MDL Common Benefit Experience
Amy Collins has substantial experience providing common benefit consulting and auditing services in multidistrict litigation and state court coordinated proceedings nationwide. She provides independent, third-party services to MDL leadership, fee committees, special masters, and courts. The following matters are representative of her background and experience providing common benefit services.
MDL 2804, In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio National Distributors & Janssen Settlement
October 2021 - present
After the National Opiate Distributors and Janssen Settlements were finalized, the MDL court appointed a Fee Panel and Cost and Expense Fund Administrator to oversee awards of attorneys’ fees and costs. Ms. Collins was appointed as one of three assistants to the Fee Panel and Cost and Expense Fund Administrator. Her work includes assisting in the drafting of orders and development of the protocol to receive and analyze fee and expense applications; reviewing time and expense submissions for compliance with applicable orders and the settlement agreements; and providing reporting and support to the Fee Panel and Administrator in furtherance of their duties.
Cordis IVC Filter Consolidated Litigation, In re Dunson v. Cordis Corporation, Case No. RG16812476, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Alameda
December 2021 – present
Ms. Collins was retained by co-lead counsel to advise on the common benefit fee and expense allocation protocol and to analyze and provide reporting on the time and expenses submitted.
MDL 2975, In Re: Paragard IUD Products Liability Litigation, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
May 2021 – present
Ms. Collins was hired by co-lead counsel at the beginning of the MDL to consult in the drafting of the common benefit order entered by the court. She prepared a billing guide to assist the firms in preparing their time and expense submissions and trained the firms on the process via a webinar. Her continuing work includes reviewing the monthly time and expense submissions, identifying deficiencies, and preparing reports for co-lead counsel.
MDL 2942, In Re: Zantac (Ranitidine) Products Liability Litigation
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
July 2020 - present
Ms. Collins was hired by co-lead counsel at the beginning of the MDL to consult in the drafting of the common benefit order entered by the court. Her work includes reviewing the monthly time and expense submissions, identifying deficiencies, and preparing reports for co-lead counsel.
MDL 2641, In Re: Bard IVC Filter Products Liability Litigation
United States District Court for the District of Arizona
May 2020 - present
As the multidistrict litigation over product liability issues relating to Bard’s inferior vena cava (IVC) filter wound down, the Fee Committee retained Amy Collins as an independent, third-party consultant and advisor to assist the Committee and lead counsel on the common benefit review process. Her work includes drafting the protocol order for the Court that guides the process by which firms submit fee applications, including final common benefit time and expenses, method by which the Committee reviews the submissions, and rules for determining allocation recommendations.
Her responsibilities also include advising the Committee on best practices; reviewing time and expense submissions; making recommendations to the Committee; and providing assistance with reports and orders for the Court relating to the final common benefit allocation.
MDL 2804, In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
September 2018 - present
Amy Collins was retained by co-lead counsel as the common benefit time and expense auditor in the multidistrict litigation against manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids. Her responsibilities include consulting with the co-leads on best practices for the process of common benefit review approach; conducting detailed review and analysis of all firm time and expense submissions to identify billing errors and irregularities in order to maintain the integrity of the process; and providing customized data, analysis, and reports to facilitate the common benefit determinations and distribution.
Since beginning her work on this matter in September 2018, Ms. Collins has reviewed and analyzed more than 1 million hours of common benefit time and continues to review and report on time and expenses submitted each month by more than fifty (50) participating law firms.
MDL Nos. 2187, 2325, 2326, 2327, 2387, 2440, and 2511, In Re: Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation
United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
2017 - 2019
In her law practice, Amy Collins worked on the transvaginal mesh (TVM) multidistrict litigation with her partner, who was co-lead counsel. Her work extended throughout the litigation, including the negotiations that led to settlement. During the MDL, she worked with the Fee Committee as a time and expense reviewer and provided reports to the leadership and Fee Committee.
Additional Information & Inquiries
From our office in Houston, Texas, we provide independent third-party common benefit consulting and auditing services nationwide in multidistrict litigation and state court coordinated proceedings. We welcome inquiries about our services and can be reached by phone at (281) 788-7697.