GRSM Partner Nancy M. Erfle is a member of the Product Liability Litigation and Pharmaceutical & Medical Device practice groups and currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Her practice is focused on litigation, specifically the defense of manufacturers in the area of automotive, heavy equipment, toxic tort and medical exposures. Nancy has served on national litigation teams and as lead local and regional counsel for manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medical device clients on many cases, including several mass tort cases. Most recently she served as National Trial and Coordination Counsel for a supplier of raw materials in litigation pending in multiple state and federal courts throughout the country. Nancy also has class action experience in both consumer fraud and securities matters. She has extensive state and federal court jury trial experience, defending her clients in all types of product liability claims throughout the country.
Representative Trials
- Fox, Missouri (St. Louis), 2016
- Ristesund, Missouri (St. Louis), 2016
- Gianecchini, Missouri (St. Louis), 2016
- Daniels, Missouri (St. Louis), 2016
- Echevveria, California (Los Angeles), 2017
- Lewis, Washington (Pierce County), 2019
Representative Experience
- Served as National Trial and Coordination Counsel for a raw materials supplier from 2014-2019. In 2016 she tried the first three of those matters to verdict with favorable result for the client.
- Served on numerous trial teams throughout the Northwest for a respiratory manufacturing client.
- Tried two antitrust matters to successful verdicts for her clients.
- Served as a member of a national team on behalf of a global pharmaceutical company in mass tort cases – one involving a combined oral contraceptive and the other involving an anti-cholesterol drug.
- Defended a transport helicopter company involved in a crash which resulted in multiple wrongful death and injury claims. The multiple matters resolved in a successful settlement for the client.
- Serves as regional product liability counsel for a major automotive manufacturer.
- Defended an automotive manufacturer who designed and manufactured a 15-passenger van involved in a rollover accident which resulted in multiple death and injury claims. These matters were successfully settled for the client.
- Obtained a complete dismissal from dozens of lawsuits for a global pharmaceutical company involved in the pain-pump litigation.
- Successfully defended a pharmaceutical client in a securities fraud matter.
- Defending Mass Torts and Products Liability Lawsuits, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York and Hartford, May 2023
- Defending Mass Torts and Products Liability Lawsuits, GRSM Legal Education Conference, New York and Hartford, May 2019
Admissions
- Oregon
- Washington
- Montana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
- U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Washington
- U.S. District Court, District of Montana
Memberships
- International Association of Defense Attorneys (IADC), Board of Directors
- Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC), sustaining member
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- Oregon Association of Defense Counsel
Community Involvement
- East/West Sylvan Middle School, Site Counsel
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Willamette University College of Law, 1990
- B.S., summa cum laude, Rocky Mountain College, 1987
Honors
- Who’s Who Legal Thought Leader: USA, Life Sciences – Product Liability and Product Liability Defense, 2023
- Chambers USA, Product Liability and Mass Torts (Nationwide)
- BTI Client Service All-Star for 2018
- Law360 Product Liability MVP, 2017
- Super Lawyers® distinction in the fields of Personal Injury Defense: Products, Antitrust Litigation, and Business Litigation, (2006-2007, 2011-2021, 2023, 2024)
- 100 Most Powerful Women, Northwest Women’s Journal, 2007
- Forty Under 40 Award, The Portland Business Journal, 2004
- Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year,” Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Portland, OR (2022)
- Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2011-2025)
- Litigation Star in Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Recall, and Transport, Oregon & Nationwide, Benchmark Litigation, (2010-2023)
- Top 250 Women in American Litigation, Benchmark Litigation, (2012 – 2021)
- Top Rated Lawyer-AV® Preeminent™, Martindale-Hubbell