Hunter J. Shkolnik
Our clients always come first. We combine strong trial advocacy with the unparalleled use of technology in order to give our clients the very best representation possible.

Areas of Practice

Opioid Crisis Medical Malpractice Personal Injury Pharmaceutical Litigation Aviation Accidents View All Practice Areas

Hunter J. Shkolnik

Partner

Hunter J. Shkolnik is an esteemed and dedicated attorney who focuses on the trials of significant personal injury cases, primarily in the area of drug, automobile, aviation-related, and heavy truck product liability litigation.

He leads the discovery and trial teams of various mass tort pharmaceutical and medical device litigations for the Napoli Shkolnik PLLC law firm. He is also active in managing national litigation and plaintiff litigation groups including the American Association of Justice’s Actos Litigation Group.

He is currently serving as a chairman, leader, or court-appointed representative on Plaintiff Steering Committees in various drug and other mass torts. Additionally, Mr. Shkolnik has also held officer positions in the New York State Trial Lawyers, Nassau County Bar Association and Committee Chair positions in ATLA Health Care Finance Litigation Group, Orthopedic Implant Litigation Group, AAJ Breast Cancer Litigation Group, Co-Chair AAJ Heart Device Litigation Group, and the Chair of the Medtronic ICD and CRTD Litigation Sub Group.

Mr. Shkolnik has also lectured and organized seminars on issues involving Guidant, Medtronic, and St. Jude pacemakers; ICD and lead wire recall science and litigation; cardiac device product liability litigation; class action topics such as Ethics of Mass Tort Settlements, Lone Pine, State Federal Coordination and Preemption; and has — on multiple occasions — lectured on the science related to various pharmaceuticals.

