McCarter Adds Two Prominent Product Liability Partners
Amy Vanni Brings Life Sciences, Healthcare Experience to Philadelphia Office; Wilfred Coronato, 1st Chair in Successful Fen-Phen Defense, Joins In Newark
Two prominent products liability defense litigators – one from Reed Smith and one from Hughes Hubbard & Reed, and both with significant experience in health care matters – have joined McCarter & English as partners, strengthening the firm’s nationally renowned products group.
Amy Vanni, who focuses on complex pharmaceutical-related matters, is now resident in McCarter’s Center City Philadelphia office. Vanni, who is also known for her work in medical device, home appliance and consumer products cases, was a partner with Reed Smith in Philadelphia. She is an arbitrator in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and is an appointed hearing committee member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Wilfred “Will” Coronato, who focuses on pharmaceutical and complex commercial litigation, is resident in McCarter’s Newark office. Coronato was a partner with Hughes Hubbard and ran its Jersey City office. He is a first-chair trial lawyer who is perhaps best known for recently being lead trial counsel in the first-ever defense verdict in a fen-phen primary pulmonary hypertension case where a jury considered liability and causation issues simultaneously.
“Our top ranked products group is further strengthened with Amy and Will joining. Our client base will be well-served by their added abilities and experience,” said Chairman Michael P. Kelly. “Amy and Will are top people and top lawyers – precisely the kind of people we are looking to grow with.”
Catherine Mohan, head of the firm’s Products Liability, Mass Torts and Consumer Class Actions group, said Vanni’s and Coronato’s excellence as attorneys and familiarity with active industry sectors made both desirable as laterals. “Both can handle any kind of products case, but their work in the life sciences and health care sectors make them particularly attractive to us and our existing clients,” Mohan said.
Vanni is a graduate of Widener University School of Law now known as Widener University Delaware Law School. Coronato earned his law degree at Columbus School of Law, part of The Catholic University of America, where he also graduated with a bachelor degree in politics.