Leigh O’Dell

Leigh O’Dell started her journey at Beasley Allen in 2005. She focuses on cases that advocate for the rights of women harmed by dangerous products. Currently, she is helping lead the litigation against Johnson & Johnson regarding the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, representing more than 35,000 women and their families in their fight for justice.

Early in her career, Leigh followed a calling into vocational ministry. For over seven years, she led large-scale events that shared messages of hope and faith with women across the U.S. and around the world—including South Korea, Paraguay, Ukraine, Moldova, and the U.K. This experience deepened her leadership skills and compassion, shaping her into the fierce, service-driven advocate she is today.

She’s been honored on the Best Lawyers Women in the Law list for her work in Health Care, Mass Tort Litigation, and Personal Injury. She’s also been named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and Top 25 Mass Tort Trial Lawyers, and recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers by The Trial Lawyers RoundTable. Her accolades include repeated recognition in Lawdragon 500, Best Lawyers in America since 2011, and Super Lawyers since 2017. Within Beasley Allen, she’s been named Mass Torts Section Lawyer of the Year twice and Litigator of the Year once. In 2015, she received the Chad Stewart Award, honoring her commitment to faith, family, and the law.

Whether in the courtroom or the community, she brings fierce advocacy and unwavering faith to everything she does. Leigh has played key roles in several major litigations. In addition to the talcum powder MDL, which has resulted in verdicts totaling more than $2.9 billion, she helped lead transvaginal mesh litigation for nearly 100,000 women and contributed to the $4.85 billion Vioxx settlement. She’s also been involved in litigation over the Gardasil vaccine, addressing serious side effects reported by thousands of individuals. Her work is driven by a deep sense of purpose: to stand up for women—mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends—whose lives have been disrupted by corporate negligence.

Leigh is an active member of several professional associations, including the Alabama State Bar, the American Bar Association, the Christian Legal Society, Public Justice, the Federal Bar Association, and the National Trial Lawyers Association, where she serves on the Executive Committee. She also participates in the AAJ Transvaginal Mesh and Talcum Powder Litigation Groups. Additionally, Leigh works with Emory University School of Law’s Institute for Complex Litigation, guiding and instructing attorneys through the Bridge to Practice and Next Generation Programs.

Originally from Prattville, Alabama, Leigh is a proud Auburn alum who enjoys tennis, family time, and cheering from the sidelines. She also serves on the boards of several nonprofit ministries, including Children’s Hope Ministry, Telling the Truth Ministries, Joni and Friends, and the Jimmy Hitchcock Award.

Education

Leigh earned a degree in accounting from Auburn University in 1990. She graduated from law school at the University of Alabama School of Law in 1993.

While in law school, Leigh served as managing editor of the Alabama Law Review and received the Dallas Sands Outstanding Senior Award. Following law school, Leigh had the honor of serving as a law clerk for the late Honorable Ira DeMent, United States District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama.

Licenses

• Alabama (1993)