  • Bar Admissions
    • New York
    • United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
    • United States District Court, Southern District of New York
    • New Jersey
    • United States District Court, District of New Jersey
  • Education
    • Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D.
    • University of Massachusetts, B.A., cum laude
  • Awards and Honors
    • Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
    • Marquis Who’s Who®, 2018
    • The National Trial Lawyers, Aviation Trial Lawyers – Top 10
    • New York Super Lawyers®: 2006 – 2018
  • Professional Affiliations
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ), PFC Water Contamination Group, Co-Chair
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ), The Actos Bladder Cancer Litigation Group, Co-Chair
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ), Past Vice-Chairman, Healthcare Finance Litigation Group
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ) Health Orthopedic Implant Litigation Group, Past Vice-Chairman, Science Committee Director
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ), Past Chairman, Health Breast Cancer Litigation Group
    • American Association of Justice (AAJ), Co-Chair, Health Heart Device Litigation Group
    • Long Island Affiliate of the NYSTLA, Past President
    • Nassau County Bar Association, Past Vice-Chairman, Medical Legal Committee
    • New York State Trial Lawyers (NYSTLA), Board of Directors; Past Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer
    • Suffolk County Bar Association
  • Speaking Engagements
    • Speaker, “How the Uptick in Opioid Litigation is Affecting the Industry: Key Takeaways from the MDLs”, American Conference Institute (ACI) 2nd Annual Forum on Controlled Substances (February 5 – 7, 2019)
    • Speaker, “Mass Tort Landscape: Part 2”, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Current Mass Torts from E-Discovery Through Exit Strategies – Navigating “Game-Changing” Dynamics (November 28, 2018)
    • Co-Chair, HarrisMartin’s Water Contamination Litigation Conference, 2018
      • Speaker, “Current Motions and Defenses, The JPML Petitions: One MDL or Two? / State Court Cases”
    • Speaker, “Product Liability”, Decision 2018: Recent Developments in Tort Law, New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA)
    • Speaker, “Opioids: Science, Medicine & Litigation”, HB Litigation Conferences presents Mass Tort Med School: Emerging medical & litigation issues for plaintiff attorneys (May 9 -11, 2018)
    • Presenter, “Incretin drugs including Victoza, Byetta, Januvia and Janumet causing cancer and severe side effects”, CAMG Incretin Litigation Webinar (January 29, 2018)
    • Speaker, “Opioid MDL Update”, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Onglyza, Opioid & Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System Litigation (January 24, 2018)
    • Speaker, “Opioids – The Latest Information and Strategies”, Masters of Mass Tort Seminar (January 17-19, 2018)
    • Faculty Member, “Opioid Crisis: Claims, Damages & Science”, HB Litigation Conferences
    • Speaker, “Hot Topics in Mass Tort Litigation Seminar”, American Association for Justice Continuing Legal Education
    • Faculty Member, “Litigating Public Health Epidemics”, Current Issues in Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Biotech Litigation: American Bar Association Regional CLE
    • Featured Panelist, “Who are the Governmental Action Plaintiffs and What are the Causation Theories?”, National Opioid Litigation Conference: HarrisMartin Publishing
    • Faculty Member, “Public Nuisance: No Doubt, But Can We Prove It?”, Prepare to Fight the Opioid Crisis: American Association for Justice Leaders Forum
    • Co-Chair, “The Impact of Daimler and BMS-Plavix”, HarrisMartin California Mass Tort and Class Action Litigation Conference
    • Speaker, “Flint Water Crisis: Get in the Know about Lead Poisoning and How It’s Litigated”, Perrin Conferences
    • Faculty Member, “Hot Topics and Trends in Litigation Seminar”, American Association for Justice
    • Speaker, “Flint Water Crisis”, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Pharmaceutical and Environmental Mass Tort Litigation
    • Speaker, “Uber and the Sharing Economy: Law, Ethics and Policy”, Temple University Fox School of Business
    • Speaker ” Pharmaceutical and Environmental Mass Tort Litigation”, HarrisMartin Conference
    • Co-Chair, “Fantasy Sports, Volkswagen, Porsche and Pharmaceutical Litigation”, HarrisMartin Conference
    • Speaker, “Volkswagen Diesel Fuel Emissions Fraud”, HarrisMartin Conference
    • Speaker, “Mass Tort vs. Class Action: What it is and What it is Not.”, The American Association for Justice (AAJ)
    • Speaker, “Diabetes Drugs (Actos, Januvia, Byetta” at Mass Tort Med School, A Boot Camp for Plaintiff Attorneys, HB Litigation Conferences
    • Speaker, “Decisions 2013: Recent Developments in Tort Law”, NYSTLA Seminar Series
    • Speaker, “Class Certification: Defining or Challenging Class Membership”, Strafford Webinars
    • Speaker, “HarrisMartin’s Complex Litigation Conference”
    • Speaker, “Mirena IUD, Tylenol, Granuflo, Byetta & Januvia”, HarrisMartin MDL Conference
    • Speaker, “Plaintiff Pharmaceutical Litigation Forum 2013”, HB Litigation Conferences
    • Speaker, Breast Cancer Litigation, ATLA Breast Cancer Litigation Group Educational Seminar
    • Speaker, “Transvaginal Mesh and Actos Litigation Group”, Harris Martin MDL Conference
    • Speaker, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Xarelto & Power Morcellators
    • Speaker, HarrisMartin’s Major Developments in Drug & Device Litigation
    • HarrisMartin’s MDL and Complex Litigation Seminar
    • Speaker, 11th Annual Class Action/Mass Tort Symposium presented by the LSBA, “Multi-district Litigation and the Parallel State Court Universe: A Practitioner’s Global Positioning Guide”
    • Speaker, NYSTLA, “Product Liability Mass Tort & Class Actions: What every lawyer should know and understand”
    • Speaker, Pharmaceutical Litigation Forum, “Case Theories, Challenges and Case Selection Considerations for your Actos Inventory.”
  • Media Appearances

    Opioids MDL judge ousts ex-prosecutor from two cases against Endo, Reuters (March 20, 2019)

    Five more counties file lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for opioid epidemic, West Virginia Record (December 17, 2018)

    Calif. Appeals Panel Revives Suits Over Diabetes Drugs, Law360 (November 7, 2018)

    Damages Forfeited In Opioid MDL Bellwethers, Drug Cos. Say, Law360 (November 2, 2018)

