Daniel E. Tranen

Life Sciences, Food & Product Mass Torts
As co-chair of Wilson Elser’s Life Sciences Practice, Daniel focuses on defending life sciences companies in individual product liability claims and mass tort litigation. For more than 15 years, he has served as national coordinating counsel handling product liability matters for a major international life sciences company and its affiliates. Daniel’s past and current work includes representing clients in mass torts involving the national pain pump litigation, the heparin contamination crisis, dozens of cases involving allegedly contaminated flush syringes, the defense (as local counsel) of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in the national meningitis outbreak, and more recently, knee implants and cold therapy devices. He has previously defended life sciences companies in cases involving spinal implants, catheters, infusers, stents, inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, dental implants, orthopedic screws, and allegedly contaminated allografts. Daniel has twice been awarded trophies for outstanding advocacy by a major life sciences insurer at its annual panel counsel meeting. 

In addition, Daniel has supervised several food-related mass torts involving alleged contamination, design defects, and labeling claims in jurisdictions throughout the country. He currently oversees the defense of mass tort matters arising from multiple E. coli outbreaks involving different food products, lead contamination of applesauce pouches, and the recall of a product from a health food subscription service based on an alleged design defect.

Insurance Coverage
Daniel represents insurers in complex coverage disputes nationwide, with a particular focus on matters in Missouri and Illinois. His experience includes directors and officers (D&O), errors and omissions (E&O), commercial general liability, and other first- and third-party coverage litigation. He also advises insurers on potential coverage issues arising from the national opioid litigation and represents insurers in related coverage litigation. Daniel previously served as one of two subcommittee co-chairs for the ABA Litigation Section’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee in the areas of food, drugs, and products liability. His experience defending life sciences companies and litigating insurance coverage disputes provides complementary perspectives that inform both areas of his practice. 

Professional & Financial Institution Liability
Daniel has represented professionals in liability matters throughout his career, with a focus on defending lawyers, engineers and other design professionals, accountants, appraisers, mental health therapists, real estate brokers, and securities industry professionals, including in FINRA arbitrations. He also assists therapists and lawyers with licensing issues and has defended medical professionals, other health care providers, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities. Daniel represents banks and other financial institutions in commercial disputes and E&O claims.

Supervision of Downstate Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri Offices
As regional managing partner of Wilson Elser’s offices in St. Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, Daniel handles, tries, and supervises a wide range of litigation matters, including appellate practice, security, premises liability, product liability, transportation and trucking, general liability, maritime litigation, cannabis law, construction defect, sex abuse, employment, and environmental law disputes throughout Missouri and southern Illinois. Under Daniel’s supervision, the St. Louis office also handles the defense of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and other statutory consumer defense claims, collection matters, and a variety of commercial litigation disputes. Daniel recently secured a defense verdict for the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club in a two-week negligence jury trial in St. Louis.