St. Louis Jury Returns Verdict in Under Three Hours

LOS ANGELES, September 7, 2022 – Leading international law firm Proskauer announced today that it secured a second decisive victory for Monsanto in a case brought by multiple plaintiffs who claimed Roundup caused their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A St. Louis jury roundly rejected these claims following a five-week trial, returning a complete defense verdict in fewer than three hours.

Carl Alesi et al. v Monsanto Co. is the first multi-plaintiff case in the Roundup mass tort litigation that Monsanto has taken to trial. It is also the first case to be tried in St. Louis, Missouri, where Monsanto is headquartered.

The jury found in favor of Monsanto on claims of product defect and failure to warn with respect to all plaintiffs. In concluding that Roundup does not cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the jurors agreed with regulators around the world, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Health Canada, the European Chemicals Agency, and others, all of whom have consistently reached the same conclusion.

“The jury’s verdict in favor of the company brings this trial to a successful conclusion and is consistent with the evidence in this multi-plaintiff case that Roundup was not responsible for the injuries alleged by the plaintiffs,” Monsanto’s parent company, Bayer, said. “The jury’s conclusions are consistent with the assessments of expert regulators worldwide as well as the overwhelming evidence from four decades of scientific studies concluding that Roundup™ can be used safely and is not carcinogenic.”

Last year, Proskauer secured a landmark victory for Monsanto in a case brought by a woman claiming that the use of the herbicide Roundup caused her non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  A California jury rejected the claims, returning a defense verdict on all counts following a five-month trial. The verdict in Stephens v. Monsanto was the first involving a plaintiff who used the product herself.

The Proskauer litigation team was led by partner Manuel Cachán and included senior counsel Shawn Ledingham, associates Christina Assi, Kelly Curtis, Joan Kim, Seth Victor, and Hena Vora as well as senior paralegals Jeffrey Soldridge and Stacey Evans.

About Proskauer

We are 800+ lawyers serving clients from 12 offices located in the leading financial and business centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The world’s leading organizations, companies and corporations choose us to be their representatives in their most critical situations. But more, they consider Proskauer a strategic partner to drive their business forward. We work with asset managers, major sports leagues, Fortune 500 companies, entertainment industry legends and other industry-redefining companies.

Proskauer has a full-service litigation practice with extensive trial experience in virtually every major forum across the globe. We win make-or-break cases, change laws and establish precedents. Recent victories for our multi-disciplinary team include procuring a historic debt restructuring on behalf of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, and securing a landmark victory for Monsanto in a case brought by a woman claiming that the use of the herbicide Roundup caused her non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Our prowess in the field consistently earns the highest accolades, receiving top-tier rankings in Chambers and recognized as leaders by The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation, among others.