Megan L. Odom

Megan is an associate at Ciresi Conlin. For the past several years, she has worked tirelessly on behalf of injured plaintiffs in MDL 2885: In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation—the largest MDL in American history—and MDL 2666: In re Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Devices Products Liability Litigation. Megan was integral to law and briefing efforts in both litigations, including choice of law, Daubert, summary judgment, motions in limine, post-trial motions, and appeals. In the 3M Combat Arms Earplug litigation, she drafted motions for summary judgment and argued directed verdict to defeat 3M’s key defenses, including the sophisticated intermediary doctrine, superseding cause, apportionment of fault, and statute of limitations. She also second-chaired five bellwether trials, helping prepare for direct and cross-examination of medical experts and fact witnesses, resulting in over $200 million in verdicts for injured veterans. She was recently selected to serve on the Law & Briefing Committee and Science & Expert Committee in MDL 3081: In re Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, she served as a law clerk to Judge Eric C. Tostrud of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, and Justices David R. Stras and Paul C. Thissen at the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Megan graduated valedictorian from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.  Her courses and firm experience focused on personal injury and mass tort litigation.  She also worked in a clinic with the Innocence Project of Minnesota, advocating for people who were wrongfully convicted.  Megan graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota, where she double-majored in Spanish and Sociology of Law.  She received the Best Undergraduate Paper Award for her thesis about jury instructions on eyewitness (mis)identification.

Admissions

• Minnesota

• U.S. District Court, Minnesota

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL 2885: Assisted the Law & Briefing Committee in all phases of litigation, from drafting the Master Complaint, to briefing cross-motions for summary judgment on 3M’s global preemption defense, to defending bellwether verdicts on appeal. Drafted choice-of-law, summary-judgment, and pre-trial motions, as well as several appellate briefs. The MDL recently settled for over $6 billion.

• Estes, Hacker, and Keefer v. 3M Co.: Assisted in summary-judgment, pre-trial, and post-trial briefing. Created directed verdict chart and supported trial team at 5-week trial, resulting in multi-million-dollar verdicts ($2.45 million, $2.26 million, and $2.42 million).
• Baker v. 3M Co.: Assisted in summary-judgment, pre-trial, and post-trial briefing. Second-chaired direct examination, directed verdict, and charge conference in trial resulting in $1.054 million verdict.
• Adkins v. 3M Co.: Assisted in summary-judgment, pre-trial, and post-trial briefing. Argued directed verdict and charge conference, prepared experts, and second-chaired direct and cross-examinations. Defended $8.2 million verdict as co-lead counsel on appeal.
• Sloan and Wayman v. 3M Co.: Assisted in summary-judgment, pre-trial, and post-trial briefing. Argued directed verdict and charge conference, prepared experts, managed deposition designations and exhibits, and second-chaired direct and cross-examinations in a trial resulting in a combined $110 million verdict.
• Beal v. 3M Co.: Assisted in summary-judgment, pre-trial, and post-trial briefing. Argued directed verdict and charge conference, prepared experts, managed deposition designations and exhibits, and second-chaired direct and cross-examinations in a trial resulting in a $77.5 million verdict.
• Aaby et al. v. 3M Co.: Represented MDL Plaintiffs as co-lead counsel in global interlocutory appeal regarding successor liability.
• Wilkerson v. 3M Co.: Defended $8 million verdict on appeal as co-lead appellate counsel.
• Vilsmeyer v. 3M Co.: Defended $50 million verdict on appeal as appellate counsel.

In re Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Devices Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL 2666: Supported Law & Briefing Committee in appellate briefing, which resulted in the reinstatement of nearly 6,000 cases and revived the MDL. The MDL is ongoing.

Named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America” for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs, Best Lawyers (2023, 2024)

Named a “Minnesota Rising Star,” Super Lawyers (2022)

Named to “Notable Emerging Stars in the Law,” Twin Cities Business (2022)

Named “Attorney of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer (2022 – Team Award, 2021 – Group Award)

• District of Minnesota, Federal Practice Committee (2023-present)
• Infinity Project, Board of Directors (2023-present), Co-Chair of Education Committee (2021-present)
• Federal Bar Association, Co-Chair of Bar Talk Committee (2021-2023); Affinity Bar Liaison (2023-present)
• Minnesota Association of Justice, Amicus Committee Member (2020-present)
• FBA Pro Se Project Volunteer (2019-present)
• Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Judicial Writing: Preparing for a Judicial Clerkship (2020-2022)

• Civil Procedure: Statutory Interpretation: Compensating for Ambiguities in the Workers’ Compensation Act
  Schmitz v. U.S. Steel Corp., 852 N.W.2d 669 (Minn. 2014), Mitchell Hamline Law Review Vol. 42 (2016)
  
  

Behind the Curtain at Trial, Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts Conference (December 2023)

Salary Survey, MAJ Women Trial Lawyers Conference (November 2023)