Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP Expands into Tennessee with Addition of Acclaimed Litigator Charles F. Barrett

Strategic hire strengthens firm’s Southeast presence and product liability practice

WASHINGTON, DC — Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP announces a significant expansion into Tennessee with the addition of Charles F. Barrett as partner to lead its Product Liability Practice. Barrett brings decades of experience litigating complex cases in state and federal courts nationwide, with particular expertise in class actions, antitrust matters, and commercial disputes.  

Throughout his distinguished career, Barrett has played pivotal roles in numerous landmark cases, including securing a $140 million RICO verdict against Pfizer and successfully representing hundreds of policyholders in Hurricane Katrina insurance litigation. He was also instrumental in the high-profile Hale v. State Farm class action and represented international financial institutions in complex commercial disputes. 

“The addition of Charles Barrett not only brings exceptional litigation talent to our firm but also establishes our presence in Tennessee, a strategic market for our continued growth,” said Charles J. LaDuca, Firm Chairman, Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP. “His deep roots in the Southeast and experience handling complex product liability cases and class actions will significantly enhance our ability to serve our clients throughout the region.”  

A recognized leader in his field, Barrett has received numerous accolades, including consistent recognition in The Best Lawyers in America ® for Commercial Litigation, Antitrust Litigation, and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions. He was also honored with the American Antitrust Institute’s 2024 Antitrust Enforcement Award. 

“Joining Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca represents an exciting opportunity to expand the firm’s footprint into Tennessee and the broader Southeast market,” said Barrett. “The firm’s commitment to excellence and its track record of successfully handling complex litigation aligns perfectly with my experience and vision. I look forward to growing our presence in Tennessee while continuing to serve our clients with the highest level of advocacy.” 

Barrett’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, class actions, and antitrust matters. He has extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes litigation across multiple industries, including healthcare, insurance, and financial services. His addition to Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca further strengthens the firm’s position as a leader in complex litigation and class actions. 

The Nashville office will serve as a hub for the firm’s Southeast operations, focusing on complex commercial litigation, class actions, and antitrust matters across multiple industries, including healthcare, insurance, and financial services. This expansion reflects the firm’s commitment to strategic growth and its mission to provide exceptional legal representation to clients throughout the United States.

Judge Grants Class Certification in Turkey Antitrust Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. – National consumer-rights law firms, Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP and Barrett Law Group, P.A. announced today that United States Federal Judge Sunil Harjani handed down an opinion certifying a class of restaurants and other commercial indirect plaintiffs who allege that the nation’s largest turkey producers conspired to illegally inflate turkey prices. The ruling, issued on January 22, 2025, also certified a consumer class and rejected the turkey producers’ attempt to exclude Plaintiffs’ economic experts. The case will now proceed toward trial in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

“We appreciate the thorough and thoughtful opinion from Judge Harjani, who examined the evidence in great detail,” said Michael Flannery, partner of Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP and co-lead class counsel for the commercial plaintiffs, along with Sterling Aldridge of Barrett Law Group, P.A. “This decision is incredibly important to our clients, who look forward to proving at trial how they were harmed by turkey producers’ conspiracy that put profits above all else.”

In the 71-page document granting class certification, Judge Harjani stated, discussing the commercial class: “[Plaintiffs’ expert Dr. Russell Mangum] found that all or nearly all class members suffered some antitrust injury, which he confirmed by testing for impact at the individual class member level using a customer-specific regression methodology. The Court is satisfied that, for class certification purposes, [Dr.] Mangum’s regression analyses are common proof that all or nearly all direct purchasers paid overcharges because of the conspiracy and passed those overcharges to the [Commercial and Institutional Purchaser Plaintiffs a/k/a] CIIPPs.”

The certification enables restaurants, food suppliers, and other commercial entities impacted by the alleged price-fixing conspiracy to collectively pursue their claims, streamlining the process for seeking damages at trial. The class period covers purchases made between January 2010 and December 2016, and includes institutional food providers such as private schools and corporate cafeterias.

About Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP

Cuneo Gilbert & LaDuca, LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with offices in Washington, DC, New York, NY and St. Louis, MO. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.cuneolaw.com.

About Barrett Law Group, P.A.

From its home office in Lexington, Mississippi, Barrett Law Group, P.A. represents clients and litigates cases throughout the nation, including cases involving antitrust, insurance scams, defective products and pharmaceuticals, and consumer fraud. For more information, please visit https://barrettlawgroup.com/.