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Chilton Varner focuses on product liability, business torts, contract and other commercial disputes. As a partner in our Mass Tort and Toxic Tort practice, Chilton defends corporate clients in a range of commercial litigation.

With 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer, Chilton represents clients in mass tort litigation, class actions and multi-district litigation. She has served as trial and appellate counsel for a number of the country’s largest pharmaceutical, medical device and automotive manufacturers.

Chilton was appointed to the Federal Civil Rules Advisory Committee by Chief Justice William Rehnquist in 2004 and reappointed by Chief Justice John Roberts in 2007, where she participated in drafting amendments governing electronic discovery and changes to the rules governing summary judgment, expert discovery and information-gathering from third parties and corporate executives.  In 2012-13, Chilton was President of the American College of Trial Lawyers.  She is currently President of the Supreme Court Historical Society.

Chilton became the first woman partner in our litigation practices in 1983. She speaks regularly on women’s issues and has taught a session of the Temple University Graduate Program in Litigation titled “Women as Trial Lawyers.” She also gave the Kolsby Distinguished Lecture in Trial Advocacy at Temple University Law School in 2014.

In 2016, Chilton was recognized as a Life Sciences Star by LMG Life Sciences and identified as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 U.S. She was also recognized by Benchmark Litigation in its 2016 edition of Top 250 Women in Litigation.

Since 2003, Chambers USA has recognized Chilton as a leader in Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Trial practice, and since 2005 as one of the country's best lawyers as well as a Band 1 Product Liability lawyer. And in 2015, Chambers USA also ranked her in Band 1 of trial lawyers nationally and in Band 1 of Georgia commercial litigators.  In 2019, The Best Lawyers in America named her for her work in appellate practice, bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, mass tort litigation/class actions-defendants, personal injury litigation-defendants and product liability litigation-defendants.

Full Bio

Credentials

J.D., Emory University, with distinction

A.B., Smith College, with distinction

Georgia

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

American College of Trial Lawyers

American Law Institute

Supreme Court Historical Society

"A great strategist, and the kind of lawyer you go to when you have big problems."


Chambers USA

Life Sciences Star


LMG Life Sciences, 2016

Leading Individual


Legal 500 U.S.

Top 250 Women in Litigation


Benchmark Litigation, 2016

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Trial Practice


Chambers USA, 2003 to Present

Band 1: Product Liability


Chambers USA, 2005 to Present

Band 1: Trial Lawyers Nationally


Chambers USA, 2015

Band 1: Georgia Commercial Litigators


Chambers USA, 2015

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Recognition

"A great strategist, and the kind of lawyer you go to when you have big problems."


Chambers USA

Life Sciences Star


LMG Life Sciences, 2016

Leading Individual


Legal 500 U.S.

Top 250 Women in Litigation


Benchmark Litigation, 2016

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Trial Practice


Chambers USA, 2003 to Present

Band 1: Product Liability


Chambers USA, 2005 to Present

Band 1: Trial Lawyers Nationally


Chambers USA, 2015

Band 1: Georgia Commercial Litigators


Chambers USA, 2015

Matters

Co-lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Fosamax MDL (D.N.J.) for Merck.

Lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Paxil MDL (C.D.Cal.) for GlaxoSmithKline.

National trial counsel for a major defendant in hundreds of cases in In re Silicone Breast Implants MDL (N.D.Ala.).

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Matters

Co-lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Fosamax MDL (D.N.J.) for Merck.

Lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Paxil MDL (C.D.Cal.) for GlaxoSmithKline.

National trial counsel for a major defendant in hundreds of cases in In re Silicone Breast Implants MDL (N.D.Ala.).

Insights

Article · Source: The Law Reviews

March 28, 2023
The Product Regulation and Liability Review: Editors' Preface

View all

Matters

Co-lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Fosamax MDL (D.N.J.) for Merck.

Lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Paxil MDL (C.D.Cal.) for GlaxoSmithKline.

National trial counsel for a major defendant in hundreds of cases in In re Silicone Breast Implants MDL (N.D.Ala.).

Close

Matters

Co-lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Fosamax MDL (D.N.J.) for Merck.

Lead counsel for hundreds of cases in In re Paxil MDL (C.D.Cal.) for GlaxoSmithKline.

National trial counsel for a major defendant in hundreds of cases in In re Silicone Breast Implants MDL (N.D.Ala.).

Insights

Article · Source: The Law Reviews

March 28, 2023
The Product Regulation and Liability Review: Editors' Preface

View all

Credentials

J.D., Emory University, with distinction

A.B., Smith College, with distinction

Georgia

American Academy of Appellate Lawyers

American College of Trial Lawyers

American Law Institute

Supreme Court Historical Society

"A great strategist, and the kind of lawyer you go to when you have big problems."


Chambers USA

Life Sciences Star


LMG Life Sciences, 2016

Leading Individual


Legal 500 U.S.

Top 250 Women in Litigation


Benchmark Litigation, 2016

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Trial Practice


Chambers USA, 2003 to Present

Band 1: Product Liability


Chambers USA, 2005 to Present

Band 1: Trial Lawyers Nationally


Chambers USA, 2015

Band 1: Georgia Commercial Litigators


Chambers USA, 2015

Close

Recognition

"A great strategist, and the kind of lawyer you go to when you have big problems."


Chambers USA

Life Sciences Star


LMG Life Sciences, 2016

Leading Individual


Legal 500 U.S.

Top 250 Women in Litigation


Benchmark Litigation, 2016

Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Trial Practice


Chambers USA, 2003 to Present

Band 1: Product Liability


Chambers USA, 2005 to Present

Band 1: Trial Lawyers Nationally


Chambers USA, 2015

Band 1: Georgia Commercial Litigators


Chambers USA, 2015