Genevieve Zimmerman

Attorney with Meshbesher & Spence

Genevieve presently serves as court-appointed Co-Lead Counsel for plaintiffs in the “other 3M MDL” – MDL 2666: In re Bair Hugger Products Liability Litigation assigned to the District of Minnesota. The Bair Hugger litigation includes claims brought by patients who allege the patient warming system caused deep joint infections following total hip and total knee replacement surgeries. The MDL has been to the 8th Circuit and back on Daubert issues, and is re-ramping up in 2023.

Genevieve is also Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs in MDL 2775: In re Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Products Liability pending in the District of Maryland. The MDL includes claims brought on behalf of patients who required revision surgery as a result of defective BHR products. Plaintiffs successfully defeated preemption on a PMA hip, and tried the first MDL bellwether case in July 2021. After a three-week trial, the jury agreed Smith & Nephew was negligent for its false or misleading communications to orthopedic surgeons. In late 2022 the majority of the claims pending in the MDL were successfully resolved.

Since 2013, Genevieve has served as a court-appointed member of the Plaintiffs’ Lead Counsel Committee for MDL 2441: In re Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, and is also one of four attorneys appointed to the Settlement Committee for the Stryker MDL, which helped to negotiate a settlement in excess of $1.43 billion.

Additionally, in May of 2019, Genevieve was appointed to the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee of the 3M Combat earplug litigation MDL, and has worked on a number of other MDLs over the past 20 years.

Pro bono and public service has always been important to Genevieve. In October 2019, she joined her husband to try the first defamation case on behalf of parents who were subjected to vile conspiracy theories alleging the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a hoax. She obtained a jury verdict for Lenny Pozner, who was defamed by conspiracy theorists who claimed Sandy Hook never happened, that Noah Pozner never existed, and that Lenny forged his son’s death certificate. The civil justice system is, in my view, uniquely suited to stop some of these fear mongers and hold them accountable for their demonstrably false and harmful words and speech. Courts have rules, and lawyers can “Use Their Powers for Good”. Truth matters. Our society is increasingly tolerant of so-called “alternative facts”. Lawyers have the ability to use the court system to stop some of that.

During 2007-2009 Genevieve spent 75% of her professional time helping survivors and families who lost loved ones in the I-35W Bridge Collapse, pro bono. The pro bono consortium recovered over $75 million for the victims. She has also represented immigrants and victims of domestic violence who needed guidance through the court system, and high school students seeking equal access to public school facilities under the First Amendment.

Genevieve is currently enjoying her time as the immediate Past President for the Minnesota Association for Justice, having served on the Board of Governors since 2009, and was proud to receive the “Member of the Year” award in 2012, and the “Star” award in 2021. Genevieve is a past member of the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice.

When not in court or working her way there, Genevieve spends time shuttling her teenagers from ultimate frisbee practice to downhill ski practice (downhill, not down mountain) in St. Paul, MN, or better yet, in Steamboat, Colorado whenever time permits.

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