Paul E. Boehm

PAUL BOEHM is a nationally recognized strategy and trial lawyer, national coordination counsel, and co-leader of Sidley’s global Product Liability and Mass Torts practice. He represents life sciences, pharmaceutical, and other highly regulated companies in complex product liability, mass tort, multi-district litigation (MDL), and other high-stakes matters. With two decades of experience as a litigation strategist, trial counsel, and settlement counsel, Paul has a record of successfully defending major multinational corporations in some of the country’s most consequential coordinated proceedings.

According to clients and peers, Paul “see[s] how things are going to end up even before he begins” (Chambers USA 2019) and is “an excellent trial lawyer [who] finds a way to tell our story before a jury in a way that few others can do,” (Chambers USA 2025), “one of the best brief writers [they] have encountered” (Legal 500 United States 2024), and “a real pleasure to work with” (Chambers USA 2025).

Paul advises clients at each stage of product liability litigation, from early case assessment through trial. He is known for designing litigation strategy from the outset with an eye toward outcomes, mastering and communicating complex scientific issues, and his credibility with judges, juries, and corporate leaders.

• Lead counsel for Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. in federal multi-district and coordinated state court proceedings regarding Januvia, an incretin-based therapy. Led strategy that secured summary judgment for Merck in both the federal MDL and the California coordinated proceeding based on federal preemption and, after exclusion of all plaintiffs’ experts, lack of general causation.
• Co-lead trial counsel lawyer for Monsanto in a five-week product liability trial in Missouri state court involving allegations that Monsanto’s weedkiller, Roundup, caused the plaintiff’s cancer.
• Lead strategy and trial coordination counsel for talcum powder product liability matters.
• Lead coordination counsel for Monsanto in product liability matters related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
• Lead counsel for Pfizer subsidiary Hospira in a commercial dispute against Apotex Corp.
• Trial, strategy, and resolution counsel for Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. in product liability litigation related to Zostavax, a vaccine for the prevention of shingles.
• Lead counsel for major pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in False Claims Act matter resulting in dismissal with prejudice and affirmance before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Counsel for multinational healthcare services and products company in opioids-related litigation in federal and state courts across the country.
• Lead trial counsel in three major criminal jury trials, each resulting in acquittal.
• Counsel for multinational pharmaceutical company defending against reverse-payment antitrust allegations.
• Lead counsel for national electronics and office supply retailer defending against personal injury claims involving allegations of catastrophic injuries. Paul led discovery efforts revealing misidentification of the allegedly defective product, resulting in the case’s dismissal.
• National regulatory and product liability counsel for manufacturer of skin hygiene products.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.