Brett Ashton Mason

Brett defends clients primarily in the health sciences and tobacco sectors in litigation involving mass tort, personal injury, and wrongful death claims in state and federal courts across the U.S. In an era where civil cases rarely go to trial, she has the distinction of serving as trial counsel or in a trial support role for 20 civil jury trials and one major construction arbitration.

Brett combines a thorough understanding of the scientific underpinnings of a case with courtroom-tested legal strategies to help create an effective defense. She is involved with all aspects of discovery, trial preparation, and trial practice, including taking and defending depositions, motions practice, witness preparation, trial strategy development, and witness examinations at trial. In addition to her experience with national mass tort MDLs involving medical devices and other therapeutic products, Brett has served as trial counsel for a global tobacco manufacturer in trials across the U.S., from Massachusetts to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Brett is an in-demand speaker, teacher, and writer on a variety of legal topics by several national bar associations, including the American Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute (DRI) and the Association of Corporate Counsel. She presents on a variety of topics, including amendments to Federal Rule of Evidence 702 at the ABA’s Current Events in Business Litigation Conference, and teaching an interactive webinar on cross-examination of expert witnesses.

Brett is also gaining experience in the new and ever-changing area of generative AI, particularly as it affects her clients and the practice of law. As the vice chair of DRI’s AI Task Force, she provides thought leadership and proactive assessment of the law to help her clients face new challenges brought by the use of AI across industries. She hosts “The Good Bot,” a comprehensive podcast series that delves into the intersection of AI, health care, and the impact of the law on the advancement of technology in this area.

Brett actively maintains a pro bono practice that focuses on advancing social justice. She represented a Guatemalan woman seeking removal protection under the Convention Against Torture initiative in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in a successful appeal and a reversal of the Board of Immigration Appeal’s ruling for her removal from the U.S. In 2022, she led a team of attorneys to successfully defend a prominent rabbi in Atlanta’s Jewish community against claims related to his advisory role to synagogue members which also led to a successful result — the rabbi was dismissed from the matter entirely.

• Be Our Guest Investments, LLC, v. Piedmont Park Conservancy, Inc., No. 2020-CV-334447 (Fulton County Superior Court) (2025) – Trial counsel for the Piedmont Park Conservancy in a contract / construction dispute with a former tenant. The jury found that the plaintiff breached the lease agreement and awarded the Conservancy compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees.
• King v. DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., et al., No. CV-23-00196-PHX-SMB (D. Ariz.) (2024) – Trial support counsel for DePuy Orthopaedics and Johnson & Johnson in hip implant case. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Ahmed v. Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Inc. et al., No. 1:22-cv-190 (S.D. Ala.) (2024) – Trial support counsel for DePuy Orthopaedics and Johnson & Johnson in a hip implant case. Secured complete defense verdict.
• Benestad, et al v. Ethicon, Inc., et al., No. 0:20-cv-60496 (S.D.Fla.) (2023) – Trial support counsel for Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson in a pelvic mesh case remanded from the MDL proceedings. The plaintiff sought more than $10 million in damages. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Dandy v. Ethicon Women’s Health and Urology, et al., No. 3:20-CV-00431 (D.N.J.) (2023) – Trial support counsel for Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson in a pelvic mesh case remanded from the MDL proceedings. The plaintiff sought more than $10 million in damages. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Johnson v. BioSense Webster, Inc., No. 19-CV-35 (Eau Claire County, Wis. Cir.) (2023) – Trial support counsel for BioSense Webster, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, in a catastrophic injury case involving a patient who developed a stroke following a cardiac ablation procedure. Claims against our client resolved mid-trial.
• Terri Freeman, et al v. Ethicon, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-10661-CBM (C.D.CA) (2022) – Trial support counsel for Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson in a pelvic mesh case remanded from the MDL proceedings. The plaintiffs requested $50 million during closing arguments. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Delancy v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, No. 2008-CA-000067 (Martin County, FL) (2019) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a wrongful death case for a long-time smoker’s cancer death. The plaintiff sought more than $3 million in compensatory damages as well as punitive damages. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Collar v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, No. 312011CA000115 (Indian River County, FL) (2019) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a personal injury case for a long-time smoker’s alleged smoking-related illness. Trial ended in mistrial.
• Duignan v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, No. 13-010978-CI (St. Petersburg, FL) (2018) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a personal injury case for a long-time smoker’s alleged smoking-related illness. Trial ended in mistrial.
• Brown v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, S. Ct. Civ. No. 2019-0049 (U.S.V.I.) (2018) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a wrongful death case for a long-time smoker’s cancer death. Large majority of verdict overturned by the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands in 2022.
• Gerald v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, S. Ct. Civ. No. 2019-0050 (U.S.V.I.) (2018) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a wrongful death case for a long-time smoker’s cancer death. Large majority of verdict overturned by the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands in 2022.
• Kelsey v. R.J. Reynolds, No. 2007 33215 CICI (Volusia County, FL) (2018) – Trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in a wrongful death case for a long-time smoker’s cancer death. The plaintiff sought more than $20 million in compensatory damages as well as punitive damages. Secured a complete defense verdict.
• Obtained favorable defense verdicts for a global medical device manufacturer manufacturer as supporting trial counsel in five trials.
• Represented a global pharmaceutical company in ongoing product liability matters arising out of recalled knee injections, including obtaining a favorable defense result on summary judgment.
• Served as counsel for a pelvic mesh manufacturer defending various product liability matters upon remand from an MDL.
• Represented a global medical device manufacturer in a matter involving a neurostimulator device.
• Successfully defended multiple wrongful death claims arising out of alleged negligence by one of Georgia’s largest hospital systems.

• LMG Life Sciences: U.S. Rising Star – Litigation & Enforcement (2025)
• DRI G. Duffield Smith Outstanding Publication Award (2025)
• DRI Richard H. Krochock Award (2024)
• Legal 500 United States for Product Liability Litigation (2023-2024)
• Benchmark Litigation: “40 & Under List” in Georgia (2024-2025)
• Georgia State University Alumni Association: 40 Under 40 Class of 2022
• Best Lawyers in America®: Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2023-2026); Commercial Litigation (2023)
• Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation (2021, 2022)
• Georgia Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2018-2020)
• DRI Young Lawyers Committee Award Rookie of the Year (2016)