R. Brent Wisner
Top rated Class Action & Mass Torts attorney in Greenbrae, California
Wisner Baum LLP
Practice Areas: Class Action & Mass Torts, Personal Injury, Products Liability; view more
Licensed in California since: 2011
Education: Georgetown University Law Center
Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 - 2023 Call today:
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Details
R. Brent Wisner is the managing partner and lead trial attorney at Wisner Baum. Recognized as one of America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers by Trial Lawyer Magazine, Brent has built a reputation for taking on large corporations in high stakes litigation and winning significant verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Over the last several years, Brent has served on the plaintiff’s leadership for multiple mass torts, earned jury verdicts worth a combined $2.427 billion, and helped negotiate settlements in excess of $1 billion—all before the age of 40. He is currently the youngest attorney in American history to win a multi-billion-dollar jury verdict, which he achieved with a $2 billion Roundup cancer verdict against Monsanto on behalf of the Pilliods.
While success in the courtroom is often measured exclusively by dollars and cents, Brent’s legal work has led to changes in business practices that will protect people and the environment for generations. Hundreds of media publications across the globe have asked for his perspective on a variety of pressing legal issues.
His team has obtained the first non-settlement national Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) class action lawsuit against Big Pharma. The RICO case is against Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and Eli Lilly and Company. The class action alleges both drug companies conspired to conceal the bladder cancer risk associated with the diabetes drug, Actos, because they knew that adding a cancer warning label would harm sales. Experts say the damages total under RICO with trebled damages could reach $7 billion or more.
Wisner Baum is also leading several mass tort litigations that will see their first trials in the country. These include the Zantac cancer litigation in California, in which he serves as co-lead counsel for the Ranitidine Product Cases JCCP 5150 where at least 5,000 cases are filed. Brent also serves as Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead National Counsel for the Delaware Zantac litigation where more than 75,000 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits. Wisner Baum will also try the first of its kind toxic baby food lawsuit in California in 2023 and the first Gardasil HPV vaccine injury lawsuit against Merck, likely in 2024.
Brent believes that being a trial lawyer is more than just securing large verdicts, it is also about using the law to affect real change and obtaining justice for your clients.
A perfect example of using the law to make the world a better place is his firm’s release of the Monsanto Papers. By releasing unsealed key internal Monsanto documents to the EU, US DOJ and California EPA, the truth was revealed about Monsanto’s rampant corporate malfeasance to manipulate the science and collude with the EPA to hide the health risks associated with using Roundup. These documents helped change the narrative across the globe surrounding the weedkiller.
Practice areas
Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFocus areas
Class Actions, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Pharmaceutical, Toxic Torts
- 60% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 20% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 20% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2011, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.wisnerbaum.com/attorneys/r-brent-wisner/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- California, 2011
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2012
- U.S. Dist. Court, Central District of California, 2013
- U.S. Dist. Court, Southern District of California, 2013
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit, 2013
- U.S. Dist. Court, Eastern District of California, 2013
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2014
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2014
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2014
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 2015
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 2016
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2016
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2017
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2020
- District of Columbia, 2021
- The District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 2021
- State Bar of California
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
