Daniel Miner (00:05):
Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Leverage Report. I’m Dan Miner. Joined today by Shreedhar Patel. Shree is an experienced trial attorney and manages Simon Greenstone Panatier Mass Torts Department, helping plaintiffs in such sorts, such as Paraquat, AFFF and Roundup. Welcome Shree.
Shreedhar Patel (00:23):
Thank you, Dan. Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Daniel Miner (00:25):
So first and foremost, what attracted you to Mass Torts is part of your career as a trial attorney?
Shreedhar Patel (00:30):
So that is an interesting question because my path to Mass torts wasn’t really a traditional one, but a few of the things that really, really resonated with me were the fact that it is a nexus between science and law. Oftentimes these MDL cases are very science forward, so that was very interesting to me. Secondarily, many of these mass torts make a difference in society and how corporations interact with us. Oftentimes, corporations put profit over safety and health, and mass torts, to me, are a great equalizer of that relationship because if a corporation is consistently putting profits over health and safety, the mass tort trial bar will intervene and level the playing field. And then finally, in mass torts, generally there isn’t a personal connection because the dockets are huge. But here at Simon Greenstone Panatier, our dockets are a lot smaller, allowing us to fashion a genuine connection with our clients so they’re not just numbers on a docket. We’re able to really do a deep dive in each one of our clients’ cases.
Daniel Miner (01:28):
That makes me feel really happy because one of the things that bothers us is when we hear that their cases are a portfolio or the law firm’s cases are a docket, there’s a life on the other side that really one motivates me, and two, also gives me comfort that there are firms that are really taking care of that life on the other side.
Shreedhar Patel (01:45):
That’s absolutely right. That life on the other side is somebody’s mother, father, cousin, sister, uncle, brother, aunt, daughter, right? And so our view is that each one should be treated and given the attention that they deserve.
Daniel Miner (01:58):
There’s so much change and upheaval in the mass tort space lately. Where do you see the future of mass torts heading and maybe even some of that personalized touch that you just talked about?
Shreedhar Patel (02:09):
There’s been a lot of gamesmanship in mass torts, especially from the defense bar, right, with the Texas two-step. And we don’t know how federal courts are going to interpret the amendments to rule 7 0 2. And as I said before, lots of mass torts are very science forward, but the mass tort bar has a lot of firepower, and I think with our collective efforts we can overcome any of those challenges going forward.
Daniel Miner (02:28):
What are some of the pain points the industry faces today? What are the things that keep you up at night?
Shreedhar Patel (02:34):
Service? I know that in the mass tort space, again, as we described earlier, there is oftentimes a huge gap between service, right? As you mentioned, we don’t like to call all of the clients we represent as a portfolio or an inventory refer to each of those cases as a human being because that’s what they are, and they all deserve a personal touch. And along with that service aspect goes representation. We want our clients to be able to see themselves and their representation, and oftentimes that’s lacking.
Daniel Miner (03:01):
Switching gears to shades of Mass, I know that’s something that’s important to you. Shades of Mass Conference September 19th through 21st in Houston, Texas for the listeners. But could you talk a little bit about that event, what it means to you personally and how it’s really kind of changed your approach to law?
Shreedhar Patel (03:17):
Shades of Mass is a great organization to be a part of. The board is comprised of some of the titans of the plaintiff’s bar that happen to be minority lawyers as well. And to be able to bring a diverse group of lawyers together in a facility to diversify mass tort leadership and representation in mass courts is a worthy cause. And so that event, which you mentioned is going to be held in my hometown of Houston, Texas, is really a culmination of a year long effort to continue to try to diversify MDL leadership as well as mass tot representation.
Daniel Miner (03:48):
What can attendees expect from keynote speakers sessions? What are you most excited to see this year?
