Amy Fisch Solomon

Solomon has been practicing law for 30 years, having worked on almost 50 jury trials involving medical malpractice and product defect cases.

She has achieved settlements as high as $35 million, and has settled with large companies such as The Walt Disney Co.

In recent years Solomon has transitioned into more of a mentoring role, but she’s still busy as ever.

She’s battled two hip replacement surgeries over the past few years, although it has allowed her to influence the law in other ways.

“It really evolved into a relationship I love. I am blessed with having to work with some extremely bright and energetic, capable lawyers that has reenergized me in such a way that it’s lots of fun,” said Solomon.

Her team has been focusing its attention on thousands of transvaginal mesh implant lawsuits pending in multi-district litigation in West Virginia.

The mesh products were used on women who had pelvic surgeries, and were sold to doctors by Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson.

But according to lawsuits, the mesh created a whole host of new problems for patients.

“This material would erode and embed into the tissues of the uterus and create an extreme amount of pain,” said Solomon.

The litigation, of which there are 40,000 cases pending, has seen a few multi-million dollar jury verdicts. Last year, a New Jersey Superior Court jury rendered a $68 million verdict on behalf of a woman who suffered chronic pain after receiving the mesh devices. In 2016, Ethicon paid $120 million to resolve about 3,000 cases.

Solomon has also settled many cases but still has about 50 remaining.

In 1989 Solomon was the first female attorney hired by Girardi Keese. Although today females lag behind their male counterparts in becoming law firm partners and lead trial attorneys, Solomon said she’s seen a lot of progress. She is a former president of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and has experience handling mediations and arbitrations for Los Angeles County Superior Court.

As for advice, she likes to talk to attorneys about civility.

“My advice is always to follow your gut. Your innate judgment is usually right,” said Solomon.

— Justin Kloczko