Where the Roundup litigation stands
Roundup lawsuits claim that glyphosate, the weed killer’s active ingredient, caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A Supreme Court ruling and a proposed class settlement changed the picture in 2026.
| Date |
Event |
| Feb. 17, 2026 |
Monsanto filed a proposed class settlement of up to $7.25 billion in St. Louis. |
| March 4, 2026 |
Judge Timothy Boyer granted preliminary approval and ordered a $500 million initial deposit. |
| June 4, 2026 |
Deadline to opt out of the class or object. |
| June 17, 2026 |
A federal judge sent the settlement case back to St. Louis state court after objectors tried to move it. |
| June 25, 2026 |
The Supreme Court decided Monsanto v. Durnell. |
| Aug. 27, 2026 |
The Eighth Circuit dismissed the objectors’ appeal, according to Bayer. |
| Sept. 14, 2026 |
The court held its final-approval fairness hearing and heard about 135 objectors. |
| Sept. 29, 2026 |
A St. Louis trial on design-defect theories began for three women outside the class. |
A plaintiff-firm tracker reported no final approval ruling through mid-October 2026. No verdict in the St. Louis trial had been reported as of Oct. 7, 2026. The federal Roundup MDL in the Northern District of California (MDL 2741) had 1,104 pending cases as of Oct. 1, 2026.
What the Supreme Court decided in Monsanto v. Durnell
On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 for Monsanto. Justice Kavanaugh wrote for the majority. Justice Jackson, joined by Justice Gorsuch, dissented.
The Court held that FIFRA, the federal pesticide law, expressly preempts state failure-to-warn claims that would require a cancer warning on the EPA-approved Roundup label. That ruling threw out a Missouri verdict of more than $1 million.
The ruling had limits. It addressed failure-to-warn claims. It did not decide other legal theories, such as a claim that Roundup was badly designed. Bayer says the decision should end current warnings-based claims and block future ones. That is the company’s own view.
In practice, a claim built only on the missing warning is now much harder to bring. Design-defect claims are still being tried.
Inside the proposed $7.25 billion Roundup deal
Monsanto, owned by Bayer, proposed the class settlement in February 2026. Bayer faced about 65,000 plaintiffs at the time. The main terms:
- Who is covered: people exposed to Roundup before mid-February 2026 who are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma now or within 16 years of final approval.
- How it pays: capped annual payments over up to 21 years.
- Exit clause: Bayer can withdraw if too many people opt out.
- Lawyers’ fees: class counsel have asked for $675 million, or 9.3% of the fund.
The deal is in a Missouri state court, which must find it fair before final approval. In May 2026, the federal MDL judge, Vince Chhabria, questioned whether it can bind out-of-state users and people not yet diagnosed. He declined to block it.
Individual Roundup trials have produced large verdicts. In March 2025, a Georgia jury awarded John Barnes nearly $2.1 billion, and Monsanto said it would appeal. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What this means if you are choosing a firm now
Your situation decides which questions matter most.
| Your situation |
What to ask a lawyer |
| Diagnosed with NHL, exposed before mid-February 2026, never hired a lawyer |
Am I in the class? What happens to my claim if the court grants final approval? |
| You opted out by June 4, 2026 |
What claims can I still bring after Durnell? Does the firm try design-defect cases? |
| You already have a Roundup lawyer |
Did you opt me out, or am I in the class? How is your fee figured if I am paid through the settlement? |
| Exposed after mid-February 2026 |
Am I outside the class, and what is my state’s deadline? |
| Not diagnosed yet, but exposed |
How would a future diagnosis be handled under the settlement? |
Class settlements generally bind class members who do not opt out once a court approves them. The open objections make that less certain here. Talk to a lawyer about your state’s deadline and your place in the class.
Three questions help sort firms.
- Was the firm class counsel? Weitz & Luxenberg says it was not counsel in the 2026 class settlement. Ask each firm where it stands.
- Does it handle design-defect claims? After Durnell, that theory carries more weight.
- How does its fee work with the settlement? Get the answer in writing. Our guide on how to choose a defective product lawyer covers fee agreements.
How these firms were chosen
This page lists only firms that advertise Roundup cases on their own websites. Lieff Cabraser and Johnson // Becker do not, so they are not here. See all eight firms compared.
