Maria Fleming is a complex litigation attorney with a focus on regulatory compliance. She works in the Cleveland, Ohio office of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. Maria served as plaintiff trial counsel in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL Bellwether trials of Lake and Trumbull Counties. In this role she was responsible for all of Plaintiffs’ exhibits to be introduced in trial and submitted to the jury. She also has experience leading depositions and motion practice involving opioid litigations across the country.
On February 28, 2023, Judge Mary M. Rowland, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, issued an order (https://images.law.com/contrib/content/uploads/documents/292/144406/Hair-relaxer-hrg-nts-3.2.23-leadership-mtn-list-of-names.pdf) appointing Maria to a leadership position for the hair product litigation cases in MDL 3060: In Re: Hair Relaxer Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation. Maria currently serves as part of the discovery subcommittee.
As a regulatory litigator who has significant experience in mass torts, Maria shares her insights and involvement in the hair relaxer MDL 3060 In this interview with MTN, she discusses her journey into mass tort litigation, her role in the discovery committee, and the impact of hair relaxers on women of color.
Maria shares some background about her career path, what she learned from her role in the opioid litigation, and the transition to the hair relaxer MDL. Maria's enthusiasm for learning and adapting to the ever-changing field of law shines through as she discusses the challenges and rewards of being a litigator.
She shares her insights on mentorship and diversity, lauding her law firm - Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC - specifically Hunter Shkolnik, Paul Napoli, and Marie Napoli - for their innovative approach to diversity and inclusion, and to ensuring access to leadership opportunities and other professional development tools.
As someone with experience using hair relaxers, Maria dives headfirst into the impact of hair relaxers on her own family members and other women of color. An open book, Maria candidly shares her own experience with hair relaxer, from her memories of using it throughout her childhood to that moment when she learned about the harmful effects of hair relaxer use and ceased all use of the product. Maria empathizes with her clients, many of whom have experienced fibroids and cancer (uterine or ovarian) due to the use of chemical hair relaxers.
The video explores the deceptive marketing tactics employed by hair relaxer manufacturers, their failure to disclose potential harm, and the misrepresentation of their products' safety. Maria highlights the claims made in the hair relaxer lawsuits, including fraudulent misrepresentation, wrongful death, and the failure to adequately label or market the products.
Don't miss this eye-opening discussion that sheds light on the hidden dangers of hair relaxers and Maria Fleming's dedication to seeking justice for those affected. Watch now to gain insights into the world of mass tort litigation and the impact it can have on individuals and communities.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-fleming-9b4236131/
https://www.napolilaw.com/attorneys/maria-fleming/
Remember to subscribe and follow us on social media…
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mass-tort-news
