James C. Fitzpatrick
Bar Admissions
New York Florida
Education
New York University School of Law, J.D., cum laude Harvard University, B.A., magna cum laude
James C. Fitzpatrick is Co-Chair of Hughes Hubbard’s Product Liability practice group and a member of the firm’s Litigation department. His practice focuses on domestic and international pharmaceutical and product liability litigation as well as other types of complex commercial litigation.
Jim’s practice also includes the development and presentation of scientific issues at trial, in the media, and as part of Congressional and Department of Justice investigations. He has litigated securities and Employee Retirement Income Security Act matters in the pharmaceutical area, as well as product liability trials in the US and around the world. Chambers USA, The Legal 500, The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defence Lawyers, and a number of other publications have consistently recognized Jim as a top product liability lawyer. Chambers USA has ranked Jim in the nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts table for 17 consecutive years. Client commentary for 2025 included, “He is excellent with client service. He is responsive and anticipates what you need.”
Selected Matters
- Representation of Merck & Co. Inc. and Merck Animal Health in multiple product liability and commercial litigation matters
- Representation of Organon & Co., in multiple product liability litigations
- Representation of Pfizer in the defense of product liability matters involving Lipitor
- Representation of the trustee of Lehman Brothers Inc. in multiple litigations including arguments in the Bankruptcy Court, District Court, and Second Circuit Court of Appeals
- Representation of Lorillard Tobacco Co. in the defense of smoking-and-health litigation
- Representation of Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) in multiple litigations involving music license fees
Previous Experience
- Law clerk to Judge Hayden W. Head Jr., US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 1996 – 1997
Court Admissions
- United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits
- United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
News & Insights For James C. Fitzpatrick
View All News & InsightsNew York Law Journal Highlights the Successes and Strength of Hughes Hubbard’s Litigation Department
Following Hughes Hubbard’s recognition as a finalist for Litigation Department of the Year (General), the New York Law Journal published a spotlight on the firm’s litigation department and its recent successes.
Litigation Wrap: Fourth Quarter 2021
January 12, 2022 - Please click to download the PDF version of the Litigation Wrap: Fourth Quarter 2022. HHR Wins Groundbreaking Jury Verdict in Crypto Fraud Trial Dan Weiner, Marc Weinstein and Amina Hassan won a groundbreaking jury verdict for a former Wall Street executive...
Lehman Team to Distribute Final Payout of $269M to Unsecured Creditors; Offer Enhanced Recovery Option to Substantially All Unsecured Creditors
Hughes Hubbard’s Lehman team has received court approval to make an eighth and final incremental distribution to general unsecured creditors (GUCs) of the failed brokerage firm, bringing their total recovery to approximately 41.25 percent of what is owed. The team also received approval of a voluntary supplemental distribution available to substantially all of LBI’s GUCs.
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