Jessalyn H. Zeigler

As both a seasoned litigator and crisis management strategist, Jessie Zeigler has represented clients in some of the nation’s most high-profile cases over the last 25 years. From her defense in Tennessee wildfire litigation, precedent-setting opioid cases, and victories on behalf of automobile industry clients, Jessie has obtained favorable results and saved clients hundreds of millions of dollars.

Jessie successfully obtained summary judgment in nine consolidated cases on behalf of a tree company against allegations of negligence and nuisance in wildfire litigation in which the plaintiffs sought approximately $45 million in claims. She recently served as counsel in a precedent-setting opioid litigation and win at the Tennessee Supreme Court, defending an international pharmaceutical company in court rooms across Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia in litigation that has made national headlines. She also argued the first-ever Tennessee Supreme Court Zoom hearing (held during the pandemic) and, along with a joint defense group, won a huge victory for her product manufacturer client, and product manufacturers generally, in a ruling that held that a product manufacturer cannot be held liable in Tennessee for failing to warn about the risks of another product manufacturer’s products.

Recognized by Chambers, Benchmark Litigation and others as a leader in the field, Jessie is widely regarded as one of the top product liability and environmental lawyers in the country. As chair of the Products Liability & Torts practice at Bass, Berry & Sims, Jessie leads a cross-office team in representing clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to privately-owned companies.

Jessie approaches every new products case with an attention to detail, diligence and agility that enable her to quickly master the science behind the product as well as the product’s history, attributes and value to formulate effective strategies to meet even the most complex and aggressive legal challenges.

Her counsel has saved clients millions in losses across various industries – including pharmaceutical/life sciences, medical device, automotive, chemical, consumer products, food and beverage, healthcare, manufacturing, and pulp and paper – as they have faced claims related to crisis management, environmental, health & safety, products liability, healthcare liability, or contracts. Jessie represents clients in claims related to deceptive business practices under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the False Claims Act (FCA).

Her practice involves:

• Wildfire Litigation ­– Providing strategic advice to minimize liability and potential exposure; providing timely counsel with a plan of action when a fire occurs; notifying and working with insurance providers; immediate identification of necessary experts; evidence preservation; litigation holds; witness interviews; causation and alternate causation analyses; public relations assistance; advising and assisting with all actions necessary to prepare for litigation; aggressively defending litigation including seeking case consolidation, if appropriate, and pursuing dispositive motions on matters of law/early resolutions.
• Products Liability & Mass Torts – Handling class action claims, multi-district litigation (MDL), and single-action claims for various types of product and mass tort cases including pharmaceutical, medical device, food, supplements, asbestos and automotive companies; conducting quality assurance audits of trial team preparations for MDL cases set for trial nationwide; handling warranty/Magnuson-Moss claims; and conducting compliance assistance and handling government investigations by regulatory authorities including recalls and food liability claims under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) watch.
• Environmental, Health & Safety and Toxic Torts – Representing clients in litigation and non-litigation matters related to water rights, contamination (including voluntary programs and federal or state Superfund sites), mold claim defense, toxic torts, citizens suits, FEMA funding appeals, compliance investigations and citations in actions involving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), citizen suits and private rights of action.
• Appeals – Routinely litigating in state and federal courts with two recent Tennessee Supreme Court victories, three state court of appeals wins, and a string of federal circuit court victories; providing strategic thinking, creative arguments, and skilled oral advocacy.
• Natural Gas – Handling of disputes related to unauthorized natural gas hedging charges, including allegations of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and deceptive business practices under the TCPA and the FCA.
• Crisis Management/Catastrophic Loss – Providing timely counsel with a plan of action when a crisis hits, such as death and significant injury events at manufacturing plants, including handling OSHA or other governmental notifications and investigations; notifying and working with insurance providers; immediate identification of necessary experts; evidence preservation; litigation holds; public relations assistance; getting the facility operational; review and updating of health and safety plans; preparation of crisis management plans; and advising and assisting with all actions necessary to prepare for the possibility of litigation.

Jessie is actively involved in the legal profession and currently holds leadership positions in the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and the Network of Trial Lawyers.