Boies Schiller Flexner LLP announced today that John Lyons has joined the firm as a partner in its New York City office. John will focus his practice on the defense of companies against class actions and individual claims in state and federal court, as well as complex litigation outside the United States.
John brings significant trial experience to Boies Schiller, having been a member of approximately 30 trial teams. He helps corporations across a broad range of industries defend against significant products liability claims and complex class actions, as well as antitrust and regulatory matters. John has substantial experience briefing and arguing constitutional questions; punitive damages issues; jury instructions; and other complex, often unsettled legal issues.
“As a litigation-focused firm, Boies Schiller is agile enough to maintain a strong entrepreneurial culture, while still having a sizeable international capability that will help me grow my practice,” John said. “I’ve worked with Boies Schiller in the past, so I’m very familiar with their approach to litigation. BSF attorneys are smart, creative, and exceptional at handling any aspect of a trial or appeal; I am thrilled to be joining them.”
John has represented manufacturers of nearly all types of products, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products, prescription pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and other consumer products. He frequently serves as legal issues counsel at trial and has primary responsibility for all aspects of legal issues development and appellate preservation. Internationally, John has led a variety of large litigation teams, handling class and collective actions across multiple jurisdictions. He often collaborates with counsel around the world to defend against novel claims, including in Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe.
“John is a strong addition to the Firm. He has been involved in numerous trials, has personal experience with the firm from having worked on matters with some of our attorneys, and the drive to build out his practice as part of the BSF platform,” said Chairman-elect Matthew L. Schwartz. “I anticipate that John will help us grow both our products liability practice in the U.S. and our complex international litigation work abroad.”
Attorneys in Boies Schiller’s products liability practice have represented pharmaceutical companies, developers of medical devices, and manufacturers of consumer goods and industrial products. We have successfully tried to verdict high-profile, high-stakes matters involving complex medical, scientific, engineering, agricultural, and environmental issues on behalf of clients — working as counsel for plaintiffs and defendants.
“Several of our Miami-based attorneys have had the pleasure of working with John on cases, including at trial,” said James Lee, Miami office administrative partner and co-head of the class actions practice. “We’ve seen firsthand how valuable his skillset is to clients facing difficult claims and subsequent appeals. He’s an excellent addition to our team, and I am looking forward to working with him again, though as BSF colleagues this time.”
John is active in pro bono matters, having worked on cases with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and the New York Legal Aid Society. Most recently, he was part of the team that secured a ruling vacating the convictions of three men wrongfully convicted of murder.