    Tyco and 3M Ask for MDL Treatment in Dozens of Firefighting Foam Lawsuits, The National Law Journal (October 2, 2018)

    NJ Justices Centralize Taxotere Hair-Loss Suits, Law360 (August 21, 2018)

    Court Grants Mass Tort Status to Suits Over Breast Cancer Drug Taxotere, New Jersey Law Journal, (August 21, 2018)

    Opioid MDL Counties Get Partial Info From McKesson Report, Law360 (August 1, 2018)

    Discovery War Breaks Out in Opioid MDL Bellwethers, Law360 (July 25, 2018)

    Judge won’t make the state resume bottled water distribution in Flint, Michigan NPR Radio (April 21, 2018)

    Federal judge denies emergency injunction to bring water PODS back to Flint, ABC-12 (April 20, 2018)

    Glendale man awarded $24.1 million for 2011 helicopter crash near Valle, Williams-Grand Canyon News (April 17, 2018)

    DraftKings, FanDuel in Settlement Talks Over Consumer Class Actions, The National Law Journal (April 13, 2018)

    Palm Beach County Sues Drugmakers Over Opioid Crisis, Daily Business Review of Law.com (April 9, 2018)

    Flint Michigan Water Crisis with Hunter Shkolnik, Good Law Bad Law Podcast #69 (March 9, 2018)

    Flint Water Crisis Lawsuit, There’s Still Time to Join, ABC12-WJRT (February 18, 2018)

    City of Flint Water Emergency, Flint Town Hall Meeting, ABC12-WJRT (February 18, 2018)

    Will Big Drugmakers Mimic Purdue on Opioid Marketing?, Law360 (February 12, 2018)

    Osceola joins national opioid legal action against drug companies, Orlando Sentinel (February 7, 2018)

    Inside The Opioid MDL’s Big Closed-Door Hearing, Law360 (February 1, 2018)

    Former Sen. Carl Levin to mediate class-action Flint water Lawsuit, mLIVE Michigan (1/12/18)

    County files lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, The Champion (1/11/18)

    Shreveport and Arklatex counties join lawsuit against opioid industry, ABC Affiliate KTBS-3 (1/5/18)

    Judge Sees Forum Shopping in Class Bid to Move Pollution Case, New York Law Journal (12/20/17)

    Northern District of Ohio judge picked to preside over opioid MDL, MadisonSt. Clair Record (12/5/17)

    WABC-7 Eyewitness News Exclusive

    Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

    Law360

    “This motion to dismiss is highly suspect given that these defendants have already accepted personal jurisdiction for over 2,000 other lawsuits by children who suffered brain damage from lead poisoning as a result of Doe Run’s operations in Peru.”

    790-KABC Dr. Drew

    New York Courts See Wave of Lawsuits Against Pharmaceutical Firms, Niagara Gazette (September 2, 2017)

    LawNewz Network

    FoxNews.com

    FoxBusiness News

    FoxNews Live

    PrimeTime Justice with Ashleigh Banfield

    New at 4

    CBS News

    Documentary, Children of Flint: Flint Water Crisis Victims Speak Out

     

