California Lawyer - Attorneys of the Year Awards for 2004

In March 2005 the editors of California Lawyer announced the 41 California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year Awards, in which they recognize those attorneys around the state whose work has had a profound, far-reaching impact in 2004 or whose achievements in 2004 are expected to have such an impact in the coming years. This year, they identified 30 accomplishments in 15 areas of legal practice that reflect the breadth and depth of sophistication in the work performed by California lawyers. The attorneys honored changed law, broke new ground in various practice areas and business sectors, and substantially influenced public policy.

Karen Barth Menzies, partner in Baum Hedlund's Los Angeles office, won in the Litigation category.

"Karen Barth Menzies is the lead attorney in dozens of antidepressant suicide and violence cases involving Paxil and Zoloft and has testified numerous times before both state and federal committees on the risks of antidepressant medications. In October, after she testified before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee that use of these drugs may cause some minors to be suicidal, the FDA mandated that drug companies add a "black box" warning to more than 30 antidepressants and also announced plans to conduct an investigation into the suicide risk in adults. Also in 2004, Barth Menzies was appointed lead counsel [In MDL-1574, In re Paxil Products Liability Litigation]. She reviewed claims, strategized with co-counsel, coordinated the filing of lawsuits in dozens of states involving thousands of individuals, and oversaw substantial discovery. The first five cases are set for trial in May."