• U.S. News
  • Lawyers »
  • Legal Topics
  • Legal Advice
  • Find a Lawyer
  • For Lawyers
  • FAQ
  • Best Law Firms
  • Lawyers
  • Legal Topics
  • Find a Lawyer
  • Find Legal Advice
  • For Lawyers
  • FAQ
  • Login

  • More from U.S. News
  • News & Opinion
    • BACK
    • News & Opinion
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Photos
    • Best Countries
    • Best States
    • The Report
  • Education
    • BACK
    • Education
    • Higher Education
      • Rankings
      • Colleges
      • Grad Schools
      • Online Programs
      • Global
      • Advice
    • High Schools
      • Rankings
      • Advice
  • Health
    • BACK
    • Health
    • Wellness
      • Best Diets
      • Food
      • Fitness
      • Family
      • Mind
      • Aging
      • Health Living
    • Healthcare
      • Doctors
      • Hospitals
    • Senior Care
  • Money
    • BACK
    • Money
    • Careers
      • Best Jobs
      • Applying
      • Interviewing
      • Salaries & Benefits
      • Work Culture
    • Investing
      • Rankings
      • Stocks
      • Mutual Funds
      • ETFs
      • Financial Advisors
      • 529s
      • Advice
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
      • Places
      • Agents
      • Advice
    • Retirement
  • Travel
    • BACK
    • Travel
      • Vacations
      • Hotels
      • Cruises
      • Rewards
      • Advice
  • Cars
    • BACK
    • Cars
      • Rankings
      • New
      • Used
      • Financing
      • Advice
  • Law Firms
    • BACK
    • Law Firms
      • Law Firms
      • Practice Areas
  • Real Estate
  • Contact
  • Employment
  • Advertising
  • Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Lawyers
Fidelma L. Fitzpatrick's Profile Image

Fidelma L. Fitzpatrick

Recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2008.
55 Cedar Street, Suite 100 Providence, Rhode Island 02903
(401) 457-7700
 | 
Firm: Motley Rice LLC
 |  Website
 
Edit Profile
  • Overview
  • Services
  • Awards
  • Education
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews & Commendations
  • More ▾
  • Overview
  • Services
  • Awards
  • Education
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews & Commendations
Edit Your Profile
To edit your Lawyer Directory information, please login to your
Best Lawyers® Admin Account.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at info@bestlawyers.com or 803.648.0300.
Overview
Firm

Motley Rice LLC


Years In Practice


Phone Number (401) 457-7700

Fidelma Fitzpatrick represents people and communities in toxic tort and environmental matters, including property damage and personal injury claims. Her experience with complex civil litigation has led her to represent other victims of corporate malfeasance, including hundreds of women allegedly injured by medical devices such as Essure® and pelvic mesh/sling products.

In addition to her toxic tort and medical casework, Fidelma also represents states, cities, counties and townships in litigation against the opioid industry, including manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. The litigation alleges the companies engaged in deceptive marketing and over distribution of highly addictive opioids to create and fuel the opioid crisis that claims thousands of American lives every year.

Fidelma is Lead Counsel of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for the coordinated Essure® litigation in California against Bayer Corp., and she serves on the PEC for Paragard® IUD multidistrict litigation filed in the Northern District of Georgia for women who suffered severe effects allegedly caused by the birth control device. She also represents hundreds of women allegedly harmed by pelvic mesh/sling products in filed cases against defendants that include American Medical Systems, Boston Scientific, C.R. Bard, Inc., and Ethicon. In 2012, Fidelma was appointed co-lead counsel of the pelvic mesh MDL In re American Medical Systems, Inc., Pelvic Repair Systems Products Liability Litigation pending in the Southern District of West Virginia. She also holds leadership roles in pelvic mesh state court litigations, including serving as liaison counsel in the American Medical Systems cases consolidated in Delaware and the Boston Scientific cases consolidated in Massachusetts.

Fidelma was co-lead trial counsel in the billion dollar lead paint pigment case, The People of California v. Atlantic Richfield Company et al., in which Motley Rice represented cities and counties, including San Francisco, Santa Clara, Los Angeles and San Diego, in litigation against national lead paint pigment manufacturers. In January 2014, the court ruled Sherwin-Williams Company, NL Industries, Inc., and ConAgra Grocery Products Company created a public nuisance by actively promoting lead for use in homes despite knowing that it was highly toxic. The California Court of Appeals, 6th appellate District, later affirmed the majority of the ruling, and remanded the case to the Santa Clara Superior Court to decide how much defendants should pay to establish an abatement fund that will be used to clear toxic lead paint from homes in plaintiffs’ jurisdictions that were constructed prior to 1951. In 2018, U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the litigation, effectively exhausting defense appeals and ensuring that an abatement fund for the removal of toxic lead paint from pre-1951 California homes will be established. This will help protect the health and safety of thousands of California children.

