Brian Devine

Brian J. Devine
Partner
SEEGER • SALVAS LLP
455 Market Street, Suite 1530
San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: (415) 981-9260
Fax: (415) 981-9266

e-mail: bdevine@seegersalvas.com

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Brian Devine is one of the founding partners of Seeger Salvas LLP. His litigation practice focuses on complex product liability matters. And his results speak themselves: In the last few years alone, he has recovered more than $20 million for the plaintiffs he represented and he has helped to guide two defendants out of financial peril by helping to negotiate global product liability settlements of $1 billion and $100 million.

Product Liability Litigation

Brian’s unparalleled depth of knowledge of orthopedic implant litigation stems from his years working in the medical device industry. Brian attended law school at night while working as the risk manager at Sulzer Medica, a firm based in Switzerland that made complex medical devices such as pacemakers, heart valves, and orthopedic implants. As Sulzer Medica’s Assistant General Counsel, Brian was responsible for all of the firm’s product liability cases worldwide. When the company suddenly had to recall several thousand hip and knee implants in December 2000, Brian was given lead responsibility for managing the resulting avalanche of litigation. He managed thousands of individual cases and directed attorneys in almost every state in the country. He also managed a federal Multi-District Litigation proceeding and several coordinated state court proceedings. He then took a leading role in negotiating a nationwide class-action settlement which literally saved the company from financial disaster. Brian helped guide Sulzer Medica from the brink of bankruptcy, increasing its share price by 650 percent from $2 per share to over $15 per share after the settlement was confirmed.

In 2002 Brian founded the law firm Seeger Salvas LLP with his partners Ken Seeger and Adam Salvas. At Seeger Salvas, Brian represents plaintiffs in orthopedic and medical implant cases. Brian’s legal and medical knowledge combined with the unique perspective he gained while in-house makes him a formidable adversary. Brian’s skill as an advocate is best proven by his results. In the last few years alone, he has recovered more than $20 million for his clients. He has scored five victories in excess of $1 million, and his largest victory is a $3.7 million settlement on behalf of a single client.

Brian’s experience includes managing litigation at all stages of the lifecycle from pre-litigation through appeal. Additionally, Brian has significant experience managing coordinated actions, both in federal court and state court. In the last few years alone, Brian has participated in four federal Multi-District Litigation proceedings and several state coordinated proceedings.  He is currently representing patients affected by the DePuy hip replacement recall.

Brian has been invited to share his unique perspective on product liability litigation with both medical device companies and groups of attorneys representing plaintiffs. He has written extensively about medical device litigation, most recently publishing two articles about medical device litigation in California’s Civil Litigation Reporter.

Much of Brian’s time is devoted to pro bono cases. He works with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights where he successfully represents clients seeking political asylum. His most memorable case involved a Colombian woman who had to flee her homeland after witnessing the assassination of a high-profile political leader. Brian obtained asylum for her at the Immigration Court and he successfully defended the favorable ruling before the Board of Immigration Appeals.