Overview
Angie Puentes-Leon has extensive experience litigating individual and mass tort matters in state and federal courts in Florida and throughout the United States. She represents domestic and foreign clients in product liability litigation and complex commercial litigation. Her practice focuses on defending clients in personal injury and wrongful death actions that involve products and consumer goods related to industries that include automotive, aviation, pharmaceutical and medical device, and food. Her experience includes presenting opening statements and conducting direct and cross-examinations in multiple jury trials.
Angie is the food, beverage, dietary supplement, and personal care products industry group co-leader. She has spoken and published on a variety of legal issues within her experience and is a contributor and editor of the firm’s Food for Thought.
Featured Insights
Experience
Trial Experience
- Provided legal issues and trial support in state court case in Florida on behalf of a global chemical company in defense of asbestos personal injury action, which resulted in a verdict in favor of the company (August 2015).
- Provided legal issues and trial support in state court case in Florida on behalf of a global chemical company in defense of asbestos personal injury action ultimately resolved through settlement during trial (February 2013).
- Green v. Dang, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Represented plaintiff in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action against several police officers for injuries sustained during an arrest (2010).
- Felipe v. Ford Motor Co., Broward County, Florida. Five-week trial representing Ford Motor Co. in a rollover product liability action. Plaintiff alleged enhanced injuries as a result of roof crush (2007).
- Zocaras v. Castro, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Represented plaintiff in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action against several police officers for injuries sustained during an arrest (2005).
Representative Published Opinions
- Logopaint v. 3D Sport Signs SI, 219 F. Supp. 3d 1197 (S.D. Fla. 2016). Defended patent infringement lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court against a European-based international marketing and advertising company specializing in on-field advertising during sporting events. The court granted defendants’ summary judgment motion and ruled there was no evidence of patent infringement.
- Dorsch v. Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd., No. 8:11-cv-00441, 2011 WL 5459716 (M.D. Fla. Nov. 10, 2011), reconsideration denied, 2012 WL 1565447 (M.D. Fla. May 2, 2012). Removed an aviation product liability suit to federal district court based on the doctrine of fraudulent joinder and defended against the plaintiffs’ attempts to remand to state court.
- Fitzpatrick v. General Mills, Inc., 635 F.3d 1279 (S.D. Fla. 2011). Represented General Mills Inc. in a class action against the manufacturer of specifically formulated yogurt. Consumers alleged that manufacturer's claims about yogurt violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) and the manufacturer breached express warranty.
- Beale v. Biomet, 492 F. Supp. 2d 1360 (S.D. Fla. 2007). Summary judgment on behalf of medical device manufacturer on the basis that the learned intermediary doctrine barred deceptive advertising claims and overpromotion exception to learned intermediary doctrine was inapplicable.
- Reyes. v. Grijalba, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (2006). Represented plaintiffs in a suit brought for compensatory and punitive damages under the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act against a colonel in the Honduran army on behalf of victims of torture, abduction and extra-judicial killing by death squads in the early 1980s in Honduras.
Representative Experience
- Defended U.S.-based consumer product manufacturer from federal action by competitor asserting claims for false advertising pursuant to the Lanham Act, tortious interference with economic relations, defamation, and libel relating to online reviews of the manufacturer’s product.
- Represented U.S.-based consumer product manufacturer against a competitor in a federal action asserting common law and federal Lanham Act claims for trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, and for violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) relating to the online marketing, internet paid advertising, search engine optimization, and online reviews of the manufacturer’s product.
- Represented U.S.-based multinational food manufacturer in a putative class action asserting violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) relating to the marketing of snack products.
- Counsel for global chemical company in the defense of all asbestos personal injury and wrongful death actions filed in state and federal courts throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida.
- Defended a Europe-based aircraft manufacturer in product liability litigation in state and federal courts in the United States arising from fatal accidents in general aviation allegedly caused by design and manufacturing defects.
- Represented U.S.-based multinational food manufacturer in a putative class action asserting violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) relating to the marketing of yogurt products.
- Counsel for medical device manufacturer in product liability and warnings case involving personal injury and the learned intermediary doctrine arising out of orthopedic medical device.
- Represented national restaurant chain in action for negligent security involving the shooting of a restaurant patron in the restaurant parking lot.
- Represented pool pump manufacturer in federal court in Florida in litigation against component part manufacturer who designed and sold heat exchanger that caused pool pumps to fail and resolved through settlement shortly before trial.
- Defended drug and device manufacturer in personal injury cases in multiple jurisdictions arising out of the use of surgical gel used as an adhesion barrier during gynecological surgeries.
- Represented a group of health care providers who established a medical malpractice risk management trust fund to provide coverage against professional medical malpractice liability in all breach of contract matters filed in Miami-Dade County, Florida, to collect unpaid assessments levied by the fund against its members for fund deficiencies.
- Represented U.S.-based auto manufacturer in numerous product liability cases involving wrongful death and personal injuries allegedly caused by design and manufacturing defects.