Fidelma Fitzpatrick, Jodi Westbrook Flowers featured as 2018 Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers
Motley Rice is proud to announce that attorneys Fidelma Fitzpatrick and Jodi Westbrook Flowers have been included in the 2018 issue of The National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers. In its second annual edition, the publication recognized 25 plaintiffs’ lawyers who have “shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” Fitzpatrick and Flowers were also two of seven women honored.
Fitzpatrick currently serves as co-lead counsel for litigation coordinated in California for 15,000 women who allege they sustained debilitating injuries caused by permanent contraceptive device Essure, in addition to representing women in transvaginal/pelvic mesh multidistrict litigation in West Virginia. She has also been at the forefront of litigation aimed at mitigating the harm caused by toxic lead pigment in California homes. In February, the Supreme Court of California upheld a series of lower court decisions that found three lead pigment companies created a public nuisance by promoting the use of toxic paint. An abatement funded by the companies will used to remove lead from pre-1951 constructed homes in plaintiffs’ jurisdictions.
Reflecting on her career, Fitzpatrick told Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers that open-mindedness is required in order to look creatively at new challenges posed by an evolving legal climate. “I’ve always enjoyed looking at situations others say can’t be done and finding a way. And we will need that attitude to solve the public health problems that people are facing,” she told the publication.
Recognized for her early work litigating against Big Tobacco in the 1990’s, Jodi Westbrook Flowers has since expanded her practice to include global human rights and anti-terrorism causes. She is co-lead counsel in litigation filed for more than 6,000 9/11 survivors and victims’ family members that strives to hold accountable the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and others suspected of financing terrorism. She also litigates consumer fraud and mass torts, including the BP Oil Spill, GM faulty ignition switch, the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” emissions fraud, and data privacy cases involving 21st Century Oncology and Facebook.
Flowers told Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers that she “always pondered the big questions and how to make a difference in the world. As soon as I decided to go to law school, I knew I wanted to do plaintiffs’ law.”
Each year, The National Law Journal features several Trailblazer issues and accepts nominees from readers for who they believe made an impact in their respective practice areas. The publication’s editor reviews the nominees and selects 20 to 25 nominees for each practice area. A profile for each honoree is included in The National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers.