Michael C. Shepard
Top rated Products Liability attorney in Boston, Massachusetts
Shepard O'Donnell, P.C.
Practice Areas: Products Liability, Class Action & Mass Torts, Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Massachusetts since: 1994
Education: University of San Diego School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2024 Call today:
617-451-9191
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Details
Michael Shepard, founder of Shepard O'Donnell, P.C. in Boston, Massachusetts, is a personal injury trial lawyer with an emphasis on toxic tort matters such as tobacco, mesothelioma and asbestos exposure cases. Michael has been litigating mesothelioma lawsuits in both state and federal courts for more than 25 years and has represented victims of asbestos exposure throughout the New England region and the entire United States. Michael’s commitment to providing clients with comprehensive, compassionate care and tenacious advocacy is directly responsible for his professional success and the numerous multimillion dollar-verdicts and settlements he has obtained for his clients.
Michael received his bachelor’s degree from Providence College and his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He began his legal career working for a multistate law firm representing asbestos victims in over a dozen states before leaving to found his own firm in 1998. In 2017 he was appointed by the Massachusetts Superior Court to serve as Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel in the state's busy asbestos litigation docket. He also serves on the Claimants' Committees of three multi-billion dollar asbestos manufacturer bankruptcy proceedings. He was named a 2018 Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year for his role in a landmark trial against both asbestos and tobacco defendants, which resulted in a $43.1 million verdict. Michael is member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and is affiliated with several professional organizations as well, including the Massachusetts Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys He also routinely contributes his skill and resources to various charitable and civic-minded efforts.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff, Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Transportation/MaritimeFocus areas
Admiralty & Maritime Law, Asbestos, Construction Accident, Motor Vehicle Defects, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Railroad Accident, Toxic Torts, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 70% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
- 10% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Transportation/Maritime
First Admitted: 1994, Massachusetts
Professional Webpage: https://shepardlawfirm.com/mike-shepard/
Educational Background:
- Providence College, B.A. in Economics; Liberal Arts Honors Program graduate, 1991
Honors/Awards:
- Named a Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year in recognition of his role in the landmark verdict in the Summerlin v R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co case, a five-week trial against both tobacco and asbestos defendants. , Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 2019
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Attorney Shepard has been appointed to serve as a member of the Asbestos Claimants Committee of three multi-billion dollar bankruptcy proceedings pending in the Western District of North Carolina Bankruptcy Court. Each of the companies manufactured and sold asbestos-containing products, and have sought bankruptcy protection through a controversial scheme to offload their asbestos liability. Attorney Shepard and the other members of the ACC for each of these proceedings are working to protect the rights of asbestos victims across the United States., 2020
- Appointed as Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel in Massachusetts State Court Asbestos Litigation Docket., 2017
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- In 2020, despite the closure of the Courts due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Michael Shepard and the team at Shepard Law continued to press forward with the cases of their sick and dying mesothelioma and lung cancer clients. Depositions were taken via Zoom, in order to preserve the plaintiffs' testimony for future trial. As Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel in the Massachusetts Asbestos Litigation, Shepard worked with the Court, the Special Master, and Defendants' Liaison Counsel to ensure that previously-set trial preparation deadlines were adhered to, and that the cases moved through the trial preparation process as without interruption. Mediations were held via Zoom, and despite the lack of trial availability, a number of cases were settled for significant sums of money, allowing the clients to get the closure they deserved on their cases., 2020
- Michael and the team at Shepard Law took on Ford Motor Company in a mesothelioma trial in 2022. The case had been pending for several years, delayed by the pandemic and court closures. Shepard Law's client was a 53 year-old auto mechanic that had serviced Ford cars and trucks, and done hundreds of brake jobs. The brake pads and linings sold by Ford throughout most of his career contained asbestos, and the replacement of the brakes exposed him to significant amounts of asbestos containing dust. Unfortunately, the client died while waiting for his case to be heard, leaving behind a wife and four children. Shepard Law moved forward undettered, having taken video-recorded trial testimony of the client before his death. It was a hotly contested case, and involved numerous depositions and dozens of discovery and pre-trial motions. Four trial dates in 2002 were continued to allow the Court time to sort through all the motions. Michael and his team challenged Ford's experts on some of the opinions and defenses they raised, which culminated in a Daubert hearing over the course of several days in Court. The Court indicated an inclination to preclude Ford's experts from offering the contested testimony. Once a final trial date was set by the Court, the case quickly resolved, with an outstanding result for Shepard's client. Michael and his partners Michael McCann and Erika O'Donnell, along with the Associates and Paralegals at Shepard Law, are proud of the hard work that resulted in such a important win for their client's family., 2022
