Contact Info
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Phone: 404.504.7673
Fax: 404.365.9532
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Seslee S. Mattson is a partner in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice. Ms. Mattson has a national practice focusing on the defense of companies in products liability lawsuits. Ms. Mattson has served as national counsel for several Fortune 500 companies in products liability multi-district, class action and mass tort litigation. In addition to her experience as national counsel, she has defended companies in large exposure, catastrophic individual product liability lawsuits.
Ms. Mattson also has extensive experience representing local and long haul motor carriers in federal and state regulatory compliance matters, as well as in the defense of regulatory and civil actions. In addition, she has counseled motor carriers in the development and implementation of safety programs and strategies, including driver training, hazardous material hauling and equipment maintenance, designed to avoid and minimize litigation. Ms. Mattson is well versed in the statutes and regulations governing intra and interstate hauling, transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous materials and the insurance requirements governing motor carriers. She also has represented multiple truck trailer manufacturers with safety equipment compliance issues and in the defense of products liability actions involving underride and other truck trailer catastrophic losses.
Ms. Mattson has successfully defended products liability lawsuits involving a variety of products and component parts, including truck trailers, ladders, pharmaceuticals, asbestos, hospital beds, batteries, aerial lifts, medical devices, personal cosmetics, building products, grout sealants, pressure treated wood, and insulation products. Representative clients include: Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Clairol Hair Product, Inc., Matrix Essentials, Inc., Bristol Myers Squibb, R.D. Werner, Inc., U.S. Pipeline and Foundry, SulzerMedica, Hill-Rom Home Care, Great Dane Trailers, Inc., TrailMobile, Utility Trailers, Inc., Advanced Vehicles Systems, Altec, Inc., and American Home Products.
In addition to her extensive products liability practice, Ms. Mattson also has experience in representing clients involved in complex insurance coverage disputes.
Recent Cases
- In re Stand N Seal Litigation (MDL Docket No. 1804, USDC, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division)
This multi-district litigation case involved alleged claims of pulmonary and neurological injuries following use of a spray grout sealant known as Stand 'n Seal sold in approximately 1,300 Home Depot stores nationwide. This was one of the largest pending MDL proceedings in the United States. Ms. Mattson served as co-lead counsel in connection with the first five bellwether cases in the Stand ‘n Seal MDL, which were tried to a complete defense verdict in April 2010.
- Steven H. Larsen & Leanne L. Larsen v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. (Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Civil Action No. 05-AS-02956)
Ms. Mattson served as co-lead counsel in this four-week trial, resulting in a complete defense verdict. This product liability case involved claims of a carpenter's alleged toxic exposure to arsenic and chromium from CCA pressure treated wood. This was one of dozens of CCA treated woods lawsuits filed against Home Depot, including several national class actions, successfully defended by Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP.
- Jay Martin and Sarah Martin v. The Home Depot, et. al., District Court - City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, Civil Action No. 05-CV-4007
Complete defense verdict after two-week trial involving alleged toxic exposure to CCA pressure treated wood.
- Jacobs v. Osmose, Inc., et al., 213 F.R.D 607 (S.D. Fla. 2003)
Successful defense of putative national class action involving CCA pressure treated wood product.
- Miller v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., 199 F. Supp. 2d 502 (W.D. La. 2001)
Successful defense of putative national class action involving chromated copper arsenate pressure treated wood.
Honors and Affiliations
Named, The Best Lawyers in America, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2012
Honored, Georgia Trend Legal Elite - General Practice/Trial Law, 2011
ABA Real Property, Probate and Trusts Journal, Projects Editor
American Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
International Association of Defense Counsel
Professional Speaking & Lecturing
Panelist, "Playing Like a Man, Winning Like a Woman,” UGA Terry College of Business Professional Women's Conference (2010)
Speaker, The Legal Aspects of Conducting Business in the United States: Litigation, Contractual and Regulatory Issues Impacting Foreign Product Manufacturers, China Ministry of Commerce’s 2008 Symposium on Standards, Environmental Protection, Packaging, Safety, Examination, Quarantine, Authentication, Technical Barriers and the Correlated Product Responsibility in Export Trade, Beijing China (2008)
Moderator, Corporate Witness Depositions: Practical Tips and Guidelines, ABA Women in Products Liability Annual Meeting (2007)
Speaking Engagements
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