- American Association for Justice: Leader’s Forum - Champion; Section on Toxic, Environmental, and Pharmaceutical Torts; Herbicides and Pesticides Litigation Group; Class Action Litigation Group; Zantac Litigation Group (Co-Chair), 2024
- Federal Bar Association: Federal Litigation Section - Younger Lawyer Division
- Co-Lead Plaintiffs’ Trial Counsel for the Zantac (Ranitidine) Litigation, Superior Court of the State of Delaware, Case No. N22C-09-101, 2023 - present, 2024
- Co-Lead Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel for the Ranitidine Product Cases, also known as the Ranitidine (Zantac) Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP 5150), California Superior Court for the County of Alameda, California, 2021-, 2024
- Co-Chair Zantac Litigation Group, AAJ – American Association for Justice, 2020 – present, 2024
- Member, Practices and Procedures Team, In re Zantac/Ranitidine NDMA Litigation, MDL No. 2924 (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida), 2020
- Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, Administrator and Co-Lead Counsel for the Roundup Products Cases, known as the Roundup Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP 4953), California Superior Court for the County of Alameda, California, 2018 – present
- Trial Counsel, Hardeman vs. Monsanto Company (2nd Roundup cancer lawsuit trial), San Francisco, California, 2019
- Trial Co-Lead Counsel, Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto.Company (3rd Roundup cancer verdict $2.055 billion), Oakland, California, 2019
- Trial Co-Lead Counsel, Dewayne “Lee” Johnson vs Monsanto Company (1st Roundup cancer verdict $289.2 million), San Francisco, California, 2018
- Trial Co-Lead Counsel, Wendy B. Dolin vs GlaxoSmithKline LLC (generic Paxil suicide lawsuit), Chicago, Illinois, 2017
- Liaison Counsel to Federal MDL-2741 In Re: Roundup Products Liability Litigation for Roundup JCCP 4953 Alameda 2018 – present
- Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee / Liaison Counsel for the Cymbalta Drug Cases JCCP 4825 Los Angeles 2015 , 2015
- Trial Co-Lead Counsel, Hagen-Brown vs Eli Lilly (Cymbalta withdrawal lawsuit), Richmond, Virginia, 2015
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- $10.9 Billion Monsanto Roundup Cancer Settlements - Baum Hedlund was one of the select few law firms in the country to negotiate a settlement with Bayer AG to resolve many thousands of pending Roundup cancer lawsuits. Each of the law firms completed separate agreements, which added up to a total of $10.9 billion. Baum Hedlund’s resolution resolved all of its Roundup cases pending in any jurisdiction, including California and the federal multi-district litigation. Baum Hedlund senior shareholder and trial lawyer R. Brent Wisner helped negotiate the Baum Hedlund's settlement. , 2020
- $2.055 Billion Verdict - Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Company, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, Case No. RG17862702, JCCP No. 4953. Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co. was the third Monsanto Roundup lawsuit to proceed to trial. Brent Wisner was co-lead trial counsel for Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a couple in their 70s who alleged exposure to Roundup caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Brent delivered the opening and closing statements, and presented most of the scientific evidence and cross-examination of Monsanto’s experts. The jury returned a verdict of $2.055 billion in favor of the Pilliods, finding that exposure to Roundup caused their cancer and that Monsanto failed to warn consumers of this severe health hazard. The jury also found that Monsanto acted with malice, oppression or fraud and should be punished for its conduct. The trial judge later reduced the verdict to $87 million., 2019
- $289 Million Groundbreaking Verdict. Dewayne Johnson v. Monsanto Company (case no. CGC-16-550128) Unanimous $289.2 million jury verdict against Monsanto Company This was a groundbreaking $289.2 million jury verdict in San Francisco Superior Court against Monsanto for causing Dewayne "Lee" Johnson's non-Hodgkin lymphoma due to exposure to a Monsanto glyphosate-based herbicide called Roundup. The jury ordered Monsanto to pay $39.2 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages for failing to warn consumers that exposure to Roundup weed killer causes cancer. Monsanto appealed the verdict and Johnson cross appealed. On July 20, 2020, the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the verdict against Monsanto but reduced Mr. Johnson’s award to $20.5 million. Mr. Johnson was represented by The Miller Firm, LLC, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, PC and Audet & Partners LLP., 2018
