Professional Profile

Tom has tried commercial and product liability lawsuits in federal and state courts throughout the country. He serves as national product liability trial counsel for a number of product manufacturers. He also has served as regional defense counsel for companies that manufacture a wide range of consumer and industrial products. In addition to defending these companies in litigation, he counsels his clients regarding product safety issues and the development of on-product warnings and instructional brochures.

Tom also has significant trial and coordinating counsel experience in commercial cases. In 1997, he led a team of lawyers who successfully tried the first federal civil case that arose from the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Additionally, he successfully tried one of the first cases arising from an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the federal court for the District of Kansas. Tom also has led the defense of companies in defeating the certification of nationwide and state classes in class action litigation and has been involved in various federal multi-district litigations for more than 34 years.

Education

• University of Virginia (J.D., 1979)
  • Member, The Raven Society
• University of Virginia (B.A., 1976)

Admissions & Qualifications

• Missouri, 1979
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Nineth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits
• U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Memberships

• Member of the Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC), Corporate and trial counsel that prepare amicus curiae briefs in significant product liability cases

Publications

• Co-author of the Kansas chapter of “Product Liability Desk Reference” and of the Missouri chapter of “Business Torts: A Fifty State Guide” published by Wolters Kluwer.

Distinctions

• Selected to “The Best Lawyers in America"® in seven categories including:
  • Bet-the Company Litigation,
  • Commercial Litigation,
  • Mass Tort Litigation,
  • Personal Injury Litigation and
  • Product Liability Litigation
• Designated as a "Super Lawyer" in product liability litigation
• "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell
• Frequent instructor at NITA workshops
• Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
• Listed in Chambers USA