R. Lawrence Purdy
Of Counsel
f612.642.8361
larry.purdy@maslon.com
3300 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Larry Purdy is an of counsel attorney in Maslon's Tort & Product Liability Litigation Group. He specializes in the defense of major medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers in complex, nation-wide product litigation. Larry has represented clients in product liability claims and lawsuits venued in virtually every state as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. A significant portion of his practice deals with the issues of federal preemption and regulatory control over claims involving FDA-approved medical devices. He has tried a variety of cases in jurisdictions around the country involving both medical and non-medical products.
Larry also served as pro bono trial counsel for the plaintiffs in two landmark United States Supreme Court cases involving race-conscious admissions policies at the University of Michigan. As a consequence of his involvement in the Michigan cases, he has frequently been invited to discuss the role of race in college and university admissions. His campus appearances included invited presentations at the Universities of Texas, Michigan, Missouri, and Colorado, as well as appearances at the law schools at Arizona State University, the University of Minnesota, William Mitchell College of Law, Hamline University, University of St. Thomas, Valparaiso University, Northwestern University, and University of San Francisco. In addition, Larry has addressed numerous local, state, and federal bar associations on the topic of race.
- Litigation
- Tort & Product Liability
- Products Liability
- Mass Torts, MDL and Class Actions
- Explosions and Fires
- Drugs and Medical Devices
- Punitive Damages
- Federal Preemption
- William Mitchell College of Law, St Paul, Minnesota,
1977
J.D. - United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland,
1968
B.S.
- Minnesota, 1977
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2000
- U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 2003
- U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1977
- U.S. District Court District of Montana, 1998
- U.S. District Court District of Nebraska, 1981
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2001
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1981
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1995
- American Bar Association - Member
- Minnesota State Bar Association - Member
- Hennepin County Bar Association - Member
- "A Focus on ‘Diversity’: What Are the Implications for Our Military?", United States Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, 2012
- "Mentor Externship", Adjunct Professor, University of St. Thomas School of Law, 2011 - present
- “Master Class on Trial Advocacy for Products Liability”, ACI, 2006
- “Advanced Trial Advocacy”, former Adjunct Faculty, William Mitchell College of Law
- “Trial Practice Course”, Guest Lecturer, University of Minnesota Law School
- “North Central Regional Program”, former Instructor, National Institute of Trial Advocacy
- Faculty presenter for numerous Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (MILE), ABA, and Lexis/Nexis sponsored programs dealing with product liability, expert witness, and federal pre-emption issues.
- Getting Under the Skin of "Diversity" - Searching for the Color-Blind Ideal, Robert Lawrence Press, 2008
- Preemption: Current Case Law and Developments, (written materials and presentation), LexisNexis® Present: Defense Strategies in Pharmaceutical Litigation Conference, January/February, 2005
- Current Issues in Medical Device Litigation & Policy: ‘General Review of the Case Law Relating to Federal Pre-emption of Traditional Common Law Product Liability Claims Involving FDA-Approved Medical Devices', (written materials and presentation), American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Product Liability Committee, 2004
- Prelude: Bakke-Revisited, 7 Tex. Rev. L. & Pol. 313, Spring, 2003
- Mr. Purdy’s verbatim presentation and comments during a debate at the University of Texas School of Law, 8 Tex. Hisp. J.L. & Pol'y 7, 10-13, 2002
- Tort Law Update, ‘Federal Pre-emption of Medical Device Claims’, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 2002
- Federal Pre-emption, Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr: An Analysis and New Developments from the Defense Perspective, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1997
- Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr: A Work In Progress, (co-author with Michael C. McCarthy), Mealey’s Emerging Drugs & Devices, Vol. 1:14, 1996
- Expert Witnesses, ‘Privileges Applicable to Expert Files', Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1994
- Drug & Medical Device Liability, ‘A Manufacturer’s Compliance with Federal and State Law’, Minnesota Institute of Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1991
- Product Liability Strategies for Today, ‘Use of Experts in Product Litigation’, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1986
- Product Liability Update, ‘Punitive Damages’, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1984
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2012 - 2013
- Local Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, 2008 - 2011
- Recognized on Minnesota Super Lawyers® list, 2009 - 2012 (Minnesota Super Lawyers® is a designation given to only 5 percent of Minnesota attorneys each year.)
- Maslon Law Firm Humanitarian Award for 2001 (honoring volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and Kenwood Elementary School Reading Program).
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell® (AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.)
- Mr. Purdy served as an officer in the United States Navy reaching the rank of Lieutenant. His service included a one-year tour in Viet Nam beginning in December 1969 and ending in December 1970. While on active duty, he received the following military decorations and honors: Joint Services Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V,” Navy/Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Citation, Southeast Asia and Vietnam Service Medals, and the National Service Medal.
- Mr. Purdy was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in June 1973.
