Due to be implemented across Member States by December 2026, the new EU Product Liability Directive (PLD) introduces a fundamental shift in life sciences legal risk, marked by potential reversals of the burden of proof onto defendants, expanded disclosure obligations and new limitation periods of up to 25 years. When coupled with other EU developments, including the growth of third-party litigation funding, these changes are expected to increase exposure to class actions and multiparty litigation, drive higher insurance costs and make the defence of product liability claims materially more complex for life sciences companies. This session will examine the key changes under the EU PLD and explore their implications for life sciences companies operating across Europe.
Simon Neill
Zoe Kimberley
Zoe is a Life Sciences law specialist with over 20 years’ experience in private practice and industry. She is the Area Counsel for Europe. Before this Zoe was the Legal Director for AbbVie UK & Ireland and then led the AbbVie legal team in Europe South and Central Eastern Europe. Zoe is a litigator by background and has specialized in product liability and representative/class actions since qualification in London with DAC Beachcroft.
Zoe joined AbbVie (then Abbott) in 2011 after 5 years at Clayton Utz in Sydney. Here she specialized in product liability litigation, class actions and pharma regulatory law. In Australia, Zoe worked on numerous high-profile matters including the VIOXX litigation for Merck/MSD.
Zoe holds an LLB from University College London. She is admitted to practice in England & Wales and New South Wales, Australia.