - Brooklyn District Attorney's Office
- Special Assistant District Attorney, 2009-2010
Professional Activities
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
Honors and Awards
- Named to Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch," 2024 and 2025
- Recipient of the 2019 G. Duffield Smith Outstanding Publication Award, honoring the authors of the most outstanding defense related article published in For The Defense or In-House Defense Quarterly in the 2019 year
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "Blocking A Second Punitive Damages Award In Product Cases," Law360, December 1, 2022
- Co-author, "Lien In: How Third-Party Lien-Based Medical Funding May Impact Your Case," Rx for the Defense, Volume 28, Issue 2
- Co-author, "Why Reformers Want Disclosure Of 3rd-Party MDL Funding," Law360, January 13, 2020
Co-author, "The Hidden Preemption Defense: What You Should Know," DRI's For The Defense, March 2019 (Winner of the G. Duffield Smith Outstanding Publication Award, 2019)
Co-author, "Policing Bad Claims In Consolidated Litigation: Part 2," Law360, August 21, 2018
Co-author, "Policing Bad Claims In Consolidated Litigation: Part 1," Law360, August 21, 2018
Co-author, "Why Sales Rep Witness Tampering Accusations Matter," Law 360, January 4, 2018
Author, "Consulting Contracts Can Create California Connection," Law 360, November 17, 2017
- Co-author, "Deconstructing Food Labeling Consumer Class Actions," For the Defense, April 2013
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Presenter, “What Have Bristol-Meyers Squibb and Mallory Meant for Class Actions?” IADC 2024 Annual Meeting, July 6-11, 2024
- Co-presenter, "Personal Jurisdiction after Mallory," 2024 Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar, Philadelphia, March 21, 2024
- Speaker, 'Understanding When and How to Successfully Engage the FDA in Your Case," American Conference Institute 28th Annual Conference on Drug & Medical Device Litigation, New York City, December 5, 2023
- Presenter, "Lessons Learned from Recent Headlines and Court Rulings on Products Liability Cases Across Industries," Duane Morris COVID-19: Navigating Forward Webinar Series, April 22, 2021