Mobilizing for Justice in the Purdue Opioid Bankruptcy
Background
In 2019, the opioid crisis continued to devastate communities across the U.S., with Purdue Pharma at the center of mounting litigation for its role in aggressively marketing addictive opioids like OxyContin. The company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of tens of thousands of claims by individuals and families who had suffered life-altering consequences due to opioid addiction.That same year, Anne Andrews, a nationally recognized mass tort attorney, approached Jacob Malherbe and the team at Mass Tort Ad Agency with a challenge: Could they help build a national referral network of law firms capable of identifying and signing up opioid victims to file claims in the Purdue bankruptcy proceedings?
Challenge
The window for filing claims was limited. Thousands of potential victims lacked legal representation or didn’t even know they qualified. The task was enormous:
- Reach and educate people about their rights.
- Connect victims to trusted legal counsel.
- Assemble and coordinate a capable team of law firms willing to act swiftly and ethically.
- Most critically: help provide closure to victims of one of the most tragic public health crises in modern history.
Anne made the goal clear: 10,000 filed claims would be a major success.
Solution
Jacob and his team got to work immediately, leveraging their deep expertise in digital advertising for legal services. Their approach included:
- Nationwide Awareness Campaigns: Facebook and Instagram ads informed people about the Purdue bankruptcy and their right to file a claim.
- Prequalified Lead Generation: A sophisticated intake process connected those affected to legal teams quickly and efficiently.
- Referral Network Assembly: Over 50 law firms joined forces, unified by the mission of helping victims seek justice and compensation.
- Claim Management Coordination: Andrews & Thornton handled the legal workup and claim filing while the referral firms ensured intake scalability.
Results
The outcome far exceeded expectations:
- 142,000 qualified leads generated.
- 87,000 claimants signed — over 8x the original goal.
- One of the largest coordinated claim efforts in the Purdue bankruptcy process.
- Thousands of individuals were empowered to seek justice and begin healing.
Impact
Beyond the numbers, this was a human story — of lives disrupted by addiction, families torn apart, and a legal system attempting to provide restitution. For Jacob and his team, the effort wasn’t just about marketing or metrics; it was about making a difference.
“It was a wonderful experience to help so many people who had become addicted to opioids. For many, this was a step toward closure.” — Jacob Malherbe
Conclusion
This case exemplifies what’s possible when technology, empathy, and legal expertise converge. By bringing together a network of law firms, digital outreach, and a shared sense of purpose, Mass Tort Ad Agency played a pivotal role in one of the most significant bankruptcy claim efforts in U.S. legal history.