The order reflects our editorial view of fit for Roundup cases. It is not a rating of skill. Weitz & Luxenberg was a co-lead firm in the federal Roundup MDL. Schmidt & Clark takes Roundup cases nationwide and offers a 24/7 free case review; it does not publish verdict amounts. Wisner Baum tried the first Roundup cases. Johnson v. Monsanto in 2018 ended in a $289.2 million jury award, later reduced to $78.5 million. Beasley Allen said in March 2026 that it was actively reviewing new Roundup cases. Motley Rice and Morgan & Morgan advertise Roundup cases and state contingency fees.
The firms, one by one
Weitz & Luxenberg is a New York mass-tort firm that grew out of asbestos litigation. It served as a co-lead firm in the federal Roundup MDL. It has a seat on the steering committee of the hair relaxer MDL.
Weitz & Luxenberg says it was the first firm to sue Monsanto over Roundup, in fall 2015. It was part of the June 2020 Roundup settlement covering almost 100,000 claimants.
- Based in
- New York, New York
- Founded
- 1986
- Fee arrangement
- Free case evaluation; fee terms not listed
- Case types it advertises
- hair relaxer, Roundup, paraquat, talc, consumer products
Court leadership roles
- Robin Greenwald was a plaintiffs' co-lead counsel in MDL 2741, the Roundup MDL in the N.D. Cal. Cited source
- In March 2023, EricaRae Garcia was named to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in MDL 3060, the hair relaxer MDL in the N.D. Ill. Cited source
Results it has published
- It took part in the June 2020 Roundup settlement with Monsanto, which covered almost 100,000 claimants. Cited source
- The firm reports a $190 million asbestos verdict from 2013. Cited source
Things to ask
- Weitz & Luxenberg says it did not serve as counsel in Bayer's proposed 2026 Roundup class settlement.
Visit site: weitzlux.com
Schmidt & Clark is a plaintiffs' firm that represents injured people from every part of the United States. Its work centers on mass torts: defective products, medical devices, dangerous drugs and toxic exposure.
Schmidt & Clark takes Roundup non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases from clients across the U.S. Ask how it is handling clients who fall inside the proposed class and whether any co-counsel would work on your case.
- Based in
- Washington, DC
- Founded
- 2005
- Fee arrangement
- Free case review; phone line open 24/7
- Case types it advertises
- Roundup, hair relaxer, airbags, pressure cookers, other defective products
Recognition
- The firm says Best Lawyers put it on the "Best Law Firms" list for 2026. Cited source
- C.L. Mike Schmidt, a partner, is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law. The National Board of Trial Advocacy also certifies him in Civil Trial. Cited source
- The firm says Super Lawyers has picked it for 19 straight years. Cited source
Things to ask
- Its website lists no individual verdict or settlement amounts. Ask the firm about outcomes in cases that look like yours.
- Ask if your case would remain with the firm or go to co-counsel. Mass torts often work that way.
Visit site: schmidtandclark.com
Wisner Baum is a Los Angeles trial firm. Until January 2023 it was called Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman. It is known for trying the first Roundup cancer cases against Monsanto.
Brent Wisner was lead trial counsel in Johnson v. Monsanto in 2018. The firm also takes cases over other herbicides, including paraquat.
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California
- Fee arrangement
- Contingency ("No Fees Unless We Win")
- Case types it advertises
- Roundup and other herbicides, paraquat
Court leadership roles
- In May 2024, R. Brent Wisner was named co-lead counsel in MDL 3101, the baby food heavy metals MDL in the N.D. Cal. Cited source
- In May 2020, R. Brent Wisner was named to the plaintiffs' steering committee in MDL 2924, the Zantac MDL in the S.D. Fla. Cited source
Results it has published
- Johnson v. Monsanto (2018): in the first Roundup trial, a California jury awarded $289.2 million. The award was later cut to $78.5 million. Cited source
- Pilliod v. Monsanto (2019): a jury awarded $2.055 billion, later cut to $87 million. In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Monsanto's appeal. Cited source
Things to ask
- Its public case pages center on herbicides, drugs and devices. Ask whether it takes other kinds of product cases.
Visit site: wisnerbaum.com
Former Lt. Gov. Jere Beasley founded Beasley Allen, an Alabama plaintiffs' firm, in 1979. It has a long record in auto-defect cases. Today it co-leads the ARC airbag MDL and holds a seat on the executive committee of the hair relaxer MDL.
Beasley Allen also takes hair relaxer and airbag cases and states a contingency fee with no case costs unless it wins.
