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OUR PEOPLE

Adriane R. Theis

Partner

Ms. Theis has significant experience with many facets of mass torts.

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Ms. Theis’s practice is primarily focused on mass tort resolution and settlement.  As national settlement counsel and as a neutral, Ms. Theis has experience negotiating, structuring, and administering settlements, ranging from resolution of individual cases to aggregate settlements. Ms. Theis has been responsible for analyzing complex scientific concepts and evaluating claims in order to develop compensation matrices and to facilitate the equitable allocation of settlement funds. She has also worked with lien administrators and bankruptcy trustees to help usher settlements to completion.

As Special Master of Wave Discovery in In re 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2885, Ms. Theis oversaw the expedited case-specific discovery of several concurrent waves each consisting of hundreds of cases. She coordinated with both plaintiff and defense leadership to facilitate the orderly and efficient completion of discovery. Ms. Theis also mediated case-specific discovery disputes as they arose. 

Finally, Ms. Theis has experience with MDL common benefit fund administration. She has assisted in creating systems and processes for attorney common benefit time and expense submission, overseen the development of common benefit budgets, and monitored common benefit contributions, expenditures, and work. She also has assisted with evaluating attorney MDL contributions for the allocation of common benefit awards.   During her free time, Ms. Theis enjoys playing Euchre, watching horror movies, and cooking for friends.​

NOTABLE MATTERS

3M Combat Arms Earplugs Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2885

​Appointed by U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida as Special Master overseeing Wave discovery

Retained as Special Master to develop compensation matrix, evaluate claims, allocate settlement funds, and administer extraordinary injury fund in a private aggregate settlement involving claims related to a medical device.

Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation, No. 1:17-md-2782

Assisted Special Master Ellen Reisman with claim evaluation and allocations, including extraordinary injury appeals

GM Ignition Switch Litigation

Assisted Special Master Ethan Greene in evaluating claims and allocating settlement funds, including appeal awards, to plaintiffs in a private settlement alleging personal injury and wrongful death claims

Atrium Medical Corp. C-Qur Mesh Products Liability Litigation,

MDL 2753

Along with Special Master Ellen Reisman, designed and implemented injury model, contributed to development of settlement administration processes and operations, and evaluated claims to allocate settlement funds fairly and equitably.

Abilify (Aripiprazole) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2734

Assisted Common Benefit Special Master Ellen Reisman with the allocation and administration of plaintiffs’ common benefit fund, resulting in an agreed-upon allocation of fees and expenses reflected in a Report & Recommendation which was then adopted by the Court.

Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. & American Medical Systems

Represents Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and American Medical Systems, Inc. in settlement of pelvic mesh product liability actions in multi-district litigation in federal district court and developed processes to administer aggregate settlements efficiently.

SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS

HarrisMartin’s MDL Conference, July 2019 • Settlement Issues for the Plaintiff and the Defense
• Instructive Guidance for Navigating Today’s Mass Tort Landscape

Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts, December 2022​ • Ethics of Complex Litigation​
• Discovery Issues in Mass Torts and Class Actions

Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts, Women's Summit, February 2023​ • Settlement in Mass Torts:  Helping Each Other Understand the Opportunities and Challenges​

GWU Law Bench & Bar Conference, April 2023​ • Judicial Review of Mass Tort Settlements​

HarrisMartin's The Art of Litigation:  Crafting a Better Practice, November 2023​ • The Art of Change:  Understanding the Importance of Rules Change in Federal Practice​

Trial Lawyers of Mass Torts, December 2023​ • Ethics in Legal Marketing​

EDUCATION &
PRIOR EXPERIENCE

Associate, Arnold & Porter LLP 2010, 2011-2015 (Washington, D.C.)

Law Clerk, Hon. Noël Anketell Kramer District of Columbia Court of Appeals (2010-2011)

J.D. 2009, University of Michigan Law School Magna cum laude, Order of the Coif

B.A. 2006, Haverford College

BAR ADMISSIONS,
MEMBERSHIPS,
& RECOGNITION

Ms. Theis is admitted to the bars of Michigan and the District of Columbia

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Fellow of the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals

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Selected for Washington DC Rising Stars List 2017-2020

© 2025 by Reisman & Theis LLP

Reisman & Theis LLP maintains this website to provide general information about the firm and the services it provides to its clients. The information on this website is not intended as legal advice, and anyone receiving this information should not act on it without consulting professional legal counsel.

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DISCLAIMER

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