Leslie J. Bryan

COUNSEL
Direct Line: 404-400-3338
leslie.bryan@lawrencebundy.com
  • OVERVIEW
  • EXPERIENCE
  • CONTRIBUTIONS
  • COMMUNITY
<
>
Leslie J. Bryan joined the firm after a long tenure practicing at the nationally respected firm, Doffermyre Shields Canfield & Knowles, LLP. Leslie is a trial lawyer. Her experience includes litigation ranging from the historic federal multidistrict breast implant litigation to the current Florida state court tobacco litigation.

She has been involved at all levels of the litigation – from pretrial proceedings to electronic discovery, expert witness depositions and Daubert-based challenges, through numerous trials. Leslie possesses an intimate understanding of the demands of complex litigation.
  • January 2010 – Brown v. NL Industries –Plaintiffs’ verdict, Circuit Court of Wayne County (Michigan) (second chair)

  • August 2010 – Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds – mistrial, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • September 2010 – Warrick v. R.J. Reynolds – defense verdict, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • January 2011 – Brown v. Philip Morris, continued at the time of jury selection, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • November 2011 – Sury v. R.J. Reynolds, Plaintiff’s verdict ($1,000,000), Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (second chair)

  • June 2012 – Brown v. Philip Morris (retrial) – mistrial following disqualification of trial judge, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • September 2013 – Brown v. Philip Morris (retrial) – Partial Plaintiff’s verdict, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • March 2014 – Clayton v. R.J. Reynolds – Plaintiff’s verdict ($600,000 before the application of comparative fault), Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (second chair)

  • September 2014 – Ellis v. R.J. Reynolds – defense verdict, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (second chair)

  • April 2015 – Brown v. Philip Morris (retrial) – Plaintiff’s verdict ($6,375,000), Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • July 2015 – Jordan v. Philip Morris – Plaintiff’s verdict ($11,000,000 including $3,000,000 in punitive damages), Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • March 2016 – Gamble v. R.J. Reynolds – defense verdict, Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County (Florida) (trial team)

  • May 2016 – Faricy v. R.J. Reynolds – mistrial during jury selection, Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Alachua County (Florida) (trial team)

  • November 2016 – Dubinsky v. Philip Morris – defense verdict, Circuit Court for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Brevard County (Florida) (second chair)

Significant Representation and Reported Decisions

  • In re Dow Corning Corp., pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel

  • In re Silicone Gel Breast Implants Products Liability Litigation (MDL-926), pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Plaintiffs’ Representative on the Quality Assurance Committee

  • Altrichter v. INAMED Corp., pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Settlement Class Counsel

  • Butler v. Mentor Corp., pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Settlement Class Counsel

  • Rogers v. State, 282 Ga. 659 (2007)

  • Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. Gault, 280 Ga. 420 (2006) (argued)

  • Altrichter v. INAMED Corp., 2006 WL 263669 (11th Cir. Feb. 2, 2006) (argued)

  • Kennedy v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., 348 F.3d 1073 (8th Cir. 2003)

  • Toole v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., 235 F.3d 1207 (11th Cir. 2000)

  • Allison v. McGhan Medical Corp., 184 F.3d 1200 (11th Cir. 1999)
 
Leslie Bryan and Lovita Tandy, Litigating Proportionality Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(1), American Bar Association, February 2023

Robert E. Shields and Leslie J. Bryan, Georgia’s New Expert Witness Rule: Daubert & More, 11 Ga.Bar J. (2) 17 (2005)

Leslie J. Bryan and Robert Shields, Expert Opinion Evidence Under O.C.G.A. § 24-9-67 and § 24-9-67.1, 29 Verdict (5) 12 (2005)

Leslie J. Bryan, Expert Witnessing and Scientific Testimony: Surviving in the Courtroom by Kenneth S. Cohen, 44 Trial 6 (65) (2008) (book review)

Leslie J. Bryan and Lyle Griffin Warshauer, Now that Georgia is a “Daubert State” . . . Some Practical Suggestions, Verdict (Spring 2009)

Leslie J. Bryan and Kimberly J. Johnson, Ed., The Economy and the Plaintiff’s Lawyer, A Roundtable Discussion, Verdict (Summer 2009)
(Leslie J. Bryan and Kimberly J. Johnson, Ed.)

Leslie J. Bryan, What’s New: Fed.R.Civ.P. 26 Amendment, Verdict (Winter 2011)

Professional Memberships and Honors
American Bar Association; American Association for Justice (Education Chair – Expert Witness Litigation Group 2006-2007; Chair – Expert Witness Litigation Group 2007-2010); Lawyers Club of Atlanta (2011); Georgia Trial Lawyers Association – 2008 Vice President, Editorial Board, The Verdict; Best Lawyers 2012-2017; Super Lawyers 2004, 2012-2017; Best Lawyers (Women in Law) 2016 (Mass Tort Litigation; Personal Injury Litigation; Product Liability Litigation)

Professional Committees
State Bar of Georgia Evidence Committee (Appointed 2010)
State Bar of Georgia – Task Force on Discovery of Electronically Stored Information (Appointed 2012) (Chair 2015-2016)
Trustee, Common Benefit Trust created as part of MDL-926 (2016 – Present); Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel for Dow Corning Litigation Facility (2005 – Present)

Civic Involvement
Former – Member, City of Atlanta Zoning Review Board; Board of Trustees The Children’s School; Morningside Lenox Park Association Board (President 2009-2011)
Current – Atlanta Girls’ School (Board of Trustees 2011 – present) (Board Chair 2014 – 2017)
PRACTICE AREAS
Business & Commercial Litigation

Political Law

Labor & Employment 

Class & Collective Actions 

Discrimination & Harassment Claims
EDUCATION
Emory University School of Law
J.D.

Georgia State University
M.S.

Hollins College
B.A.
BAR ADMISSIONS
Georgia
Florida
RECOGNITION
Best Lawyers®

Best Lawyers®
Lawyer of the Year

Super Lawyers