Shreedhar Patel (03:54):
This, so we have quite a slate of panels and speakers for attendees this year. In addition to the standard mass tort update panels, for example, how to get into mass torts, litigation financing and panels, tackling emerging issues as we discussed bankruptcy and so forth. We have the following keynote speakers. We have two state attorney generals coming. Our dinner panel on Friday is titled The State of the Union and will feature Attorney General Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, an actor and politician, Harper Hill will have a round table discussion on the state of our union while our attendees eat. Our lunch panel on Saturday is titled The Most Impactful Mass Tort Cases and the Future of Justice, and it’s going to feature Sharon McGowan of Public Justice, Elizabeth Caber, Mike Papantonio, Joe Rice, and our very own Ben Crump. And finally, our closing event on Saturday night will feature a talk with Congresswoman Maxine Waters. So we have quite a extensive list of keynotes that we’re excited for attendees to hear from.
Daniel Miner (04:49):
That’s an impressive lineup, a very impressive lineup. And just the topics of discussion. I’m excited to hear the outcomes, the output of this event because I think it will drive some of the direction, especially in this mass tort community. What advice do you have for first time attendees to make the most of this experience?
Shreedhar Patel (05:06):
I’ll tell every first time attendee to not be shy, right? Approach everyone. We are a more intimate conference, and that is intentional. You should be able to find board members walk around in the hallways, and I described to you earlier, they are sort of the creme la creme of minority mass tort lawyers that comprise our board. We also have invited the creme la creme of practicing lawyers. So meet them, ask questions, ask to exchange contact information. This is a great opportunity for first time attendees to establish a powerful network of minority mass tort lawyers.
Daniel Miner (05:35):
Very cool. I think those more intimate events where one, you have a group of folks who are approachable, it just makes it easy to connect, to engage. My best piece of advice I ever received was “run out of business cards”. I know business cards aren’t necessarily what they were years ago, but it’s run out of business cards. Talk to as many people as you can. And it sounds like that’s the advice you’re giving here as well.
Shreedhar Patel (05:55):
Absolutely.
Daniel Miner (05:56):
What do you see as the long-term goals of Shades of Mass, and how do you envision the event growing? I mean impressive lineup as we said, but how do you envision it growing beyond even where it’s today?
Shreedhar Patel (06:06):
So I think the mission of Shades of Mass is to continue to push for diversity in mass tort leadership, to promote diversity among mass tort lawyers and to continue to contribute to the practice area as a whole. And so I think for our event, we want more content, newer cities and the ability to reach a more talented, a larger pool of talented minority lawyers who should be on mass tort leadership or in the mass tort practice space, and also ushering in a younger group of minority mass tort lawyers into the fold.
Daniel Miner (06:35):
That last statement there, and I think it’s a trend that I like, which is seeing more and more of the younger kind of junior attorneys making their way and getting experience in the MDL leadership so that we now have that next generation of leaders in mass tort. It sounds like this provides that opportunity and that platform as well. So for those who are kind of just starting out, just learning the craft opportunity to get engaged, get exposed, speak with some of the leaders in the space, and then at the same time have a platform or a path to accelerate in your own career as you participate in some of these leadership activities. Anything else you want to leave with our listeners, whether it’s Shades of Mass, other topics, industry insights, but what are your closing thoughts for today?
Shreedhar Patel (07:18):
Yeah, so I think as you mentioned, our third annual Shades of Mass conference will be at the Marriott Marques in my hometown of Houston, Texas on September 19th to the 21st of 2024. There’s still time for attendees to register. We’ll also have onsite registration, and we have a fantastic agenda full of pertinent information for practitioners of all vintages. So if you’re a seasoned, a mass tort lawyer or a fledgling mass tort lawyer, we’ve got content for you. We’ve got signature keynotes. And finally on Friday night, our entertainment is going to be Fat Joe. He’ll be performing a private concert for all attendees on Friday night, and I hope to see you there, and I hope to see you at status conferences and MDLs in different capacities.
Daniel Miner (07:57):
Fantastic. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today. Once again, Shades of Mass, Houston, Texas in Shree’s hometown. Let’s go make this a fun event. Thanks again.
Shreedhar Patel (08:07):
Thanks, Dan.
