A trial lawyer known for representing plaintiffs in prolific class action cases died May 22, leaving behind one of the most complex federal cases in history.

Paul J. Hanly Jr., 70, was one of three members of the plaintiffs' executive committee overseeing multidistrict litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors consolidated in the Northern District of Ohio. The Simmons Hanly Conroy shareholder spent the latter half of his 40-year legal career as a trial lawyer exclusively representing plaintiffs, in total recovering more than $1 billion in settlements for clients.