Edward W. Gerecke

Ed Gerecke is a litigator with more than 30 years’ experience defending product manufacturers, with a focus on prescription drug and medical device defense in which he has led in the development of industry-specific defenses. Ed is also certified as a circuit civil mediator by the Florida Supreme Court.

Ed takes a tactical approach from the start of a matter, working with clients to formulate and achieve their litigation plan consistent with overall business goals. He is an efficient, effective problem-solver who communicates the information clients need to make decisions that advance their strategy. He is adept at prioritizing and planning to achieve maximum efficiencies, whether through resolution in court or by settlement.

Ed’s recent honors include being named the Best Lawyers 2024 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" and the 2023 Product Liability Litigation - Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" in Tampa.

• Shuker v. Smith & Nephew, PLC, 885 F.3d 760 (3d Cir. 2018). In a case of first impression, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that the plaintiff's negligence, strict liability, and breach of implied warranty claims against our client, a medical device manufacturer, were expressly preempted under the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The plaintiff's claims involved a hip-replacement system that consisted of a number of component parts subject to different categories of federal regulation.
• Grubbs v. DePuy Synthes, No. 8:15-cv-00443, 2016 WL 360610 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 19, 2016) (granting summary judgment because the plaintiff failed to allege the violation of any federal requirement in the PMA device components that he received).
• Marshick v. Johnson & Johnson, No. 5:14-cv-00498, 2015 WL 9266955 (M.D. Fla. Dec. 11, 2015) (granting summary judgment when the plaintiff lacked expert proof of general and specific causation).
• Teva Pharm. Indus., Ltd. v. Ruiz, 181 So. 3d 513 (Fla. 2d DCA 2015) (reversing denial of motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction when general jurisdiction was lacking and the plaintiff failed to establish specific jurisdiction and sufficient minimum contacts to satisfy due process).
• Marmol v. St. Jude Med., 132 F. Supp. 3d 1359 (M.D. Fla. 2015) (dismissing claims against PMA medical device under implied preemption and lack of a remedy to enforce FDA regulations or requirements).
• Ocasio v. C.R. Bard, Inc., No. 8:13-cv-01962, 2015 WL 3496062 (M.D. Fla. June 3, 2015) (granting summary judgment on warnings claim for lack of an expert on inadequacy and rejecting any inference of a manufacturing defect).
• Homaday v. Smith & Nephew, Inc., 994 F. Supp. 2d 1264 (M.D. Fla. 2014) (wrongful death claim in third amended complaint related back to original filing for purposes of the statute of limitations).
• Brown v. DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., 978 F. Supp. 2d 1266 (M.D. Fla. 2013) (granting summary judgment under Riegel preemption and Wolicki-Gables for lack of a parallel claim and no nexus between FDA warning letter and alleged injury).
• Kaiser v. DePuy Spine, Inc., 944 F. Supp. 2d 1187 (M.D. Fla. 2013) (dismissing claims with prejudice, before discovery, under Riegel preemption and Wolicki-Gables for failing to specify a parallel claim or allege noncompliance with a formal performance standard established by the FDA).
• Layton v. SmithKline Beecham Corp., No. 05-CA-007440, 2012 WL 4983778 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Oct. 16, 2012) (an evidentiary hearing is not required to determine entitlement to attorneys’ fees and costs based upon a proposal for settlement).
• Wolicki-Gables v. Arrow Int'l, Inc., 634 F.3d 1296 (11th Cir. 2011 (affirming summary judgment under Riegel preemption and affirming that inference of defect did not apply).

• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• The Best Lawyers in America
  • ​Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2005–2024) 
  • Tampa "Lawyer of the Year"
    • Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants (2016, 2019, 2021, 2024)
    • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2014, 2017, 2023)
• Florida Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine (2006–2023)
• Who’s Who Legal, Life Sciences - Product Liability (2016–2021, 2023)
• Who’s Who Legal, Product Liability Defence (2006–2020, 2023)
• Who’s Who Legal: Florida, Life Sciences, Product Liability Defence (2020)
• Chambers USA (2007–2013)

• American Board of Trial Advocates (2007–2022)
  • President, Tampa Bay Chapter (2012)
• Defense Research Institute (1992–2022)
  • Drug and Medical Device Committee
• Thirteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (2008–2012)
  • Chair (2011–2012) 

• "Defenses in Drug and Medical Device Litigation," DRI Drug and Medical Device Committee 
  Young Lawyers Seminar, Chicago, IL (September 20, 2016)
• "Defenses in Drug and Medical Device Litigation," DRI Drug and Medical Device Committee Young Lawyers Seminar, Chicago, IL (September 30, 2014)
• "Preemption Survey and Update," ACI Drug and Device Conference, New York, NY (December 9, 2013)
• "Nanotechnology: It Really Is a Small World," DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar, Chicago, IL (May 6, 2011)