Without a doubt, our clients have placed their trust in the best hands possible. The attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg are among the most dedicated, knowledgeable attorneys I’ve ever worked with. And it is a privilege to join their efforts in holding companies responsible for their wrongdoings.
Bharati Sharma joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 2021, bringing two decades of experience handling complex plaintiffs’ consumer class action, pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, and class action securities fraud litigation. At Weitz & Luxenberg, Ms. Sharma is handling defective drug and device cases for us. Specifically, her focus is on ovarian cancer caused by exposure to talcum powder.
Litigation Experience
In various law firms over the years, Ms. Sharma has helped secure millions of dollars on behalf of her clients. In her work handling consumer class action litigation, she achieved settlements valued in excess of tens of millions of dollars. She represented clients in over 30 class actions and assisted in obtaining a top-10 class action settlement in New Jersey.
While working at a law firm handling plaintiffs’ pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, Ms. Sharma assisted in obtaining a $72.6 million pharmaceutical verdict. She oversaw NexGen knee, DePuy hip, and transvaginal mesh litigation, representing clients in both federal and state courts nationwide.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Sharma handled plaintiffs’ class action securities fraud litigation and assisted in securing settlements totaling $116.5 million. At the same firm, she also represented clients in pharmaceutical and medical device product liability litigation. Notably, she oversaw all aspects of hormone therapy litigation in state court, as well as the multidistrict litigation. She second chaired two winning trials of over one million dollars each. The first trial resulted in a $1.5 million verdict, and a retrial resulted in a $3 million verdict.
Before her work on behalf of plaintiffs, Ms. Sharma served for four years as defendants’ counsel in Pennsylvania and New Jersey pharmaceutical, commercial, and casualty defense litigation. Although successful in obtaining defense verdicts in the majority of her arbitrations for clients, she recognized the work she most wanted to do was on behalf of plaintiffs injured by the harmful actions and decisions of large companies.
Prior to that, Ms. Sharma clerked for the Honorable Stephen Skillman, Presiding Judge Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.
A Life-Changing Experience
As an undergraduate, Ms. Sharma participated in a program called Semester at Sea. She explained it was life changing as, “It was during this experience I decided I wanted to go to law school. I always knew I wanted to help people. I just wasn’t sure yet how I would do it. Then I saw the state and plight of women and children, the hardships, poverty, and suppression people were facing in countries like Russia and India, and the aftermath of the civil war in Cambodia,” she explains.
“The ship we traveled on was not a luxury cruise ship like the ones we hear about so much today,” she laughs. “This was back in 1994. We were there to learn. We visited orphanages and met with people who had suffered great loss, physically and emotionally. This experience changed me forever and I knew then that to help people I needed to help change the system.”
Companies Should Not Play God
“It is truly despicable when companies take away our right and ability to make informed decisions about our own bodies. They decide what dangerous chemicals go into the foods we eat, or the medications we take, or the products we buy and then make massive amounts of money at the expense of people’s well-being, even sometimes their lives,” Ms. Sharma points out.
“These actions are completely unacceptable and outrageous. I am excited to be a part of Weitz & Luxenberg’s efforts to use every legal avenue and resource possible to hold these companies accountable and achieve a just outcome for our clients,” Ms. Sharma emphasizes.
Everything Is About My Clients
“I went to law school to help people. At times my work has involved technical violations in statutes or specific wording in other legal documents,” Ms. Sharma says.
“But what I find most rewarding is working with and helping people one-on-one. During depositions, I want to make my clients feel comfortable, safe, and protected. When it comes to final outcomes, I want my clients to feel vindicated. For them to have justice. For me, the work is never about me. It’s always about helping my clients and achieving the best possible result I can for them,” Ms. Sharma declares.
Educational Background and Credentials
Ms. Sharma is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and State of New Jersey. She also is admitted to the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey and Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
She entered practice in 2001 following completion of her legal studies at American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., where she obtained a juris doctor degree and was a member of the International Law Review. Ms. Sharma also holds a M.P.A. from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., received in 1998 with honors; and a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1995.
Outside of Work
Outside of work, Ms. Sharma loves spending time with her family, as well as cooking, traveling, and exploring different countries and cultures. She also enjoys city life and trying the new restaurants always popping up in Philadelphia, where she lives.
Associations and Licenses
• American Association for Justice
• New Jersey Association for Justice
• National Association of Consumer Advocates
• North American South Asian Bar Association
• South Asian Bar Association of Philadelphia
