Steven Pyser is a trial attorney with fifteen years of experience at Williams & Connolly, where he focuses his practice on complex civil litigation. Steve represents clients in mass tort and other cases—developing themes, preparing and defending key witnesses, and designing strategies that have resulted in favorable outcomes for his clients. Steve served as lead trial counsel for a healthcare services company in the first opioid jury trial in the nation. He has successfully represented clients at trial and in confidential negotiations to his client’s benefit. His representations have included breach of contract, product liability, government investigations, accounting issues, and class-actions.
Steve received his B.S., with distinction, from Cornell University and a J.D. from the Harvard Law School. He joined Williams & Connolly in 2006 after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Joel M. Flaum, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Representative Experience
Though all cases vary and none is predictive, Steven’s experience includes:
- Lead trial counsel for a healthcare services company in In re Opioid Litigation (NY) trial. The case and statewide litigation were resolved favorably during trial.
- Trial counsel in a three-week breach of contract case concerning complex underlying cases that resulted in a jury verdict in favor of his client and full collection of over $300 million by his client. This verdict ranked as the #7 verdict of The National Law Journal Top 100 verdicts for the year. As appellate counsel, the verdict was affirmed by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. In 2017, the Supreme Court denied certiorari, delivering a complete win to the client.
- National coordinating counsel for a healthcare services company in a nationwide opioid litigation consolidated in a federal MDL, as well as related state court litigations.
- Lead counsel for national audit firm in state court litigation, successfully resolved shortly before trial.
- Represented a pharmaceutical company in a nation-wide products liability action.
- Represented British Petroleum in multi-district litigation proceedings arising out of the Deepwater Horizon Spill.
- Represented technology company and its officers in shareholder derivative litigation, resulting in dismissal by the trial court.
- Represented an individual accused of misappropriating trade secrets in criminal and civil litigation. The government’s indictment was dismissed with prejudice, and Steve’s client received payments from his former employer, thus resolving the civil case.
- Represented a corporation accused of fraud and disclosure violations in federal court litigation against the SEC.
- Defended individuals and corporations in grand jury, Securities Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigations, including resolutions that resulted in closure of the investigation with no government action.
- Defended a leading U.S. accounting firm and its partners accused of malpractice and other wrongdoing in federal and state courts.
- Represented technology and other companies facing class action litigation.
- Represented pro bono clients in a variety of criminal matters.