- $3 Million Verdict. Dolin v. SmithKline Beecham Corp. et al., case number 1:12-cv-06403, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On April 20, 2017 a federal jury awarded $3 million to Wendy Dolin, resolving allegations in the trial of Dolin v. Smithkline Beecham Corp. (D/B/A GlaxoSmithKline-GSK) over the (generic Paxil) paroxetine-induced wrongful death of Wendy Dolin’s late husband, Stewart Dolin, who was a partner at the Chicago law firm Reed Smith when he took his own life in 2010. Dolin is represented by Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman and Rapoport Law Offices. This verdict was overturned some years later on appeal., 2017
Videos:
- The Monsanto Trial: Part 3, Legal, Law, 2024
- Quite a Story, Legal, Law, 2024
- The Monsanto Trial - Part 6, Legal, Law, 2024
- Baum Hedlund Begins 2023 with a New Name: Wisner Baum, Legal, Law, 2023
- Litigating, Managing a Law Firm, and a Life Worth Living with Brent Wisner, Legal, Law, 2023
- Zantac Lawsuit Updates with Brent Wisner, Legal, Law, 2022
- EPISODE 2.2: BRENT WISNER, Legal, Law, 2022
- Why most drugs don't heal disease | Brent Wisner, Legal, Law, Healthcare, 2022
- The truth about Zantac, NDMA & Cancer | Brent Wisner, Legal, Law, Healthcare, Science, 2022
- The Young Titan of the Plaintiff's Bar, Legal, Law, 2022
- Bayer AG agreed to settle U.S. lawsuits claiming that its widely-used weed killer Roundup caused cancer for as much as $10.9 billion after more than a year of talks, resolving litigation that has hit the company's share price. June 24, 2020, France 24 | Bayer settles Roundup cancer lawsuits for up to $10.9 billion, 2020
- The FDA has stated that it is investigating Zantac cancer risks after testing of Zantac (ranitidine) tablets found a cancer-causing chemical up to 3,000 times greater than the FDA’s daily intake limit. The carcinogenic chemical present in Zantac, known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), was discovered in the process of manufacturing rocket fuel. NDMA hasn’t been studied in humans because it is so carcinogenic, but in all the animal studies show that animals that are exposed to NDMA actually get cancer. If you took Zantac and developed cancer, you need an experienced personal injury attorney on your side. The attorneys at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman have decades of experience holding big corporations accountable for concealing the health risks of consumer products. Across all areas of practice, the firm has obtained more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients. Our past performance, verdicts or settlements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of future legal matters., What Do Zantac and Rocket Fuel Have in Common?, 2019
- U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto has been ordered to pay its highest damages yet in a massive lawsuit over the popular weed killer Roundup. A jury ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2 billion in punitive damages to Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a couple who were both diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer after using Roundup on their properties for decades. Monsanto is owned by German pharmaceutical giant Bayer. The main ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, glyphosate, is said to cause the cancer. Attorneys estimate that there are thousands of similar cases against Roundup pending in courts around the country. Last year, a jury in California ordered Monsanto to pay $289 million in damages to a school groundskeeper who developed cancer after regularly using Roundup. The 46-year-old man, Dewayne Johnson, also has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The EPA says that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, but other scientific studies and the World Health Organization have found that human exposure can in fact lead to cancer. We speak with attorney Brent Wisner, co-lead trial counsel for Alva and Alberta Pilliod., Democracy Now | As EPA Insists Weed Killer Roundup is Safe, a Jury Orders Monsanto to Pay $2B to Couple With Cancer, 2019
- A California man who was diagnosed with cancer says he took the heartburn medication Zantac everyday for a decade. Walter Hansen was diagnosed last year and says he now believes Zantac was the cause. Mr. Hansen and his lawyer, Brent Wisner, talk about his lawsuit., Spectrum News - In Focus California | CA Man Says Zantac Medication Caused His Cancer, 2019
- Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman attorney R. Brent Wisner discusses the latest revelations surrounding the popular drug Zantac (ranitidine). How did the FDA find out about the link between Zantac and cancer? What do Zantac and rocket fuel have in common? Is Zantac causing a cancer epidemic? Wisner answers your Zantac questions in this short video. R. Brent Wisner was co-lead trial counsel in two of the first three Monsanto Roundup lawsuits to proceed to trial, which resulted in landmark verdicts against Monsanto worth more than $2.34 billion. He and his colleagues at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman know how to win big cases against big companies. If you took Zantac and developed cancer, you need an experienced personal injury attorney on your side. The attorneys at Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman have decades of experience holding big corporations accountable for concealing the health risks of consumer products. Across all areas of practice, the firm has obtained more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients. Our past performance, verdicts or settlements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of future legal matters., Trial Lawyer Brent Wisner Discusses Zantac (Ranitidine) Link to Cancer, 2019
- Brent Wisner was the lead attorney in Lee Johnson's case which went to trial in California last year. A landmark verdict found that Roundup had caused Lee's cancer - and Brent Wisner believes there will be thousands more people coming forward to take on manufacturer Monsanto. September 9, 2019, 60 Minutes Australia | First man to successfully sue Roundup for causing cancer, 2019
- Video deposition of William Reeves, Global Health and Safety Issues Management Lead at Bayer Crop Science. This deposition was played during the trial of Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Company. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a California couple in their 70s, alleged exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After approximately 7 weeks of trial proceedings, a California jury rendered a $2.055 billion verdict in favor of the Pilliods, finding that exposure to Roundup causes cancer and that Monsanto (now Bayer) failed to warn consumers of this severe health hazard. Importantly, the jury also found that Monsanto acted with malice, oppression or fraud, and should be punished for its conduct., Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Monsanto Scientist William Reeves Deposition | Pilliod Monsanto, 2019
- Video deposition of Michael Koch, Monsanto and Bayer Crops Science toxicologist. This deposition was played during the trial of Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Company. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, a California couple in their 70s, alleged exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After approximately 7 weeks of trial proceedings, a California jury rendered a $2.055 billion verdict in favor of the Pilliods, finding that exposure to Roundup causes cancer and that Monsanto (now Bayer) failed to warn consumers of this severe health hazard. Importantly, the jury also found that Monsanto acted with malice, oppression or fraud, and should be punished for its conduct. , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Monsanto Scientist Michael Koch Deposition 1.11.2019 | Pilliod Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #1 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #2 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #3 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #4 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #6 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- Dr. Christopher Portier testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff in the case of Edwin Hardeman v. Monsanto Company (now Bayer). The Hardeman trial began on February 25, 2019 and ended with a unanimous verdict of $80M for Mr. Hardeman on March 27, 2019. Dr. Portier holds a Ph.D. in Biostatistics (with a minor in Epidemiology). For over three decades, Dr. Portier held prominent leadership positions in the U.S. government that combined the disciplines of toxicology, statistics and epidemiology, including: • Associate Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) National Toxicology Program and thus the nation’s chief toxicologist, among other roles at NIEHS. • Director of the National Center for Environmental Health, Center for Disease and Prevention. • Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). This series of seven videos contains the witness-only versions of what was played at the Hardeman trial in Phase 1 and Phase 2. They are numbered in the order of play. Among the many things Dr. Portier testified about at the Hardeman trial, he talked about a report on glyphosate prepared by Dr. James Parry at Monsanto’s request. Dr. Parry was a genetic toxicologist that Monsanto hired as a consultant in 1999 to look at data on genetic toxicity as associated with glyphosate and glyphosate formulations. Dr. Parry found strong evidence suggesting that glyphosate is genotoxic. He suggested that Monsanto conduct more studies to clarify the issue. Monsanto refused. Monsanto never published Dr. Parry’s report and never shared his findings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Portier also testified that the EPA did follow all of its rules in evaluating glyphosate. In addition, he testified that glyphosate is a promoter of carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). , Trial lawyer Brent Wisner conducts deposition of Dr. Christopher Portier Video Testimony #7 of 7 | Hardeman v. Monsanto Trial, 2019
