Hope S. Freiwald

Hope S. Freiwald is a trial lawyer at Dechert LLP, whose practice includes a broad range of product liability, toxic tort, commercial, and consumer class action cases. Ms. Freiwald has served as trial and coordinating defense counsel for numerous companies faced with complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation, typically involving scientific and public health issues.

Ms. Freiwald currently represents a major manufacturer of baby food in litigation alleging that its products cause neurodevelopmental harms. She has previously led numerous expert development teams, including in defense of one of the leading manufacturers of opioid medicines.

Ms. Freiwald currently leads Dechert’s expert development team in defense of one of the leading manufacturers of opioid medicines. She has served as coordinating defense counsel in multi-district litigation involving testosterone replacement therapy and also represented the largest on-line retailer of nutritional supplements in product liability litigation arising out of a recalled ingredient. Previously, she has served as trial or coordinating counsel in litigation involving antipsychotics, COX-2 inhibitors, statins, blood factor concentrates, contact lens solution, acne medication, cardiac pacemakers and latex gloves. In addition, she has worked on behalf of manufacturers of consumer products ranging from airbags to fire safety equipment.

Ms. Freiwald also represents clients in internal investigations and advises companies on reducing and managing risks. She has helped clients understand and develop strategies for reducing risk related to prescription drugs and devices, asbestos and silica exposure, ground water contamination, athletic gear, luxury boats and electronics. 

Ms. Freiwald also has an active pro bono practice. She successfully represented the widow of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty with an unlawfully purchased handgun, obtaining not just monetary compensation but also changes in the defendant seller's employee training and customer screening practices. She also co-authored an amicus curiae brief that was cited by the Obama administration before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case.

She has been highlighted as a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation since 2013 for her general commercial and product liability practices and as a “Life Sciences Star” by LMG Life Sciences since 2012. Ms. Freiwald also has been noted for her work in mass tort, class action and product liability litigation by US News and Best Lawyers in America, which in 2013 named her “Lawyer of the Year” in Philadelphia for defendants in product liability litigation. Ms. Freiwald is a graduate of Brown University (magna cum laude) and Columbia Law School. Before joining Dechert, she clerked for the Honorable Jan E. DuBois (E.D.P.A.).