- After two years without a scheduled trial due to the pandemic, Michael and the team at Shepard Law were extremely busy in 2022. A backlog of mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer cases needed to be set for trial. Pre-trial conferences and hearings took place on an almost weekly basis throughout the year. Michael was able to resolve most of the cases for significant seven-figure settlements without a trial. Defendants and insurance companies that had refused to negotiate in good faith during the pandemic were finally forced to face the prospect of a trial. Michael and the experienced lawyers at Shepard Law used the leverage of trial to finally force the insurance companies to negotiate in good faith. Any defendant or insurance company that used the pandemic to delay and avoid paying good faith settlements to Shepard Law clients was held accountable, with excellent results for the firm's clients., 2022
- In 2021, the continuing pandemic made it impossible to schedule complex toxic tort trials like mesothelioma and tobacco cases, as the courts were busy clearing a backlog of criminal cases and simple civil matters. Adding to the difficulty was the reluctance of some defendants and insurance companies to offer fair value on personal injury cases without a looming trial date. Despite these obstacles, Michael Shepard and the team at Shepard Law were able to negotiate and settle a number of wrongful death cases for significant value, bringing much needed closure to the families of the deceased., 2021
- Achieved landmark $43.1 million verdict in the Summerlin case, on behalf of the family of a man who died from lung cancer. Case was brought against both tobacco and asbestos defendants based on the plaintiff having been an automotive brake mechanic and lifelong smoker., 2018
- Secured a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of a man suffering from mesothelioma due to his work in a paper mill in New Hampshire., 2019
- Successfully litigated four mesothelioma lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers on behalf of terminally ill and deceased clients, collecting millions of dollars in recoveries for the families of the victims., 2017
- Michael Shepard and his team successfully litigated ten mesothelioma lawsuits on behalf of terminally ill and deceased clients, generating millions of dollars in recoveries for the families of the victims., 2016
- In 2014, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated two cases of aircraft mechanics who developed mesothelioma due to exposure to asbestos while working on a number of aircraft at major United States Air Force bases. The federal court cases involved numerous manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft component parts. They involved complex issues of law, including successor liability, state of the art and government contractor defenses. Depositions took place in multiple states around the country. The cases settled for a significant seven-figure sum., 2014
- In June of 2009, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated a mesothelioma case on behalf of a client who spent his career working in powerplants and boiler rooms as an engineer. The case resulted in a significant seven figure settlement for the client., 2009
- In December of 2011, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of pipefitter/welder who worked in a number of paper mills in Western Massachusetts. He developed mesothelioma, a terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The suit involved the paper mills themselves, as well as the manufacturers of asbestos products that were used in those mills. The case involved a number of very complicated legal issues regarding premises liability, state of the art, and concert of action. After an arduous discovery battle, the case was resolved on the eve of trial for a significant seven figure settlement., 2011
- In 2015, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of a former merchant marine and power house engineer who died from mesothelioma. The deceased plaintiff had attended a local merchant marine academy, and served as an engineer on board a number of merchant ships. After his merchant marine service, he became a power house engineer and boiler inspector. His work in the merchant marine and in power houses and boiler rooms exposed him to significant amounts of asbestos from boilers, turbines, pumps, valves and related equipment. Shepard Law obtained a significant seven-figure sum for his spouse, which helped ease her concerns about paying for the house and living expenses in the future.
- In 2007, Attorney Michael Shepard obtained the 6th highest jury verdict in Massachusetts in 2007, $6.4 million dollars, in a case involving an ambulance roll-over. The plaintiff was involved in a multi-car accident on a major highway outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and had only suffered minor cuts and scrapes. She was being transported from the scene of the accident to a local hospital as a precaution. She was strapped into the bench seat of the ambulance, as another accident victim was on the stretcher and being transported in the same ambulance. The ambulance collided with a disabled car on the highway, rolling over onto its passenger side and sliding across the roadway. The collision and roll-over caused significant injuries to both plaintiffs. Shepard Law and their co-counsel alleged that the ambulance driver was distracted and not paying attention to the traffic on the highway. The ambulance company defended the case by alleging that the plaintiffs’ injuries were caused by the initial multi-car accident and that the ambulance driver was boxed in by traffic and did not have time to stop or take evasive action. After a week-long trial that included testimony from several eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, the jury returned a verdict in favor of both plaintiffs for $3.2 million dollars each.
