Ethan Greene 

Managing Partner

Ethan.Greene@rgtlegal.com

(202) 695-7798

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Mr. Greene, a founding partner of the firm, focuses on the resolution of mass tort and complex litigation. His experience includes serving as a court-appointed Special Master in federal and state courts, serving as an independent, third-party neutral selected by private parties, and representing individual clients as their counsel.
 
Mr. Greene has successfully negotiated, facilitated, and implemented settlements of pharmaceutical, medical device, and other product liability litigation through traditional resolution methods (such as settlements of individual cases through mediation) as well through innovative approaches to aggregate and class action settlements to resolve tens of thousands of cases.  He has regularly worked on complex medical and scientific aspects of cases, including identifying, retaining, and working with consulting and testifying medical experts, and deposing treating physicians and doctors serving as expert witnesses. 
 
Mr. Greene has experience developing methodologies to allocate aggregate settlement funds amongst participating claimants in a fair, efficient, and transparent manner.  He also has experience with many aspects of the claims administration process, including lien resolution and Medicare Secondary Payer Act compliance.

 

 

NOTABLE MATTERS

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• Court-appointed Master in Chancery by Judge Steve Thomas, Hardin County, Texas, 356th Judicial District, to allocate aggregate settlement among plaintiffs participating in private settlement agreement regarding personal injury and wrongful death claims in the GM Ignition Switch Litigation.

• Private third-party neutral to allocate aggregate settlements among plaintiffs participating in private settlement agreements regarding personal injury and wrongful death claims in the GM Ignition Switch Litigation.

• Appointed by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia as Special Master for settlement in multi-district product liability litigation against Neomedic by plaintiffs alleging personal injury from Neomedic pelvic mesh implants.

• Assists Special Master Ellen Reisman in In re: Proton Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2789.

• Represented Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and American Medical Systems, Inc. in settlement of pelvic mesh product liability actions in multi-district litigation in federal district court and developed processes to administer aggregate settlements efficiently.

• Represented BP in negotiating the Deepwater Horizon Medical Benefits Class Action Settlement.

• Represented Wyeth (formerly American Home Products Corporation) in the diet drug (“fen phen”) litigation. Mr. Greene defended Wyeth and coordinated expert discovery in individual lawsuits. In addition, he was one of the lead negotiators for Wyeth in the Diet Drug “Global Settlement Process,” resolving over 60,000 opt-out cases.

• Counseled major pharmaceutical manufacturers on assessing and managing litigation risk from product liability claims prior to the initiation of litigation.

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PRESENTATIONS AND ARTICLES 

 

• Panel, “Early Exchange of Information: What Works for Both Sides”, Epiq: Mass and Class Conference, March 2024  

• Panel, "Class Action and Mass Tort Settlements - Always Be Closing", Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts Conference, March 2023

• Panel, "Mass Tort Settlement Models", Mass Torts Made Perfect, October 2022

• Panel, “Resolution Models in Toxic Torts”, Masters of Mass Tort Conference, September 2022

• Panel, “Rule 23 Changes and Impact on Class Settlements,” Harris Martin MDL Conference, January 2019

• Panel, “Public Policy Impact of Remedies in Class Action and Mass Action Cases,” Beard Group, Class Action Money and Ethics Conference, May 2018

• Panel, “Alternative Dispute Resolution to Mass Claims,” Beard Group, Class Action Money and Ethics Conference, May 2017

• Ellen K. Reisman and Ethan P. Greene, “Ethical Issues in Class Action Settlements”, DRI Class Action Seminar, July 2011

• Ellen K. Reisman and Ethan P. Greene, “Ethical Limitations on Attempting to Prevent or Restrict an Attorney from Bringing Future Claims as Part of a Settlement Agreement”, DRI Drug and Medical Device Conference, April 2008

EDUCATION AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE  

• B.A. 1999 University of California, Los Angeles, magna cum laude 

• J.D. 2004, University of Virginia School of Law

• Associate, Arnold & Porter LLP, 2004-2015 (Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, CA)

BAR ADMISSIONS  

Mr. Greene is admitted to the bars of California and the District of Columbia.