Elawvate

Join Ben and Rahul for their conversation with Michael Talve, Founder and CEO of Expert Institute, a nation-wide expert search and research firm.  Michael talks about how he stared the business in his apartment with a few friends and grew it to hundreds of employees that service more than 5000 plaintiff law firms across the United States.  Michael discusses trends he has witnessed in the practice of plaintiff law and what he sees for the future of expert search and the role of AI in the plaintiff practice.  He talks about the role of entrepreneurship in growing and scaling a business.  Michael’s background as a successful entrepreneur serving the trial bar is fascinating and provides valuable insight. You don’t want to miss this episode.

About Michael Talve

https://www.expertinstitute.com/resources/insights/author/michael/ 

Michael Talve stands at the forefront of legal innovation as the CEO and Managing Director of Expert Institute. Under his leadership, the Expert Institute has established itself as a vital player in the legal technology arena, revolutionizing how lawyers connect with world-class experts and access advanced legal technology. Michael's role involves not only steering the company's strategic direction but also ensuring the delivery of unparalleled intelligence and cutting-edge solutions to legal professionals. His work at Expert Institute has been instrumental in enhancing the capabilities of attorneys in case preparation and execution, making a significant impact on the legal industry's approach to expert consultation and technological integration. Michael's vision and execution have positioned the Expert Institute as a key facilitator in the intersection of law and technology. Under his stewardship, Expert Institute has played a pivotal role in some of the most important cases of the past decade - totaling more than $300B in verdicts and settlements. 

Expert Institute has grown to become one of the foremost businesses dedicated to partnering with leading plaintiff firms. The company has been involved in high profile matters ranging from Camp Lejeune, to opioid litigation, to numerous mass shooting incidents, and more recently, Boeing airplane investigations, and thousands of single claimant cases each month.

From a young age, Robert Glassman worked hard to perfect his abilities as a public speaker.  When he was in high school, his parents enrolled him in a Dale Carnegie program to develop confidence speaking in front of strangers.  From high school to law school, Robert was a perennial class president and accustomed to giving planned speeches before large audiences.  Join Rahul and Ben as they discuss with Robert the advantages and challenges of transitioning his public speaking skills to success in the courtroom.  Robert talks about how he developed expertise in handling high-profile cases involving injuries to children while in the care of the public schools, and lessons learned from his first experience examining witnesses at trial to recently obtaining an eight-figure jury verdict the day after his forty-first birthday.

About Robert Glassman

https://www.panish.law/glassman.html

Robert Glassman is a partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP where he represents plaintiffs in large and complex personal injury cases and is a recognized leader in the Los Angeles legal community.

Recognized by the Daily Journal as among the 2023 Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 in California, Mr. Glassman has also been named a “Rising Star” in Personal Injury litigation by Law360 and recognized as a “Rising Star” by the Super Lawyers publication since 2013 where he has been consistently selected as one of the “Up-and-Coming 100 Southern California Rising Stars”, the list of lawyers who rank at the top of the Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list.

His work on three high-profile school injury cases –  Lee v. Pupil Transportation Cooperative, Pierce v. Murrieta Valley Unified School District, and Sepulveda v. Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District – led to significant reforms at the school districts where the tragedies occurred and helped to establish new child safety laws in California.

Mr. Glassman also represents victims and survivors of sexual abuse, including ‘Jane’ who filed suit against her abusers in the high-profile case against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

A three-time Consumer Attorneys of California Consumer Attorney of the Year finalist for his work on Lee v. Pupil Transportation Cooperative, Pierce v. Murrieta Valley Unified School District, and Sepulveda v. Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District, Mr. Glassman has also been recognized as a 2023 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year for his work on Sepulveda v. Yucaipa-Calimesa Unified School District.

Mr. Glassman currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles Young Lawyers division and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Los Angeles Chapter.

SOME OF MR. GLASSMAN’S MOST NOTABLE TRIAL VERDICTS INCLUDE:

• Diao v. Southern California Gas Company (Los Angeles jury awarded a $19,786,818 to injured plaintiff following a gas explosion at home in San Gabriel, CA). The judgment was recently upheld on appeal.
• Dillon v. City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles jury awarded $11,045,000 for a motorcyclist who suffered serious injuries following a collision with a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) vehicle.)
• Crenshaw v. Land O’Lakes, Inc.(Kings County jury awarded $6.45 million to Corcoran State Prison correctional officer after motorcycle crash in Hanford, CA).  For the work Mr. Glassman and firm partner Brian Panish did on the Crenshaw case, it was recognized by The Daily Journal as a Top Ten Verdict of 2010.
• Gil v. Anderson (Los Angeles County jury awarded $2,000,969 to a man who was injured when his vehicle was struck from behind by a large commercial plumbing van)
• Ortega v. Lim (San Diego County jury awarded $1,957,500 for a man who suffered a back injury after his pick-up truck was struck by another vehicle whose driver was distracted and ran a red light at an intersection.)
• Kluthe v. Charles Doherty Concrete(Vista, California jury awarded a $1,552,917.56 verdict for a young man who suffered a back injury after his vehicle was struck by a cement dump truck that ran a red light at an intersection)