- In May of 2008, Attorney Shepard successfully litigated an asbestos case against the manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft component parts on behalf of a former Navy aircraft mechanic who developed mesothelioma, resulting in a significant seven figure settlement after the start of the trial., 2008
- In May of 2011, Attorney Shepard and his firm represented two clients with mesothelioma in litigation against the manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft component parts. One client had been a career United States Air Force mechanic, and the other a Navy mechanic. Both cases were vigorously defended by the aircraft companies, and involved a tremendous amount of discovery and preparation. Both cases settled on the first day of trial for significant seven figure settlements., 2011
- In 2013, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of a man who died of mesothelioma after having been exposed to asbestos while working as an aircraft mechanic. The complex case involved suits in both state and federal court, in which numerous domestic and international aviation companies were named defendants. After extensive discovery and motion practice, the case settled for a significant seven-figure sum., 2013
- In 2015, Michael Shepard and the team at Shepard Law successfully litigated several mesothelioma cases. In one, a former employee of Boston Edison developed mesothelioma from his exposure to asbestos at several power plants in Massachusetts. In another, an employee of a rubber manufacturing facility developed mesothelioma from his exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc used in the rubber making process. A third case involved a former merchant marine and power plant engineer who developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos from pumps, valves, boilers and other industrial equipment. A fourth case involved a man in his early 60's who developed mesothelioma from his work with asbestos-containing joint compound, as well as his work assembling industrial ovens that used asbestos-containing marinite board. A fifth case involved a man in his 40's who developed mesothelioma from his work repairing brakes and clutches on trucks and heavy equipment when he was employed by a municipal highway department and water department. All told, Shepard Law's litigation efforts on behalf of asbestos victims in 2015 resulted in settlements worth multiple millions of dollars for its clients., 2015
- In 2013 and 2014, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of a woman who died of mesothelioma. Her mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos from laundering the clothing of her husband, who worked at a facility that coated and cut asbestos paper for use in making gaskets. The case involved two separate suits, due to the late discovery of documents that indentified additional suppliers of asbestos paper. The case was vigorously defended, and involved extensive motion practice and numerous depositions. After all the factual and legal hurdles were cleared, the case settled for a significant seven-figure sum., 2014
- In May of 2010, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the mesothelioma case of a client who worked in a paper mill for his entire career. The case involved building a novel theory of liability against a defendant that was vigorously contesting liability. Attorney Shepard and his team were able to gather and present evidence that resulted in a significant seven figure settlement for the client, including the largest settlement ever paid by a single asbestos defendant in Massachusetts., 2010
- In 2014, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of a forklift operator who worked in a number of paper mills in Western Massachusetts. The plaintiff suffered from mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos at the paper mills. He was also exposure to asbestos through contact with his father's clothing, which was contaminated with asbestos from his own work in a paper mill. The case involved a number of very complicated legal issues regarding premises liability, state of the art, and concert of action. After an arduous discovery battle, the case was resolved on the fist day of trial for a significant seven figure settlement., 2014
- In 2015, Attorney Shepard and his firm successfully litigated the case of a 48 year-old man who had worked as a vehicle mechanic for a municipal highway department and water department in Massachusetts. The plaintiff developed mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos from brakes, clutches and gaskets used in automobiles, pickup trucks, and heavy trucks and equipment. The case involved a number of defendants who vigorously opposed the lawsuit, resulting in extensive discovery and nearly twenty expert witness depositions. The case was set to be tried in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston, Massachusetts. It resolved on the third day in Court for a significant seven figure settlement.
