K&L Gates Advises US Chamber of Commerce Coalition in New Jersey Supreme Court Case on Expert Testimony Standards

Global law firm K&L Gates LLP represented a coalition led by the US Chamber of Commerce in the filing of an amicus brief and oral argument in Beavan v. Allergan USA, Inc., before the New Jersey Supreme Court.

The amicus brief urged the state’s highest court to clarify the trial courts’ gatekeeping role in assessing the reliability of an expert’s methodology, arguing that such disputes should be resolved by the court rather than submitted to a jury.

In its decision, the New Jersey Supreme Court confirmed that trial courts must meaningfully evaluate the reliability of an expert’s methodology, including in medical cases where experts rely on a differential diagnosis to establish causation of injury.

The US Chamber of Commerce and its coalition partners regularly participate in appellate litigation to address issues affecting the business community, including evidentiary standards that shape civil litigation nationwide.

“The court’s decision underscores the importance of rigorous judicial review of an expert’s methodology and reinforces the critical role trial judges play in ensuring that such evidence meets appropriate standards before reaching a jury,” said Varu Chilakamarri, a partner in K&L Gates’ Washington, DC office.

The K&L Gates team that contributed to the matter included Chilakamarri, Harrisburg partner David Fine, and Newark associate Erin Cassidy.