Paul J. Napoli was recently quoted in Law360 in connection with the ongoing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) multidistrict litigation pending in the District of South Carolina — one of the largest and most complex MDLs in the country.

The AFFF MDL involves thousands of claims from individuals and municipalities alleging injuries and water contamination caused by exposure to PFAS-containing chemicals in firefighting foam used at military installations and airports across the country. The Fourth Circuit's recent ruling arose from two specific cases within the broader MDL: one brought by plaintiffs including David Bouvet, who were stationed at military sites in Wisconsin and allege exposure to firefighting foam-related chemicals, and a second initiated by the City of Wausau, Wisconsin, asserting that the city's water system was contaminated as a result of firefighting activities involving the chemical foam. Napoli Shkolnik represents the City of Wausau and the individual plaintiffs in both matters.

Napoli commented to Law360 that the litigation "underscores the immense challenges U.S. District Judge Richard Mark Gergel faces in managing one of the largest multidistrict litigations in history, involving thousands of cases," while highlighting the vital role transferee judges play in promoting fairness for all parties in complex litigation.

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