With over 35 years of litigation experience, Mr. Doran concentrates his practice in the defense of pharmaceutical, medical device, and other companies against product liability claims. He has served as National Settlement Counsel for Bayer in the PPA mass tort litigation, and he has acted or currently acts as Tennessee counsel and with various national roles for corporations involved in the asbestos, breast implant, latex glove, pedicle screw, DES, Fen-Phen, Baycol, PPA, Vioxx, Fosamax, Gadolinium, Trasylol, Ketek and ReNu litigation. His experience includes the representation of manufacturers, suppliers, and retail sellers of pharmaceuticals for treatment of a variety of conditions, ranging from acute pain to cancer. His medical device litigation experience includes the defense of claims involving products ranging from percutaneous gastrostomy catheters to prosthetics and various bone fixation devices. Mr. Doran is recognized in The Best Lawyers of America (Woodward White, Inc.) for his work in commercial litigation, mass tort litigation and product liability litigation.
Equally broad is Mr. Doran's experience defending product liability claims outside the medical field. He has represented companies involved in the manufacture of aircraft, electrical and electronic products, farm and lawn equipment, fire prevention systems, lift devices, presses and press brakes, insulation products, automobiles and automobile parts, and injection molding equipment.
Mr. Doran also has experience in professional liability, chemical injury, and commercial litigation. In addition to obtaining defense verdicts in malpractice suits filed against attorneys, dentists and oral surgeons, he has successfully defended chemical, herbicide and pesticide manufacturers, suppliers and applicators in a variety of chemical injury claims. Mr. Doran has represented national and international clients involved in commercial and contract disputes related to the automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, healthcare and real estate industries. His commercial litigation experience includes successfully arguing before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit a novel legal argument that a lessor was entitled to payment of rent in gold coin based upon the gold clause in a 1917 commercial lease whose terms were included in a 1990 assignment, resulting in excess of a 15-fold increase in annual rental payments over 25 years.
Clerkships and Previous Affiliations
· Partner, Manier, Herod, Hollabaugh & Smith, Nashville, Tennessee, 1970-1998
Professional Memberships & Activities
· Member, IADC, where he has served as:
- Member, Executive Committee
- Faculty Member and Director, IADC Trial Academy
- Chairman, Product Liability Committee
· Member, DRI, where he has served as:
- Member, Board of Directors
- Chair, Amicus Curiae Committee
· Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
· Emeritus Member, Harry Phillips American Inns of Court
· Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Past Chair, Tennessee State Committee
· Fellow, International Society of Barristers
· Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
· Member, Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association, where he has served as:
- Member, Board of Directors
- President
· Member, American, Tennessee, and Nashville Bar Associations, where he has served as:
- President, NBA
- Member, NBA Board of Directors
· Chair, Merit Selection Panel for United States Magistrate Judge
· Member, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Panel for the Middle District of Tennessee
· Member, International Academy of Trial Lawyers
· One of only two attorneys appointed to assist the Tennessee Judicial Conference in rewriting and updating the Tennessee Pattern Jury Instructions-Civil
Articles
12/29/2011, Recently Issued Opinions of Interest to Product Liability Lawyers from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, IADC
1/26/2011, Three Waller Lansden Attorneys Named "Lawyer of the Year" by The Best Lawyers in America 2011; 45 Attorneys Recognized in 30 Practice Areas
9/18/2008, Firm Ranked Number One for Health Care, Government Relations, Mass Tort Litigation, Bankruptcy, Antitrust and Tax Law in Nashville and Tennessee
3/14/2008, Waller Lansden News: Eighteen Waller Lansden Attorneys Recognized as "Leaders in their Field" in the 2008 edition of Chambers USA
9/11/2007, Waller Lansden News: Best Lawyers in America Honors 45 Waller Lansden Attorneys
7/18/2007, Thirteen Waller Lansden Attorneys Ranked as "Leaders in Their Field" by Chambers USA