Chang, Simon

As Of Counsel to the firm of Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams, Eric J. O'Bell practices primarily in the area of consumer fraud, securities litigation, products liability, class action and other personal injury and wrongful death cases.

In addition to representing hundreds of individual clients, Mr. O'Bell has been appointed as co-lead class and co-liaison counsel in a number of national and state class actions. He has also been involved as a committee member of various discovery and trial teams across the country in a variety of cases in which large settlements were reached including the following:

In Re: Silicone Gel Breast Implant Litigation, MDL-926;

In Re: Pedicle Screw Product Liability Litigation, MDL-1014;

In Re: Chemical Release at Bogalusa, 22nd Judicial District Court, Parish of Washington, State of Louisiana, No. 73,341;

Marzell Ike Dumas, et al v. Angus Chemical, et al, Fourth Judicial District Court, Parish of Ouachita, State of Louisiana; No. 92-1707;

Castano, et al v. The American Tobacco Company; United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, CA No., 94-1044;

Sandra Kim, et al v. Newpark Resources, Inc., United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, CA. No. 06-02150;

Mr. O'Bell is also serving as Lead Counsel for a proposed class of residents of Plaquemines Parish devastated by flooding from levee breaches following Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. O'Bell obtained his bachelor or arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his law degree from the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. In addition to presenting at various seminars around the country, Mr. O'Bell is also a member of Loyola Law School's skills curriculum faculty where he frequently lectures on Louisiana class action procedure and multi-district litigation.

Mr. O'Bell is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and Pennsylvania State Bar Associations and is admitted to practice in both states. He is also admitted in the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. O'Bell is also a member of the Louisiana Association of Justice, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Bar Association.