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And Now a Word From the Panel: MDL Judge Selection

July 29, 2026

This article is part of a bimonthly column that "rides the circuit" with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) as it convenes at venues across the country. In the latest installment, Sidley partner Alan Rothman examines the JPML's process for selecting judges to preside over multidistrict litigation (MDL) proceedings. The article reviews recent MDL trends and statistics, explores the judicial and prior MDL experience of newly selected transferee judges, and discusses what the panel's recent selections may signal for future MDL proceedings.