Representative Clients:
- In 2021, Shepard Law represented a number of mesothelioma victims who had been exposed to cosmetic talc that was found to be contaminated with asbestos. The defendant cosmetic manufacturer put up a vigorous defense, contesting all issues, including exposure, asbestos contamination, fiber analysis, and causation. After significant discovery work, including organizing a team of expert witnesses with experience in detection techniques such as x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, Mike Shepard and the seasoned trial lawyers at Shepard Law were able to successfully build a case for each of these victims, resulting in a multi-million-dollar recovery., 2021
- Michael and the team at Shepard Law litigated a second high-profile mesothelioma case against Ford Motor Company and other automobile and parts manufacturers, this one on behalf of a 59 year-old auto mechanic who died from mesothelioma. His mesothelioma was caused by exposure to abestos dust from servicing the brakes and clutches on the cars of Ford and other auto manufacturers. The case was settled against all defendants for a significant seven-figures sum. Michael and the Shepard Law team worked extremely hard to obtain that result, and the client's family was very happy with the outcome., 2022
- Shepard Law litigated a hotly-contested asbestos case against Ford Motor Company. Shepard's client was a 53 year-old auto mechanic, who had develped mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos from automotive and truck brakes and clutches. The case involved numerous depositions and dozens of discovery and pre-trial motions. A Daubert challenge to Ford's expert witnesses was held over the course of several Court days, and was a pivotal moment in the trial. Ultimately, the case resolved with an outstanding result for the family. Confidentiality provisions prevent revealing the result, but it was a ground-breaking settlement., 2022
- Shepard Law brought the case of a 53 year-old mesothelioma victim with significant asbestos exposure as an automobile mechanic. The plaintiff was a career auto mechanic, including owning and operating his own auto repair business. He was a wonderful family man, as well as an avid soccer player. Michael Shepard, Michael McCann and Erika O'Donnell worked tirelessly to prepare his case for trial in less than a year, despite the hurdles of litigating during the pandemic. The plaintiff passed away while awaiting his trial date, but the Shepard Law team preserved his testimony with a videotaped trial deposition. The case resolved with a number of defendants following several mediations, all held via Zoom videoconference. The case remains pending against a few defendants, waiting for the Court to set a trial date., 2020
- A pipefitter at Brown Company pulp and paper mills in Berlin and Gorham, New Hampshire developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos during a career that spanned the 1970s through the 1990s. The trial team of Michael Shepard, Michael McCann and Erika O'Donnell got the case ready for trial in less than a year. Through a combination of witness testimony, documents, historical records and pure hard work, they were able to show the plaintiff's exposure to asbestos from pumps, valves, and other equipment at the pulp and paper mills. The case resolved at mediation for a significant sum., 2019
- Summerlin v R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Phllip Morris USA, Inc. and Hampden Automotive Sales Corporation; Mass Superior Court C.A. No. 15-5255., 2018
- John Doe v. Boeing, et al., 2011
- John Doe vs. MeadWestvaco Corporation, et. al., 2014
- John Doe v. Boeing, et. al., 2014
- John Doe v. Northrop Grumman, et al.
- Seang v. Armstrong Ambulance Co., et al.
- John Doe v. Borg-Warner, et al., 2010
- John Doe v. Airbus, et. al., 2013
- John and Jane Doe vs. Ford Motor Company, et. al., 2015
- John Doe v. A.W. Chesterton, et al.
- John Doe v. MeadWestvaco, et al., 2011
- John Doe v. Hollingsworth & Vose, et. al., 2014
- John and Jane Doe vs. General Electric Company, et. al., 2015
Bar/Professional Activity:
- As Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel, Michael worked closely with the Court on a year-long initiative to nominate and appoint a new Special Master for the Massachusetts State Court Asbestos Litigation Docket (SMAL). That process involved identifying and interviewing numerous qualified candidates, and resulted in the appointment of retired Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman as the new SMAL Special Master., 2022
- Appointed as Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel in the Massachusetts State Court Asbestos Litigation. Responsible for overseeing the asbestos docket on behalf of all plaintiffs by working with the Court, Special Master, and counterparts on the defense side of the docket., 2017
- As Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel, Michael worked closely with Defendants' Liaison Counsel, the Special Master, and the Massachusetts Superior Court to organize the resumption of jury trials in the Massachusetts State Court Asbestos Docket, which had been shut down for two years due to the pandemic. , 2022
- Named a Massachusetts Lawyer of the Year for a landmark $43.1 million verdict in a lung cancer case against both tobacco and asbestos defendants., 2019
- Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- American Association for Justice, 1995 - Present
- Boston Bar Association, 1995 - Present
- Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys
- Connecticut, 1996
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Massachusetts, 1994
Industry Groups:
- Asbestos
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Tobacco
Selections
14 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2024
