Our Attorneys

James R. Dugan II 

Mr. Dugan is the founding attorney of the Dugan Law Firm, PLC. Mr. Dugan gained valuable experience working with the late Wendell H. Gauthier and the Law Firm of Gauthier, Downing, LaBarre, Beiser & Dean in the areas of class action, mass tort, and complex litigation, beginning with the seminal class action lawsuit filed against the tobacco industry on the basis of nicotine addiction, Castano v. American Tobacco, et al.

Over the years, Mr. Dugan has worked extensively in the area of pharmaceutical complex litigation representing Blue Cross of Louisiana in cases against the manufacturers of Synthroid, Fen-Phen, Rezulin, Neurontin and most recently Vioxx. He also represents the Louisiana Attorney General in the Synthroid, Baycol, and Vioxx litigations. It is this unique experience of representing consumers, health insurance companies and Attorney Generals that gives Mr. Dugan a unique perspective on working in the Pharmaceutical Litigation arena. He has also represented consumers and injured clients in a variety of pharmaceutical, aviation, railroad and maritime cases. He also has a unique ability to work with other attorneys and is always willing to work with whatever court a case is assigned to. As a result of his demonstrated skill and experience in his class action and mass tort practice, Mr. Dugan has had leadership roles and has been appointed by the court to serve in key leadership positions in a number of large, national class action cases, which include:

1. In Re: Synthroid Marketing Litigation, (MDL 1182), (1997-2004) United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Judge Elaine E. Bucklo. Mr. Dugan served as co-lead counsel in this national class action on behalf of third-party payors that were overcharged for the thyroid medication Synthroid.
   Settlement: $50,000,000.00
2. In Re: Diet Drugs Litigation, (MDL 1203), (1997-2002) United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Judge Lewis C. Bechtle. Mr. Dugan filed a national class action on behalf of third-party payors in Louisiana HMO v. American Home Products, et al. Mr. Dugan was also co-lead counsel for a large group of individually represented third-party payors.
   Settlement: $35,000,000.00
3. In Re: Propulsid Litigation, (MDL 1355), (2000-Present) United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Eldon Fallon. Mass Tort Products Liability case involving thousands of individuals injured from the use of the heartburn medicine Propulsid. Member: Plaintiff's Steering Committee.
   Settlement: $127,000,000.00
4. In Re: Rezulin Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1348), (2000-Present) United States District Court, Southern District of New York, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Mass tort products liability action involving claims by individuals for personal injury and also the healthcare industry to recoup costs associated with paying claims on behalf of members. Mr. Dugan was appointed by the court as Liaison Counsel to a class of Health Benefit Providers.
5. In Re: Industrial Life Insurance Litigation, (MDL 1371), (2000-Present) United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Martin L.C. Feldman, presiding. Case involving hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who were charged higher premiums than Caucasians for the same type of burial insurance policies. Member: Plaintiff's Executive Committee. Partial Settlement: $60,000,000.00
6. In Re: Inter-Op Hip Prosthesis Product Liability Litigation, (MDL 1401), (2001-Present) United States District court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Judge Kathleen O'Malley. Mass tort products liability case involving thousands of claims for personal injury over the recall of a defective hip implant. Member: Plaintiff's Steering Committee.
   Settlement: $1,200,000,000.00
7. In Re: Baycol Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1431), (2001-Present) United States District Court, District of Minnesota, Judge Michael Davis. Mass tort products liability case involving thousands of individuals who suffered personal injury over the defective drug Baycol. Member: Plaintiff's Steering Committee.
   Settlement: $1,300,000,000.00
8. In Re: Meridia Products Liability Litigation, (MDL 1481), (2002-Present) United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Judge James S. Gwin. Mass tort products liability case involving thousands of individuals who suffered personal injury over the defective drug Meridia. Member: Plaintiff's Steering Committee.
9. In Re: Serzone Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1477), (2002-Present) United States District Court, Southern District of West Virginia, Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Mass tort products liability case involving thousands of individuals who suffered personal injury over the defective drug Serzone. Member: Plaintiff's Steering Committee.
   Settlement: $90,000,000.00
10. In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation (MDL 1657), (2004-Present) United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Judge Eldon Fallon. Mass Tort Products Liability case involving thousands of individuals injured from the use of the prescription medication Vioxx. Co-Chair of the Purchasing Claims Committee.

In addition to Federal MDL appointments, Mr. Dugan is lead counsel in the following State Court class action cases:

1. US Agencies Casualty Insurance Company, Inc., et al v. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. (2004-Present) Judge Sanders, 60th Judicial District Court, Jefferson County, Texas. Lead counsel for a class of property damage insurers to recoup their costs paid out due to Firestone tire rollover property damage cases.
2. Roxy Wright, Rosalie F. Miranda, et al v. Tenet Louisiana, Inc., et al, (2004-Present) Judge Nadine M. Ramsey, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana. Lead Counsel for a class of uninsured patients who were billed excessive hospital charges for care.
3. Rose Goudeau, et al v. The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund, et al, (2004-Present) Judge Nadine M. Ramsey, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana. Lead counsel for a class of family members whose loved ones donated their bodies to the Tulane Willed Body Program but were sold by Tulane to third parties for profit.
4. State of Louisiana v. Bayer, et al, Case Number 04-439 (2004-Present) Judge Piper D. Griffin, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana. Lead counsel on behalf of the State of Louisiana and the Attorney General to recoup all costs expended by the State of Louisiana on behalf of the drug Baycol.

In addition to his complex litigation practice, Mr. Dugan has tried and settled numerous individual cases; some of the most notable are:

1. Lang v. CF Industries A plant explosion where the Plaintiff was burned over 30% of his body.
   Settlement: $4,250,000.00
2. Maxent v. Firestone and Ford Defective tire case.
   Settlement: $2,000,000.00
3. Brandon Williams v. New Orleans Public Belt Railroad worker injury.
   Verdict: $1,300,000.00
4. Arrington v. Amtrak Railroad worker injury.
   Verdict: $1,200,000.00
5. State of Alabama v. Boot Pharmaceuticals Represented the Alabama Attorney General to recover costs associated with the drug Synthroid.
   Settlement: $1,200,000.00
6. State of Louisiana v. Boot Pharmaceuticals Represented the Louisiana Attorney General to recover costs associated with the drug Synthroid.
   Settlement: $1,000,000.00
7. Hodges v. Illinois Central Railroad Railroad worker injury.
   Settlement: $850,000.00
8. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Booth Pharmaceuticals
   Settlement: $750,000.00
9. E'Teif v. Amtrak Railroad worker injury.
   Verdict: $750,000.00
10. Chauvin v. Firestone and Ford Defective tire case.
    Settlement: $650,000.00
11. Irons v. Liberty Mutual A Jones Act Seamen injured.
    Settlement: $550,000.00
12. Vanessa Fields v. Amtrak Railroad worker injury.
    Verdict: $550,000.00
13. Bodenheimer v. New Orleans Public Belt Railroad worker injury
    Verdict: $425,000.00

Mr. Dugan received his B.A. from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette and his J.D. from the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a member of the Louisiana Bar and has also been admitted to practice before a number of federal courts, including the Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana, and the Southern District of Alabama. Mr. Dugan is an active member in a number of respected legal associations, including the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, the Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish Bar Associations, and the Louisiana State and American Bar Associations.

Mr. Dugan's areas of practice include: Class Action Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation, Pharmaceutical Litigation, Toxic Tort Litigation, Environmental Litigation, Personal Injury, Aviation, Railroad and Maritime Personal Injury.

Mr. Dugan is also married to Heidi Dugan and they have a son, James R. Dugan, III.

Robert J. Daigre

Mr. Daigre joined the Dugan Law Firm, PLC, in September of 2004. Before joining the Dugan Law Firm, Mr. Daigre gained vast trial and litigation experience representing insurance companies and private businesses including Fortune 500 companies for over 10 years. His trial and appellate experience includes personal injury suits, property damages suits, insurance disputes, contract disputes, legal malpractice claims, construction claims and worker’s compensation. However, the primary focus of Mr. Daigre’s practice has been Admiralty and Maritime matters including Jones Act cases, collisions and allisions. He brings vast insight and experience gained through years of representing the defendants in these types of matters.

Mr. Daigre received his B.A. in Political Science, with a Minor in French, from Louisiana State University in 1990, where he was the recipient of a President’s Scholarship. He received his J.D. from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert School of Law, in 1994. While attending law school, Mr. Daigre was the recipient of a President’s Scholarship and the George M. Armstrong Scholarship. He was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1991 and is currently admitted to practice in front of all federal courts in Louisiana including the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.