As he prepares to take on Toyota over vehicle defects, Mark Lanier of The Lanier Law Firm in Houston has been singled out as one of "The Decade's Most Influential Lawyers" by the editors of The National Law Journal. Lanier is the lone plaintiffs' attorney recognized by the NLJ for this list, and one of only four lawyers highlighted for their work in litigation matters, along with famed courtroom attorneys Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Brendan Sullivan Jr. of Williams & Connolly; and Theodore Wells Jr. of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. The NLJ calls Lanier a "superstar among plaintiffs' lawyers," while noting his massive win in the nation's first trial over the popular pain medication Vioxx. Lanier's $253.5 million verdict in that case is widely recognized as the turning point in the national litigation over Vioxx, which was later resolved with a $4.45 billion settlement. In an article describing his selection, the NLJ notes Lanier's prominent role in the ongoing litigation against Toyota, including his work for more than 1,000 individuals with claims against Toyota.