Cliff Merrell focuses his practice on products liability litigation, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. As national counsel for many pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, Cliff has a wide range of experience managing products liability litigation in state court, federal court, and multidistrict litigation (MDL). His experience includes large mass tort actions as well as single plaintiff litigation. He has litigated cases involving a wide range of branded and generic pharmaceutical products for pain relief, depression, weight loss, birth control, and menopause. He has also litigated cases involving a wide range of medical devices, including insulin pumps, surgical mesh, endotracheal tubes, neurostimulators, and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Cliff’s experience includes all aspects of litigation, including managing written discovery and document productions, taking and defending expert and fact depositions, and drafting and arguing motions. He has served as trial counsel in several pharmaceutical and medical device cases that have gone to verdict in state and federal court.
Cliff is also a frequent speaker on issues related to products liability, medical device litigation, and pharmaceutical litigation.
Concentrations
•Products liability litigation
•Pharmaceutical
•Medical device
•Commercial litigation
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
•Team Member, Daily Report, Southeastern Legal Awards, 'Products Liability Group of the Year,' 2025
•Team Member, BTI’s Most Recommended Law Firms, Big Pharma, 2025
•Team Member, 'Georgia Firm of the Year,' Benchmark Litigation, 2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Dispute Resolution - Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action- Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2023-2024
•Listed, Benchmark Litigation, 'Litigation Star,' 2023-2026
•Team Member, a Law360 'Product Liability Practice Group of the Year,' 2011, 2021 and 2022
•Team Member, The American Lawyer’s “Regional Litigation Department of the Year - Georgia,” 2018 and 2021
•Team Member, The American Lawyer’s “Products Liability Litigation Department of the Year,” 2018
•Team Member, The Daily Report’s 'Georgia Products Liability & Mass Torts Litigation Department of the Year,' 2013 and 2015-2017
•Team Member, Courtroom View Network’s 'Top Defense Verdict of 2016'
•Team Member, Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly, “Top Defense Wins in 2016”
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers, 'Rising Stars,' 2014-2015
•Listed, Law360, 'Rising Stars,' Product Liability, 2014
•Listed, The Daily Report, 'Rising Stars,' 2014
•Listed, Georgia Trend magazine,'Legal Elite,' 2013