- The secret tactics used by global chemical giant Monsanto, to protect its billion-dollar business and its star product, the weed killer, Roundup."Monsanto has engaged in a systematic and deliberate campaign to attack any science that says their product is not safe and to attack any scientist that has the courage to say something." Lawyer When it was launched four decades ago, Roundup was hailed as a miracle product, a revolutionary herbicide that would transform farming and keep home gardeners happy too. And it came with the promise that it was safe."The broad advertising claims that Monsanto was advancing in those days (was) that somehow their Roundup product was entirely safe, biodegradable, safe for pets and children, and less dangerous than table salt." Former NY Attorney General Now a landmark US court case has made headlines worldwide, with a jury declaring Roundup was a substantial factor in causing a school ground keeper's terminal cancer and that the company had failed to warn of the risk posed by the product., Four Corners Australia | The Monsanto Papers, 2018
- California jurors have awarded $289 million in a historic verdict against Monsanto in the case of a school groundskeeper who developed cancer after using its weed killer, Roundup. We speak with Brent Wisner, the lead trial counsel for Dewayne Lee Johnson, who has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Doctors say he is unlikely to live past 2020. Johnson’s was the first lawsuit to go to trial alleging glyphosate causes cancer. Filed in 2016, it was fast-tracked for trial due to the severity of his illness., Democracy Now | Historic Ruling Against Monsanto Finds Company Acted with “Malice” Against Groundskeeper with Cancer, 2018
- Roundup cancer attorney Brent Wisner from the law firm of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman delivers the closing statement in the trial of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson v. Monsanto Company. On Aug. 10, 2018, a San Francisco jury returned a verdict of $289 million, ordering Monsanto to pay $39.2 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages for failing to warn consumers that exposure to Roundup weed killer causes cancer. The jury unanimously found that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused Mr. Johnson to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and that Monsanto acted with malice, oppression or fraud and should be punished for its conduct., Closing Statement in trial of Johnson v. Monsanto | Roundup Cancer Attorney Brent Wisner, 2018
- Could the foods you eat or the weed killer you use give you cancer? In a Doctors’ exclusive, we discuss a lawsuit claiming the most widely-used herbicide in the world, glyphosate, led to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in an alleged victim. Hear from the attorney in the case and the widow of a farmer who claims agricultural chemicals cut his life short. Find out why chemical companies say they stand by the safety of their product. The Doctors help you sort through the science and offer practical solutions starting in the grocery store!, The Drs. Exclusive | Glyphosate Lawsuit Claims Cancer Link, 2017
- Roundup Litigation, 2016
- Does Roundup Cause Cancer?, 2016
- What is Roundup?, 2016
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Briefing before Parliament of Canada’s Green Party of Canada about the $289M Monsanto Roundup cancer verdict and the Monsanto Papers at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, January 30, 2019, 2019
- Briefing in Brussels- Attorney Wisner, his law partner, Michael Baum, and two clients, Teri McCall and John Barton, traveled to Brussels by invitation to meet with and brief EU press, lawmakers from Germany and France, and staffers for various Members of European Parliaments (MEPs). They arrived just days before a hearing organized by EU environmental and agricultural committees to discuss their firm’s release of the Monsanto Papers and allegations that Monsanto unduly influenced studies on glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. They warned officials about the cancer risk associated with glyphosate and Roundup. Attorneys Wisner and Baum also sent a letter to EU officials requesting they conduct an official inquiry into Monsanto’s manipulation of science and potential collusion with regulators. Belgium, October 4-5, 2017, 2017
