Doug Wabner is a leading trial lawyer with a focus on products liability and defense actions involving medical and surgical devices and pharmaceuticals. He also has experience handling matters involving household products, various types of mechanical devices, motor vehicles, oil and gas, construction equipment, toxic torts, and firearms. Doug has been involved in numerous trials—serving as both first and second chair—in federal and state courts across the country.
- Served as trial counsel in a mass tort pharmaceutical matter; cases are pending in various federal and state courts; involved in strategy, discovery and case work-ups
- Served as the head of a team defending an international pharmaceutical company in mass tort pharmaceutical litigation pending in a federal MDL, various state court coordinated proceedings, and in individual state courts; involvement includes strategy, discovery and the management of a team of lawyers throughout the country
- One of two lawyers retained by a major pharmaceutical company to formulate and negotiate a mass tort settlement; a multi-billion dollar resolution program resulted, which led to in excess of 99% of the claims being resolved
- Served as national trial coordination counsel in connection with defending an international pharmaceutical company. Trial cases are pending in a federal MDL, in various state court coordinated actions, and in various individual state courts.
- Trial counsel in recent wrongful death lawsuit involving a pharmaceutical product. Defense verdict was obtained.
- Served as a national team member and a trial team member in defending two major healthcare companies involved in and with medical products; matters were pending in various state and federal courts; managed a team of lawyers from multiple firms and served as co-counsel in trials involving the product at issue; all trials were successful, including one that resulted in a directed verdict for the client after a three-week trial; a successful settlement program was implemented after such trials
- Served as a member of a team involved in a mass tort pharmaceutical matter concerning an anti-depression product; involvement included activities in both federal and state courts
- Served as lead counsel in defending a company involved with line-locating services in the oil and gas industry; suits were filed after a gas line explosion involving a fatality and injuries to others; successful settlements were reached on the eves of trials and after extensive discovery
- Served on national teams in large mass tort matters involving a cholesterol medication, a pain management medication, and a colon-cleansing product; involved in strategy, discovery, and trials
- Served as lead trial counsel for a major manufacturer of construction equipment; one case, involving multiple plaintiffs was tried over a six-week period; results were favorable, which led to a successful settlement of the remaining 80+ claims
- Served as co-counsel in a federal court trial involving a household product; a defense verdict was obtained after a weeklong trial
- Assist and consult with in-house counsel (both US- and non-US-based entities) regarding litigation avoidance, preparation, handling and strategies. Advise clients on matters regarding discovery issues, document retention issues, trial issues, resolution issues and overall strategy matters.
- Tried numerous personal injury cases to verdict in various Texas state and federal courts
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- US District Court, Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
Education
- Southern Methodist University, J.D., 1985: SMU Law Review
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, B.A., History/Applied Life Sciences, 1982
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Commercial Litigation in Dallas, TX (2023-2025)
- Named to the Who’s Who Legal, Product Liability Defense, Law Business Research Ltd. (2019)
Professional Activities
Instructor
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy
Member
- Defense Research Institute
- State Bar of Texas
- Texas Bar Foundation
- Dallas Bar Association
Related Practices
Related Industries