Practice Expertise

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Litigation
  • Products Liability

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Litigation
  • Products Liability

Profile

Karl Seib is former Chair of the firm's Litigation department, as well as its Products Liability Practice group. The products group, founded more than 35 years ago, has experience in representing domestic and global clients in a broad array of matters at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Seib has served as national and New York state counsel defending suits involving prescription pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices, tires, cosmetics, consumer appliances and chemicals sold in bulk.

As national coordinating counsel, Mr. Seib has assigned and advised local counsel, standardizing defense strategies and supervising the discovery process necessary for an organized defense of class action and mass tort litigation. He has extensive trial and appellate experience and is nationally recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Products Liability, which notes “[t]he ‘bright and meticulous’  Karl Seib…'brings an intellectual touch to proceedings.’”

Representative Matters

Major Foreign Pharmaceutical Company
National counsel defending suits involving a prescription pharmaceutical drug throughout the United States. Application of the Hague Convention on Taking of Evidence Abroad in discovery.

Major Health Care Company
National counsel for a withdrawn medical device, and New York counsel for a variety of products cases involving both prescription pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices; trials here and in other states.

Major Pharmaceutical Company
National counsel in defending suits involving a dermatologic prescription product, and New York State counsel in other products cases, including trial of cases in New York and elsewhere and training and supervising of local counsel throughout the U.S.

Major Pharmaceutical Company
New York State counsel in defending hundreds of suits involving a gynecologic prescription product, and in other products cases, including trials, court-sponsored ADR, and coordination of local counsel.

Major Cosmetics Company
National counsel providing products liability advice and litigation coordination.

Major Clinical Testing Laboratory
New York State counsel in suits challenging drug tests or complaining of improper test results.

Major Tire Manufacturers
Advising and coordinating defense of suits in New York and elsewhere; advice regarding European products liability status.

Major Chemical Manufacturer
Defense of suits involving chemical sold in bulk.

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; Fifth Circuit; Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern; Eastern; Western; Northern Districts of New York
  • New York

Education

  • New York University School of Law (LL.M., 1978)
  • Rutgers University Law School (J.D., 1970)
  • Seton Hall University (B.A., 1965)

Areas of Practice

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Complex Commercial Actions
  • Litigation
  • Products Liability

Professional Career


Professional Activities and Experience

Recognized by Chambers USA in the area of Products Liability; Named in Super Lawyers in the area of Personal Injury Defense: Products; Member, American Bar Association; New York State Bar Association; Association of the Bar of the City of New York; American Law Institute (Member, Consultative Groups, Restatement of Torts, Third); Products Liability Advisory Council; Defense Research Institute; International Association of Defense Counsel




Blogs

Antitrust Update

Antitrust Update Blog is a source of insights, information and analysis on criminal and civil antitrust and competition-related issues. Patterson Belknap’s antitrust lawyers represent clients in antitrust litigation and counseling matters, including those related to pricing, marketing, distribution, franchising, and joint ventures and other strategic alliances. We have significant experience with government civil and criminal/cartel investigations, providing the unique perspectives of former...

Data Security Law Blog

DataSecurityLaw.com is the firm’s resource for the latest news, analysis, and thought leadership in the critical area of privacy and cybersecurity law. Patterson Belknap’s Privacy and Data Security practice provides public and private enterprises, their leadership teams and boards with comprehensive services in this critical area. Our team of experienced litigators, corporate advisors and former federal and state prosecutors advises on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters...

Misbranded

Misbranded is Patterson Belknap’s blog covering false advertising litigation—both consumer class actions and competitor suits—with a particular focus on FDA-regulated products (foods/beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and dietary supplements).

New York Commercial Division Decisions

The blog is a source for insights and developments related to practice in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. This blog reviews key developments in the Commercial Division, including important decisions handed down by the Commercial Division and appellate court decisions reviewing Commercial Division decisions. The blog also covers changes and proposed changes to Commercial Division rules and practice, including revisions to the rules since January 2015. The...

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