- Published the Monsanto Papers - Brent’s advocacy isn’t limited to the courtroom. During the Monsanto litigation, Brent and his firm worked to declassify and publish internal Monsanto documents obtained during discovery. These documents, known as the “Monsanto Papers,” became the subject of dozens of investigative journalism articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many others. According to the unsealed court documents now known throughout the world as the Monsanto Papers, the agrochemical giant deployed several tactics to conceal the link between Roundup and cancer, including an operation called “Freedom to Operate.” In numerous media interviews discussing the documents, Wisner noted that Monsanto buried its own internal studies linking Roundup to cancer, then ghostwrote “scientific” studies declaring Roundup is safe. When scientists released independent studies that concluded Roundup is dangerous, the company spent millions attacking and “discrediting” them. This evidence and the verdicts have changed how the world questions the safety of Roundup, resulting in regulatory changes, restrictions and bans of glyphosate across the globe. https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/monsanto-secret-documents/, 2017
- Georgetown University recognized Brent for his commitment to public interest law and received a pro bono service award for completing over 750 hours of volunteer legal work., 2010
Honors/Awards:
- Selected to: Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Super Lawyers, 2024
- Leading Commercial Litigators, Daily Journal, 2024
- 2016-2023, Selected to: Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Super Lawyers, 2023
- Top 100 Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2023
- 2021 - 2024, The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2024
- National Law Journal’s list of Class Action/Mass Tort Litigation Trailblazers, National Law Journal - ALM, 2023
- Top 100 Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2022
- Clarence Darrow Award, MTMP-Mass Torts Made Perfect, 2021
- The American Lawyer’s West Trailblazers, American Lawyer, 2021
- Top List: Up-And-Coming-100, Southern California Rising Stars (featured on magazine cover), 2021
- California Power House, Law360 Regional Powerhouse Series, 2021
- Top Plaintiffs Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2020
- Product Liability Practice Group of the Year, Law360, 2020
- MVP of the Year 2020, Product Liability, Law360, 2020
- Top 100 Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2020
- Elite Trial Lawyers Mass Torts Law Firm of the Year, Finalist, ALM and National Law Journal, 2020
- Top 25, President, Products Liability Trial Lawyers Association, 2020
- Verdicts Hall of Fame Inductee, The National Law Journal and VerdictSearch, 2020
- Civil Plaintiffs Trial Lawyer of the Year, National Trial Lawyers and ALM, 2019
- America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers, Trial Lawyer Magazine and The National Law Journal, 2019
- Top 100 Verdicts, ALM, National Law Journal, Verdict Search (Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co.), 2019
- Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, 2019
- Winning Litigators, The National Law Journal, 2019
- Top 40 Under 40 Attorneys in California, Daily Journal (lifetime award), 2019
- Number 1 Verdict in California in 2019, Topverdict.com (Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co.), 2019
- Top 10 Verdicts in California in 2019, Topverdict.com (Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co.), 2019
- Elite Trial Lawyers Mass Torts Trial Team of the Year, The National Law Journal and The Trial Lawyer Magazine, 2019
- Top Plaintiffs Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2019
- Trial Team of the Year, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, 2019
- Top List: Up-And-Coming-100, Southern California Rising Stars, 2019
- Daily Journal Top Verdicts, Daily Journal, 2018
- Number 1 Product Liability Verdict in California in 2018, Topverdict.com (Johnson v. Monsanto Co.), 2018
- Top 10 Personal Injury Verdicts in the U.S. in 2018, Topverdict.com (Johnson v. Monsanto Co.), 2018
- Top 100 Verdicts, ALM, National Law Journal, Verdict Search (Johnson v. Monsanto Co.), 2018
- CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2018, CVN, 2018
- 2018 Elite Trial Lawyers, Winner Pharmaceutical Litigation, The National Law Journal, 2018
- Top List: Up-And-Coming-100, Southern California Rising Stars, 2018
- Top 100 Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2018
- Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar (lifetime award), Law360, 2018
- The Round Table: America’s Most Influential Trial Lawyers, Trial Lawyer Magazine and The National Law Journal, 2018
- Top 10 Product Liability Verdicts in Illinois in 2017, Topverdict.com (Dolin v. GSK), 2017
- Top 100 Product Liability Verdicts in the U.S, Topverdict.com (Dolin v. GSK), 2017
- Superb Score 10 out of 10, Avvo.com
