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With over 40 years of experience litigating, trying, and winning multi-million dollar cases across the country, Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP a Boston-based boutique litigation firm, has long been a national leader in the field of complex, high-stakes litigation. Each of our attorneys has the educational background, expertise, and creativity to litigate against the largest, most prominent law firms in the country - and win. As a result, we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for individuals and businesses across the United States.
News
Shapiro Haber & Urmy Secures $20 Million Settlement in Nationwide VSL#3 False Advertising Class Action
Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP has secured a $20 million proposed class action settlement on behalf of consumers who purchased the probiotic product VSL#3. The settlement resolves more than six years of hard-fought litigation against VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Leadiant Biosciences, Inc., and Alfasigma USA, Inc., in Starr v. VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Case No. 8:19-cv-02173 (D. Md.). The settlement, which is subject to court approval, will provide substantial monetary compensation to consumers nationwide who purchased VSL#3 between June 1, 2016, and June 19, 2019.
The lawsuit alleged that the defendants falsely marketed VSL#3 as containing a clinically tested and proven probiotic formulation developed by Professor Claudio De Simone, when the product no longer contained that formulation. Despite the change, defendants allegedly continued to capitalize on the extensive clinical research supporting the original formulation to market and sell VSL#3 to consumers. Plaintiffs asserted claims under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), state consumer protection laws, and other legal theories, seeking to recover damages suffered by purchasers who paid for a product that was not what defendants represented it to be.
Throughout the litigation, Shapiro Haber & Urmy and its co-counsel achieved significant victories for consumers. The plaintiffs successfully defeated defendants' motion to dismiss their federal RICO claims and numerous state-law claims. Following extensive discovery, expert testimony, and contested briefing, the plaintiffs secured for their claim under RICO the certification of a nationwide class of VSL#3 purchasers in January 2025. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit subsequently denied defendants' petition seeking interlocutory review of the class certification decision. These victories positioned the plaintiffs to negotiate a substantial settlement following mediation in early 2026.
Under the settlement, defendants will establish a $20 million non-reversionary settlement fund, meaning that no portion of the fund will be returned to defendants. Shapiro Haber & Urmy attorneys Edward F. Haber, Michelle H. Blauner, Ian J. McLoughlin, and Patrick J. Vallely worked on the case, demonstrating the firm's commitment to holding companies accountable for deceptive marketing practices and obtaining meaningful financial recoveries for consumers.
Shapiro Haber & Urmy Helps Secure $53 Million Settlement in Harvard Medical School Morgue Litigation
Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP helped secure a $53 million class action settlement for families whose loved ones donated their bodies to Harvard Medical School's Anatomical Gift Program. The settlement resolves claims against Harvard University and Mark Cicchetti, the former managing director of the Anatomical Gift Program, arising from the shocking discovery that a Harvard morgue employee had allegedly stolen and sold body parts from donated human remains. The litigation, In re Harvard Morgue Cases, was brought in Massachusetts Superior Court on behalf of families who entrusted the remains of their loved ones to Harvard for medical education and research, only to learn that the institution had allegedly failed to safeguard those remains. The settlement received preliminary court approval in August 2026 and is awaiting final approval.
The litigation followed the June 2023 federal indictment of Cedric Lodge, the longtime manager of Harvard Medical School's morgue, for his alleged role in a scheme involving the theft and sale of human remains between 2018 and 2023. Families of donors filed lawsuits alleging that Harvard and its employees failed to safeguard the donated remains and treat them with dignity and respect. Although the Superior Court initially dismissed the claims against Harvard and its employees, plaintiffs successfully appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In a significant October 2025 decision, the Commonwealth's highest court reversed the dismissal of the claims against Harvard and Cicchetti, holding that the plaintiffs had adequately alleged bad faith sufficient to overcome the statutory protections ordinarily afforded to institutions receiving anatomical gifts. That ruling allowed the families to pursue their claims and opened the door to settlement negotiations.
Under the proposed settlement, Harvard and Cicchetti will pay $53 million into a settlement fund benefiting two classes of donors' family members. The settlement represents a substantial achievement in emotionally difficult and legally complex litigation. Shapiro Haber & Urmy attorneys Edward F. Haber, Michelle H. Blauner, Ian J. McLoughlin, and Patrick J. Vallely worked to secure justice for these families and reinforce the responsibility of institutions entrusted with human remains to honor donors' dignity and the trust their loved ones place in them.