Draft:Arnold Levin

Levin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1964.^[1]

Upon graduating law school in 1964, Levin started his career in admiralty law. He eventually switched areas of law to class actions in the 1970s. ^[1] In 1980s, he co-founded the law firm Levin Sedran & Berman. Levin then went on to serve in leadership positions in mass litigation across the U.S. for decades.^[1]

Levin served as Co-Lead Counsel for plaintiffs in In re: Asbestos School Litigation (E.D. Pa.), a nationwide class action brought by over 30,000 school districts seeking damages from manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials used in school construction.^[2] This litigation arose after Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act in 1986. The Environmental Protection Agency regulations that followed this act forced several schools to implement asbestos abatement procedures. In a significant ruling for asbestos litigation, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that the private and public school districts could be properly certified as an opt-out class for compensatory damages.^[3]

Levin served as Co-Lead Counsel of the Plaintiffs’ Management Committee and Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel in In re: Diet Drugs Litigation, MDL No. 1203 (E.D. Pa.). ^[4] The litigation involved the diet drugs Fen-Phen, which were withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1997 after studies linked the drugs to heart-valve damage.

The litigation produced a nationwide class action settlement with Wyeth (formerly American Home Products) for $3.75 billion in 2000. ^{[5] [6] [7]} Subsequent claims and medical monitoring payments significantly increased the total amount paid by Wyeth. In 2005, the company reported that it had set aside $21.1 billion to cover the overall costs of the litigation. ^[8] Levin was identified extensively in national media coverage in this litigation. He was quoted speaking to the press about the mechanics of the litigation, the proposed settlement in place, and the attorney fees to be made.^{[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]}

Levin served as Lead Counsel for plaintiffs in In re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2047 (E.D. La.).^[15][16] The litigation arose from the widespread use of imported Chinese drywall during the mid-2000s in the United States. Homeowners alleged that the drywall emitted toxic gases that damaged the physical structure of homes while also causing respiratory health problems for the people who lived in them. Thousands of homes across multiple states were affected, particularly in Gulf Coast states where rebuilding followed Hurricane Katrina. The case resulted in a series of settlements and remediation programs funded largely by Chinese manufacturer Knauf. The agreements ultimately provided approximately $1 billion for repairs and compensation for affected homeowners.^[17]

Levin served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in In re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1657 (E.D. La.). ^{[18] [19] [20]} The plaintiffs in this litigation alleged that the drug caused heart defects and increased the risk of heart attack and stroke. Merck agreed in 2007 to a global settlement of approximately $4.85 billion to resolve thousands of claims by individuals who alleged cardiovascular injuries associated with the drug.^[21]

In the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation (D. Alaska), he served on the Trial and Discovery Committees and acted as lead counsel in claims brought on behalf of individual fishing permit holders, Native corporations, Native villages, and related business claims. ^[1]

In In re: National Football League Players’ Concussion Litigation, MDL No. 2323 (E.D. Pa.), Levin served as Subclass Counsel for Subclass 1 in the class action settlement involving thousands of claims by former professional football players who alleged long-term neurological injuries from repeated head trauma (Concussions in American Football).^[22] In 2013, the NFL and former players reached a proposed $765 million settlement. ^[23]

Levin died on September 20, 2024 at age 85.^[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2025.^[24]