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers
Educational Background:
- Juris Doctor - Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C. , 2010
- Master of Public Policy - Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, Washington, D.C., 2010
- Georgetown Public Policy Review, Executive Editor
- Mock Trial: Georgetown Law Barristers’ Council, Trial Advocacy, Managing Director
- University of California, Los Angeles, 2005 (Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science), 2005
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Heavy Metals Baby Food Litigation update, Speaker, HarrisMartin MDL Conference, HarrisMartin, Legal, Law, 2024
- HarrisMartin's MDL Conference: Uber Litigation and Other Mass Tort UpdatesLexington, KY, Speaker, HarrisMartin's MDL Conference: Bellwether Trials in Zantac Litigation in California and Delaware and Baby Food Litigation in California, HarrisMartin, Legal, Law, 2023
- Brent participated on three panels. 1) Panel 4 - Game Changing Rulings; 2) Panel 5 - Rapid Fire Mass Tort Update 1.0; 3) Panel 6 - Rapid Fire Mass Tort Update 2.0, Speaker, HarrisMartin Webinar Series MDL Litigation Conference: Mass Tort Litigation - The Current Landscape, HarrisMartin, Legal, 2022
- First Annual Mass-Tort MDL Flash Points, Speaker, First Annual Mass-Tort MDL Flash Points, The George Washington University, Challenges for the Next Generation of Transferee MDL Judges (Invitation-Only) Conference, James F. Humphreys Complex Litigation Center, Washington, D.C., Legal, 2021
- Baby Foods: A Personal Injury Perspective, Speaker, Baby Foods: A Personal Injury Perspective, Mass Torts Made Perfect, MTMP Connect Webinar, Legal, 2021
- Deep Dive: Products Liability - Trial Overview - Lowering the Hammer/Lessons from the Monsanto Trials, Speaker, Deep Dive: Products Liability - Trial Overview - Lowering the Hammer/Lessons from the Monsanto Trials, CAALA - Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, CAALA’s Annual Las Vegas Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada, Legal, 2021
- Alternative Jurisdictions to the MDL in the Zantac Litigation, Speaker, Alternative Jurisdictions to the MDL in the Zantac Litigation, MTMP - Mass Torts Made Perfect, MTMP Connect Webinar via Zoom, Legal, 2021
- The Monsanto Story: How I Became the Youngest Attorney to Ever Obtain a Multi-Billion Dollar Verdict, Speaker, The Monsanto Story: How I Became the Youngest Attorney to Ever Obtain a Multi-Billion Dollar Verdict, SFTLA - San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, New Lawyers Division Adventure Conference, Virtual and in Santa Cruz, California, Legal, 2021
- Zantac: Census, Criteria, and Case Update, Speaker, Zantac: Census, Criteria, and Case Update, MTMP – Mass Torts Made Perfect, MTMP Virtual Vegas Spring 2021, Legal, 2021
- Baby Food Litigation: The Personal-Injury Component of the Litigation, Speaker, Baby Food Litigation: The Personal-Injury Component of the Litigation, HarrisMartin CLE Conference, Harris Martin’s Webinar Series: Baby Food Litigation, Legal, 2021
- HarrisMartin's MDL Conference in Austin, Texas on December 24, 2019, Moderator, Class Actions for Consumers & TPPs (Third-Party Payors), HarrisMartin, 2020
- Trial Attorneys: Open for Business – West Coast, Speaker, Trial Attorneys: Open for Business – West Coast, Senior Attorney Match, Podcast, Legal, 2020
- Breaking down the 1st Monsanto Roundup trial and $289 verdict, Speaker, Breaking down the 1st Monsanto Roundup trial and $289 verdict, CaseAnalysis.com, Webinar, Legal, 2020
- Zantac Census Plus, Speaker, Zantac Census Plus, Mass Torts Made Perfect Connect, Webinar, Legal, 2020
- Zantac: A Major Health Crisis, Speaker, Zantac: A Major Health Crisis, Mass Torts Made Perfect Connect, Webinar, Legal, 2020
- Zantac litigation, Speaker, Zantac litigation, Roundup litigation, Masters of Mass Tort, Conference, Ritz Carlton, Cancun, Legal, 2020
- Status of the Zantac Litigation, Speaker, Status of the Zantac Litigation, AAJ – American Association for Justice, Rapid Response Webinar, Legal, 2020
- Zantac: Diving into the Science (NDMA, Ranitidine, and the Risk of Cancer), Speaker, Zantac: Diving into the Science (NDMA, Ranitidine, and the Risk of Cancer), HarrisMartin, HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference: Zantac, Sex Trafficking and Emerging Mass Tort Litigation Agenda, Tampa, Florida, Legal, 2020
- The Science: NDMA, Ranitidine, and the Risk of Cancer, Speaker, The Science: NDMA, Ranitidine, and the Risk of Cancer, HarrisMartin, HarrisMartin’s Zantac Litigation Conference, Miami Beach, Florida, Legal, 2020
- Key New Mass Torts: Zantac, Paragard, and HIV Drugs, Speaker, Key New Mass Torts: Zantac, Paragard, and HIV Drugs, Anatomy of a Roundup Trial and the Upcoming Docket, Harris Martin, MDL Conference, Austin, Texas, Legal, 2019
