Senior Associate

Maria Fleming

Ms. Fleming is a senior associate in the Complex Litigation Department.

Contact Maria Fleming

It is rewarding to be part of a law firm that seeks justice for its clients and impacts the lives of others in a positive manner.

Attorney Maria Fleming

Maria Fleming is a senior associate in the firm’s Complex Litigation Department, based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Opioid Litigation

She served as plaintiff trial counsel in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL Bellwether trials of Lake and Trumbull Counties. In this role she was responsible for all of Plaintiffs’ exhibits to be introduced in trial and submitted to the jury.

Additionally, Ms. Fleming played an integral role in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL Bellwether settlements for Cuyahoga and Summit Counties in Ohio. She primarily handled the preparation work leading up to the trial, including motion writing and depositions.

Products Liability Litigation

As a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, Ms. Fleming facilitates the progress of the Exactech litigation by working with opposing counsel, and ensuring the discovery committee she serves on works with other committees to achieve justice in this litigation for her clients who have been impacted by hip and ankle manufacturer defects of this device.

Ms. Fleming was also appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the Hair Relaxer litigation where she represents and advocates on behalf of African American and other minority women who have been diagnosed with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and/or have suffered a hysterectomy as a result of fibroids from the use of hair relaxer products.


Prior to joining Napoli Shkolnik, Ms. Fleming worked as a corporate compliance analyst for a recruiting company.

She takes pride in serving her community and helping others. Ms. Fleming enjoys spending time with her son, travelling and singing in her home church.

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio

Education

  • Cleveland Marshall-College of Law, J.D.
  • John Carroll University, B.A. in Political Science

Professional affiliations

  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Ohio Bar Association

Publications

Product Liability: How it Works For and Against Victims of Defective Medical Devices, LinkedIn (October 4, 2023)

The Heavy Price of Gorgeous Hair: Cancer-Causing Parabens Still Found in Many Products for Black Women, Medium (December 13, 2022)

Speaking Engagements

Panelist, Nuts and Bolts Part II – Jurisdiction, Bellwethers and Discovery Battles – The Work, Shades of Mass Conference (September 22, 2023)

Rooted in Justice: Hair Relaxer MDL 3060 Insights, MTN Mass Torts News LegalCast (July 11, 2023)

Media Appearances

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal (April 2023)

Behind The Scenes With Opioid Attys At Landmark Jury Trial, Law360 (November 30, 2021)

Ohio Counties Deride Pharmacies’ Opioid Mistrial Bid, Law360 (November 17, 2021)

Court Appointments

Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in In Re: Hair Relaxer Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3060) by United States District Judge Mary M. Rowland for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.

Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in In Re: Exactech Polyethylene Orthopedic Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 22-md-03044) by United States District Court Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis for the Eastern District of New York

 

Representative Cases and Settlements of Note

*Results May Vary Depending On Your Particular Facts and Legal Circumstances*

$650 Million Ruling in National Pharmacy Chain Opioid Trial
U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio Judge Dan Aaron Polster ruled that CVS, Walgreens and Walmart must pay over $650 million over 15 years and set up an abatement program to Lake and Trumbull counties. The ruling is the first by a federal judge that assigns a monetary amount against pharmacy chains for their role in the opioid epidemic.

The funds will be used in programs to address the fallout from opioid abuse the defendant’s marketing of opioids caused.

Jury Verdict in National Opioid Trial
This jury verdict was secured on behalf of our clients Lake and Trumbull Counties (OH) against pharmacy giants CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart.

$320 Million Opioid Settlement
This landmark settlement was reached on behalf of Cuyahoga County (Ohio), one of the bellwether plaintiffs in the National Opioid Litigation, against four of the key players responsible for the opioid epidemic.

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