Fidelma held a central role in the state of Rhode Island's trial against former corporate manufacturers of lead paint pigment. She continues to manage cases seeking to hold the lead paint pigment industry accountable for the childhood lead poisoning crisis and provide restitution and compensation to affected children and families. As a result of her work for lead poisoning victims, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court became the first to recognize the legal rights of poisoned children to sue lead paint pigment manufacturers. She also played a lead role in representing the community of Tallevast, Florida, in a lawsuit against Lockheed Martin Corporation involving the pollution of the community's groundwater with PCE and TCE.

Fidelma began working with Motley Rice attorneys in 1997 on the Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island lawsuits against the tobacco industry. She serves on the Board of Regents at Canisius College and frequently speaks on environmental and mass tort topics at conferences for federal and state court judges, attorneys, academic professionals and law students.

PUBLISHED WORKS:

“Painting Over Long-Standing Precedent: How the Rhode island Supreme Court Misapplied Public Nuisance Law in State v. Lead Industries Association” Roger Williams University Law Review (Summer 2010) 

“Access to Justice: The Use of Contingent Fee Arrangements by Public Officials to Vindicate Public Rights” Cardozo J.L. & Gender (Spring 2008)

“Negligence in the Paint: The Case for Applying the Risk Contribution Doctrine to Lead Litigation” in Pace Environmental Law Review (Fall 2008)*

Please remember that every case is different. Although it endorses this lawyer, The Legal 500 United States is not a Motley Rice client. Any result we achieve for one client in one matter does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

What legal services does this lawyer offer?
Consumer Protection Law
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Awards
  • National Law Journal
    2019 Elite Women of Plaintiffs' Bar
    2018 Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers
    2015 Outstanding Women Lawyers

  • Lawdragon
    2019–2020 Lawdragon 500 Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers
    2014–2020 Lawdragon 500
  • The Legal 500 United States
    2013, 2014, 2018 Dispute resolution – product liability, mass tort and class action – toxic tort – plaintiff
  • The National Trial Lawyers
    2010–2013 Top 100 Trial Lawyers™ – Rhode Island
  • Rhode Island Super Lawyers®
    2008, 2010–2018 Environmental litigation; Personal injury – products: plaintiff; Class action/mass torts
  • Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly
    2006 Rhode Island Lawyer of the Year
  • Public Justice Foundation
    2014 Trial Lawyers of the Year
    2006 Finalist: Trial Lawyer of the Year award
Education
American University, J.D.
Graduated 1994
Canisius College, BA
Graduated 1991
Contact Details and Office Locations
Office: (401) 457-7700
55 Cedar Street, Suite 100
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
See Location
Address for Fidelma L. Fitzpatrick
Client Reviews & Commendations

Get Advice

Can Insurance Help If Your Home Is Damaged by a Hurricane?

How Much Can an Employer Dictate My Personal Style?

Can I Sue My Noisy Neighbors?

How to Find the Right Lawyer for Your Needs

How Much Does a Divorce Lawyer Cost?

Who Is Liable if a Contractor Is Injured on My Property?

Write a Client Review
{{ error.Text }}
Your client review was submitted successfully!
We've encountered an error while submitting your client review. Please try again later.
This comment will be sent to the attorney for review prior to publishing.
Disclaimer and a note about Find a Lawyer and Legal Advice »

SEARCH BY STATE

▼
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
U.S. News
  • About U.S. NewsAbout
  • Contact
  • Best Lawyers
  • Press
  • Advertise
  • Jobs
  • Copyright 2022 © U.S. News & World Report L.P.
  • Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
Login
Forgot your password?
*If you are having any difficulty accessing your account, please contact us at info@lawyerregister.com.
Premium Profiles
Expand Your Presence
Access Exclusive Tools
And Much More...
Learn More
*If you are having any difficulty accessing your account, please contact us at info@lawyerregister.com.
https://www.bestlawyers.com Best Lawyers Best Lawyers +1-803-648-0300
801 Broad Street, Suite 950 Augusta, GA 30901
  • https://twitter.com/bestlawyers
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/137775
  • https://www.facebook.com/bestlawyersllc