- Zantac Attack: Over the Counter Carcinogen, Speaker, Zantac Attack: Over the Counter Carcinogen, Mass Torts Made Perfect, Seminar, The Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada, Legal, 2019
- Roundup – Recent Blockbuster Verdicts, Speaker, Roundup – Recent Blockbuster Verdicts, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Seminar, Westin S. Frances Hotel, San Francisco, Legal, 2019
- Roundup Litigation: State of the Docket and What Comes Next, Speaker, Roundup Litigation: State of the Docket and What Comes Next, HarrisMartin, HarrisMartin’s Roundup Litigation Conference, The Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colorado, Legal, 2019
- Roundup® Litigation: Trial Recap and Look Ahead, Speaker, Roundup® Litigation: Trial Recap and Look Ahead, American Association for Justice, American Association for Justice | Educational Seminar, AAJ Headquarters, Washington, D.C., Legal, 2019
- Suing Monsanto: How a Team of Lawyers Won a Verdict Linking the Herbicide Roundup to Cancer , Speaker, Suing Monsanto: How a Team of Lawyers Won a Verdict Linking the Herbicide Roundup to Cancer, UCLA School of Law, Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment and The Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy, Lunchtime Event, UCLA Law Building, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, Legal, 2018
- $289M Monsanto Roundup Verdict – Life After the Daubert Ruling and Johnson Trial, Speaker, $289M Monsanto Roundup Verdict – Life After the Daubert Ruling and Johnson Trial, The Johnson Trial and JCCP ( Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings), Harris Martin Publishing, Half-Day Roundup CLE (Continuing Legal Education), Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Santa Monica, California, Legal, 2018
- Recent $289M Monsanto Verdict, Speaker, Recent $289M Monsanto Verdict, Harvard University, Notable torts case discussion with Professor Jon Hanson’s Tort Law Class, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Legal, 2018
- Challenging Court Secrecy in Medical Product Litigation, Speaker, Challenging Court Secrecy in Medical Product Litigation, Yale University, Conference, Yale Law School’s Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency (CRIT) program, Yale University’s Greenberg Conference Center, New Haven, Connecticut, Legal, 2018
- Monsanto Roundup Litigation, Speaker, Monsanto Roundup Litigation, Mass Torts Made Perfect, MTMP Spectacular Fall Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, Legal, 2017
- Roundup Class Action, Speaker, Roundup Class Action, HarrisMartin, HarrisMartin’s Roundup® Litigation Conference Agenda, Chicago, Illinois, Legal, 2017
- Cymbalta Withdrawal Litigation In re: Cymbalta (Duloxetine) Products Liability Litigation, Speaker, Cymbalta Withdrawal Litigation In re: Cymbalta (Duloxetine) Products Liability Litigation, American Association for Justice, AAJ Education’s Plaintiff-Only Hot Topics and Trends in Litigation Seminar, Charleston, South Carolina, Legal, 2014
- Politics of Enforcement: How the Department of Justice Enforces the Civil False Claims Act, Author, Politics of Enforcement: How the Department of Justice Enforces the Civil False Claims Act, 17 GEO. PUB. POL’Y REV. 43-60, 2012, Legal, 2012
- Judicial Activism? The Roberts Court in the Coming Term, Author, Judicial Activism? The Roberts Court in the Coming Term, GEO. PUB. POL’Y REV., Legal, 2009
- Asylum Denied: Seeking Asylum in the Age of Terrorism, Author, Asylum Denied: Seeking Asylum in the Age of Terrorism, 12 GEO. PUB. POL’Y REV. 21, Legal, 2007
- Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives Regarding the Violation of the Human Rights of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, and Others, by the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, Author, Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives Regarding the Violation of the Human Rights of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, and Others, by the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, H. R. 761, 110th Cong., Legal, 2007
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Government Service: Judicial Extern, Hon. Marian Blank Horn, United States Court of Federal Claims, Washington, D.C., 2009
- Government Service: Summer Extern, United States Attorney’s Office, Civil Fraud Division, Los Angeles, California, 2008
- Government Service: Law Clerk, Hon. Helen Gillmor, United States District Court, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2010 – 2012
- Government Service: Brian Ohleyer Legislative Intern, Office of United States Senator Barbara Boxer, Washington, D.C., 2004 – 2005
Industry Groups:
- Legal
Office location for R. Brent Wisner
100 Drakes Landing Road
Suite 160
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: 888-795-5399
Selections
2 Years Super Lawyers
8 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2023