  • Publications
  • Court Appointments
    • Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL 2804 by United States District Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the Northern District of Ohio
    • Co-Liaison Counsel in the Flint Water Crisis Litigation by United States District Judge Judith E. Levy of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
    • Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in In Re: Invokana (Canagliflozin) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2750
    • Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2738 (Honorable Freda L. Wolfson)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in In Re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 274 (Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee; In Re: Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2151 (Honorable James V. Selna)
    • Actos Product Liability Steering Committee, American Association of Justice’s Actos Litigation Group
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: Medtronic Inc., MDL 1726 (Honorable James M. Rosenbaum) (retired)
    • Co-Lead Counsel, In Re: Fleet Oral Sodium Phosphate Solutions Litigation, MDL 2066 (NDOH) (Honorable Dan A. Polster)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee & National Settlement Counsel in the In Re: Nuvaring Products Liability Litigation, MDL 1964 (MOED) (Honorable Rodney W. Sippel)
    • Co-Liaison Counsel & Member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, New Jersey Nuvaring Products Liability Consolidated Mass Tort Litigation (Honorable Brian R. Martinotti)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: Medtronic, Inc., Sprint Fidelis Leads Product Liability Litigation, MDL 1905 (Dist. Minn.); (Honorable Richard H. Kyle)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: Medtronic Inc., MDL 1729 (Honorable James M. Rosenbaum) (retired)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, New Jersey Metoclopramide (Reglan) Product Liability Consolidated Mass Tort Litigation (Honorable Carol Higbee)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee Member- Co-Lead Trial Team, Strategic Planning, Expert and Discovery Subcommittee, In Re: Guidant Corp. Implantable Defibrillators Products Liability Litigation, MDL 1708 (Honorable Donovan Frank)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, New York State Consolidated Bextra/ Celebrex Litigation
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and Lead Counsel; Trial, Expert, Discovery Sub Committees and Co-Lead Trial Team, In Re: New York Sulzer Inter Op Hip and Knee Implant Litigation; (Justice Helen Freedman) (retired)
    • State Federal Liaison Counsel, In Re: Bausch & Lomb, Inc., Contact Lens Solution Product Liability Litigation, MDL 1785 (Honorable David C. Norton)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee & Lead trial attorney for the first scheduled bellwether trials; State Federal Liaison Counsel, In Re: New York Consolidated Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution Litigation (Justice Helen Freedman) (retired)
    • Discovery Co-Chair, New Jersey Levaquin Mass Tort Litigation
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: PepsiCo. Inc., Bottled Water Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, MDL 1903 (Honorable Cathy Seibel)
    • Liaison Counsel, In Re: Zimmer NexGen Knee Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2272 (N.D.Ill) (Honorable Rebecca R. Pallmeyer)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: DePuy Orthopaedics. lnc., Pinnacle Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2244 (Honorable James Edgar Kinkeade)
    • Plaintiffs’ Liaison Committee for Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, In Re: Pom Wonderful Sales and Marketing Practices Litigation, MDL 2199 (Honorable Dean D. Pregerson)
    • Co-Lead Counsel, In Re: Kaba Simplex Push Button Lock Sales and Marketing Litigation, MDL 2220; (EDOH); (Honorable Donald C. Nugent)
    • Co-Lead and Co-Liaison Counsel in the In Re: Eliquis (Apixaban) Product Liability Litigation, Honorable Judge Denise L. Cote for the Southern District of New York
    • National Settlement Counsel in the In Re: Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2385, United States District Judge David R. Herndon for the Southern District of Illinois
    • Co-Lead Class Counsel in the In Re: Daily Fantasy Sports Marketing And Sales Practices Litigation, MDL 2677 (George A. O’Toole, Jr.,)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and Lead Counsel, In Re: New York Diet Drug/Fen Phen Litigation; (Justice Helen Freedman) (retired)
    • Co-Lead Counsel, In Re: Bayer Healthcare LLC and Merial Limited Flea Control Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, MDL 2319 (Nd. Ill) (Honorable Dan A. Polster)
    • Co-Lead Counsel, In Re: Incretin Mimetics Product Liability Litigation, MDL 1331 (Honorable Maurice M. Paul)
    • Lead Class Counsel, Hernandez-Ortiz, et al. v. 2 Gold, L.L.C., et al., Supreme Court of the State of New York, Index No. 158155/2012; (Honorable Ellen M. Coin)
    • Lead Class Counsel, Roberts, et al. v. Ocean Prime, LLC, et al., Supreme Court of the State of New York, Index. No. 150612/2013; (Honorable Manuel J. Mendez)
    • Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, In Re: American Medical Systems, Inc., Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2325 Judge Joseph Goodwin for the Southern District of West Virginia
    • Lead Class Counsel, Sterling, et al. v. Stratfor Enterprises, LLC, et al., Eastern District of New York 2:12-cv-00297 (Honorable Judge Denis R. Hurley)

     

  • Other Experience
    • Napoli Bern Ripka Shkolnik LLP
    • Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, Shkolnik & McCartney