- Based in
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Founded
- 1979
- Fee arrangement
- Contingency ("No Win, No Fee or Case Costs")
- Case types it advertises
- hair relaxer, Roundup, airbags (ARC and ZF-TRW)
Court leadership roles
- In March 2023, Demet Basar was named co-lead counsel in MDL 3051, the ARC airbag inflator MDL in the N.D. Ga. Cited source
- Navan Ward holds a seat on the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in MDL 3060, the hair relaxer MDL. Cited source
- Dee Miles was named to the plaintiffs' steering committee in the ZF-TRW airbag control unit MDL in the C.D. Cal. Cited source
Results it has published
- The firm reports a $162 million settlement tied to a 2021 van crash in which the tires had the wrong load range. Cited source
Things to ask
- In March 2026, Beasley Allen said it was reviewing new Roundup cases. Confirm it is still taking them.
Visit site: beasleyallen.com
Ron Motley and Joseph F. Rice started Motley Rice in South Carolina in 2003, and it handles mass torts. One of its partners co-leads the hair relaxer MDL. The firm also reports co-lead roles in the ARC airbag, GLP-1, social media and opioid MDLs.
Motley Rice says its contingent fee is a percentage of the recovery calculated before expenses are deducted.
- Based in
- Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Founded
- 2003
- Fee arrangement
- Contingent fee for most cases
- Case types it advertises
- hair relaxer, Roundup, paraquat, ARC airbags
Court leadership roles
- In March 2023, Fidelma Fitzpatrick was named a plaintiffs' co-lead counsel in MDL 3060, the hair relaxer MDL. Cited source
- Motley Rice states that a court appointed it as one of the co-lead counsel in MDL 3051, the ARC airbag MDL. Cited source
- Motley Rice lists a co-lead counsel role in the 2024 GLP-1 MDL. Cited source
Results it has published
- The firm reports a 2019 settlement of $305 million for 10 California jurisdictions over lead-paint pigment. Cited source
Things to ask
- Joe Rice, a co-founder, died in September 2026. The firm still holds its MDL roles.
Visit site: motleyrice.com
Founded in 1988 and based in Orlando, Morgan & Morgan is a national personal-injury firm. It reports more than 1,100 attorneys and about 140 offices.
- Based in
- Orlando, Florida
- Founded
- 1988
- Fee arrangement
- Contingency ("The Fee Is Free Unless You Win")
- Case types it advertises
- Roundup, hair relaxer, airbags, general defective products
Court leadership roles
- Rene F. Rocha was named to the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in MDL 3060, the hair relaxer MDL. Cited source
Results it has published
- In June 2026, a Florida jury awarded $603 million to the family of a woman who died when a counterfeit airbag inflator exploded. The defendant skipped the trial. Cited source
- A $20 million verdict over motorcycle brakes in Winckler v. Suzuki, upheld on appeal in April 2026. Cited source
Things to ask
- The firm has about 140 offices. Find out which lawyer, and which office, would handle your file day to day.
Visit site: forthepeople.com
Each result above comes from the firm's own published record or from court filings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
FAQ
Can I still file a Roundup lawsuit in 2026?
Possibly, but your options depend on when you were exposed, when you were diagnosed, and whether you are in the proposed class. The Durnell ruling blocks state failure-to-warn claims over the label, but it did not decide design-defect claims. Talk to a lawyer about your state's deadline and how the settlement affects you.
What did the Supreme Court decide in Monsanto v. Durnell?
On June 25, 2026, the Court ruled 7-2 that FIFRA, the federal pesticide law, preempts state failure-to-warn claims that would require a cancer warning on an EPA-approved Roundup label. It reversed a Missouri verdict of more than $1 million.
Who is covered by the $7.25 billion Roundup settlement?
The proposal covers people exposed to Roundup before mid-February 2026 who are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma now or within 16 years of final approval. Payments are capped each year and run for up to 21 years. The deal had not received final approval as of mid-October 2026.
I missed the June 4, 2026 opt-out deadline. What now?
If you fit the class definition and did not opt out, the settlement would generally govern your claim if it is finally approved. Some objectors and Judge Chhabria have questioned whether it can bind out-of-state users and people not yet diagnosed. A lawyer can tell you where you stand.
Does my Roundup lawyer get paid from the class settlement?
Class counsel have asked the court for $675 million in fees, which is 9.3% of the fund. Your own lawyer's fee is set by your written agreement. Ask any firm, in writing, how its fee would work if your claim is paid through the settlement.