Michelle A. Parfitt is a Senior Partner in the law firm of Ashcraft & Gerel, L.L.P.

Over the last twenty-seven years, she has distinguished herself as a champion of individual rights as well as a leader before the bar in the area of mass torts, specializing in pharmaceutical, medical device and product liability cases. She currently heads the Mass Tort practice section of Ashcraft & Gerel, L.L.P. and has had the privilege of representing thousands of individuals in various state and federal courts across the country who have filed suit against pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. Ms. Parfitt has won numerous trials and appeals in a wide variety of cases including medical malpractice cases, pharmaceutical and medical device cases and construction liability cases.

Ms. Parfitt received her undergraduate degree from Northeastern University and master’s degree from Michigan State University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was later awarded her Juris Doctor from Hofstra Law School in 1980. She is a past president of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and has served as an officer and member of the Board of Governors for that association since 1998. Ms. Parfitt is also a past committee member for the TLA-DC’s Women’s Trial Education programs. Currently she sits as a Board member on The Council for Court Excellence located in Washington, D.C., which is a nonpartisan, civic organization that works to improve the administration of justice in local and federal courts. This Council also works with related organizations nationwide. Additionally, she has been selected by her peers to be included in “Best Lawyers in America”, “Super Lawyers” and “Best Lawyers in Washington, DC” publications.

Ms. Parfitt has also had the opportunity to serve in numerous leadership and committee positions for the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the District of Columbia Bar and the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia (WBA). She has been an active lecturer and author on mass tort litigation, scientific and medical evidence in pharmaceutical and medical device cases for the American Association for Justice (AAJ), State Bar Associations and numerous national continuing legal education programs.

As a member of AAJ, Ms. Parfitt has served as Co-Chair of its Diet Drug Litigation Group. As a member of the District of Columbia Bar, she has served as a trial mediator appointed by the District of Columbia Court in complex personal injury matters.

In the Women’s Bar Association, Ms. Parfitt has Co-Chaired its Sections on Litigation, Immigration and Naturalization and Executive Endorsements. She has an AV Martindale­Hubbel rating and is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, Virginia State Bar, The Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.

Within Ms. Parfitt’s practice concentration in the area of pharmaceutical litigation, she is held in high regard for her commanding knowledge in the areas of medical science and expert testimony preparation. Her reputation in this area is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that she has been appointed by Judges of several Federal District Courts to a variety of leadership posts in Federal Multi-District Litigations.

Recently, Ms. Parfitt was appointed to In Re: Gadolinium Based Contrast Agent Litigation, MDL No. 1909, Plaintiff’s Steering Committee, Science, Discovery and Expert Committees.

Previously, Ms. Parfitt was appointed to In Re: Fosamax Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1789, Plaintiffs Steering Committee; In Re: Ortho Evra Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1742, Plaintiffs Steering Committee, Science and Discovery Committee; In Re: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1407, Plaintiff’s Steering Committee, Science and Discovery Committee; In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1657, Science and Discovery Committee; In Re: Zyprexa Products Liability Ligitation, MDL No. 1596, Science and Discovery Committee; In Re: Rezulin Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1348, Science and Discovery Committee; In Re: Propulsid Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1355, Science and Discovery Committee and In Re: Diet Drugs Phentermine/Fenfluramine/Dexfenfluramine) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 1203, Science and Discovery Committee

WASHINGTON, DC
Suite 400
2000 L Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.20036
Telephone (202) 783-6400
Fax (202) 416-6392