Geoffrey M. Coan

Geoff Coan focuses his practice on products liability litigation, concentrating on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. As national counsel for several pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, Geoff's practice ranges from single-plaintiff cases to state court-coordinated proceedings, multidistrict litigation, and class actions. Current and past cases include litigating matters involving generic pharmaceutical products for pain relief, cancer treatment, hypertension, and gastric reflux, and a wide range of medical devices, including pain pumps, spinal fixation devices, hip implants, and insulin delivery systems.

Geoff joined Hinshaw in 2010. He began his legal career in 1992 in the United States Navy, Judge Advocate General's Corp., retiring from the Navy in 2022 after 30 years of combined active duty and reserve service.

• Council on Litigation Management
• Claims College, School of Litigation Management, Faculty
• Product Liability Committee
• Defense Research Institute
• International Association of Defense Counsel
• JAGC Reserve Officer Association
• Rabiej Litigation Law Center

• AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability
• Berkley Life Sciences Elite Defense Counsel
• MEDMARC Attorney of the Year, 2012 and 2008
• MEDMARC Attorney Honor Roll, 2009 – 2011, 2006 – 2007
• Recognized on the list of Rising Stars by New England Super Lawyers magazine, 2005
• The 'Biggest' Defense Wins of 2004, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, June, 2005

Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Multidistrict Litigation (AFFF MDL)

• Actively serving as national counsel for a manufacturer of specialized coated and laminated protective barriers in multidistrict litigation alleging perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) injuries arising from firefighting equipment.

Pharmaceutical Litigation

• Actively serving as national counsel and member of the Defense Leadership Team for a pharmaceutical manufacturer in multidistrict and coordinated state court actions involving prescription chemotherapy medication alleged to cause permanent hair loss and ocular injuries.
• Actively serving as national counsel for pharmaceutical finished dose manufacturer and a re-packager in multidistrict and coordinated state court actions involving blood pressure medications (valsartan, irbesartan, and losartan) alleged to cause cancer.
• Actively serving as counsel for several universities in NCAA Football multidistrict litigation with class-action claims involving allegations of knowingly concealing the dangers associated with concussions.
• Served as national counsel for a pharmaceutical generic drug manufacturer in coordinated state court actions involving allegations that a dopamine receptor antagonist used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms (metoclopramide) caused neuromuscular disorders.
• Served as national coordinating counsel for a pharmaceutical company in multidistrict litigation arising out of the use of contaminated heparin.
• Successfully defended a pharmaceutical company in a class action arising out of prescription flea and tick powder.
• Served as national coordinating counsel for a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in litigation arising out of a professionally labeled OTC product.

Medical Device Litigation

• Served as counsel for a manufacturer of modular hip systems in several coordinated state court cases alleging product defects and failure to warn.
• National coordinating counsel for a medical device company in multidistrict litigation arising out of the use of a tubeless insulin pump for the delivery of subcutaneous drug therapy.
• Served as local counsel for the New England Compounding Center’s (NECC) national meningitis litigation (Multi-District Litigation – United States District Court for Massachusetts).
• Successfully defended a distributor of an orthopedic product focused in the small bone and joint market in litigation arising from the implantation of joint spacers.
• Served as national counsel and provided risk management services for an orthopedic and spine medical device manufacturer in products liability actions involving various products.
• Served as national coordinating counsel for a medical device company in mass tort litigation arising out of using a pain pump to deliver medication to the shoulder following arthroscopic surgery.
• Successfully defended a leading manufacturer of plastic baby bottles in a class-action lawsuit involving allegations of injuries resulting from the ingestion of Bisphenol-A.

Geoff presents on litigation topics, including pharmaceutical and medical devices and risk management. As faculty at the Council on Litigation Management, Claims College, School of Litigation Management, he teaches introductory courses on litigation.