SOME OF MR. GLASSMAN’S NOTABLE SETTLEMENTS INCLUDE:

• Lee v. Pupil Transportation Cooperative($23,500,000 for the parents of Hun Joon “Paul” Lee, a 19-year-old non-verbal autistic student who tragically died aboard a Whittier school bus after the driver left him behind to engage in a sexual tryst with a co-worker)
• Sepulveda v. Yucaipa-Calimesa Unified School District ($15,750,000 for the mother of 13-year-old Adilene Carrasco who suffered an asthma attack at school and died as a result of the district’s failure to follow its own safety protocols)
• Pierce v. Murietta Valley Unified School District($11,000,000 for the family of a middle school student who drowned during a school-sponsored swim party)
• Palmstrom v. City of Pasadena ($7,150,000 for a toddler who suffered severe injuries after she was trapped beneath a 20-foot eucalyptus tree branch that had fallen onto her while playing on a preschool playground)
• Agu v. UC Regents ($4,750,000 for the parents of a Cal Berkeley football player with sickle cell trait who died during an off-season conditioning drill)

Mr. Glassman has also secured eight-figure settlements in a wide range of cases including $32.6 million in a products liability design defect case, $16 million in a premises liability case, $12.45 million in a motor vehicle collision case, and $10 million in a dangerous condition of public property case involving a fallen tree.

He is a member of the executive committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC) which responds to the governor’s requests to evaluate individuals under consideration for appointment to the Superior Court bench.

Prior to working at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, Mr. Glassman clerked at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in the Major Crimes Division where he worked on high profile murder prosecutions and in the Preliminary Hearing Unit where he conducted dozens of preliminary felony hearings.  Mr. Glassman also previously worked on Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

In 2020, Mr. Glassman also led the collaboration between Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and The Children’s Rights Clinic at Southwestern Law School (CRC) to provide legal representation to low-income children in the areas of school discipline, special education, and personal injury. Under his direction, clients will be represented by the firm in the area of personal injury while Southwestern law students participating in the Children’s Rights Clinic will represent clients in the areas of special education and school discipline under the supervision of Southwestern Law School Professors.

An alumnus of the Whitfield School in St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Glassman also provided an invaluable opportunity in 2021 for the current and future students at his alma mater with the creation of the Glassman Leaders Program. During the program, two selected students — one junior and one senior — develop their public speaking and leadership skills through on-and off-campus coursework and mentorship. Participants also attend an eight-week Dale Carnegie course, which focuses on building communication skills for business people and students alike.

Mr. Glassman attended Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA where he obtained his B.A. degree in English.  Following college, Mr. Glassman obtained his law degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles where he served as president of the student body, and was a member of the Trial Advocacy Honors Program.

GLASSMAN’S PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS INCLUDE:

• President, Los Angeles County Bar Association Barristers
• Nickel Club President (Southwestern Law School’s Young Alumni Association)
• Political Chair, New Lawyers Division, Consumer Attorneys of California
• Student Body President, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA
• Class President, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA.
• Senior Class President, Whitfield School, St. Louis, MO.

Mr. Glassman is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, California, and United States District Courts throughout California.

Join Ben and Rahul for their in-depth discussion of Ben’s recent three-week jury trial in which Ben represented a little girl who developed cerebral palsy following the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in the NICU.  Ben discusses how decision-making guided by big data led to him and his client to turning down an $11 million offer after closing arguments to take a verdict.  He discusses what he learned following extensive discussions with jurors following the trial. Ben describes how this verdict influences his thinking about data, risk and approach to trial moving forward.

About Ben Gideon

https://gideonasen.com/our-team/benjamin-gideon/

Ben grew up in Portland, Maine, attended public schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1989. Ben’s father, Martin Rogoff, was a prominent member of the Maine Law School faculty, so Ben grew up immersed in discussions of the law. Ben began to develop his legal skills early in life through nightly arguments with his father at the dinner table.

In high school, Ben played varsity soccer and was the captain of the hockey team. Following high school, Ben attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Ben attempted to walk on to the Cornell hockey team, but was eventually cut from the team, ending his hockey career. Depressed and disappointed at this failure, Ben became a poor student, failed several classes, and was told he was being suspended from college on academic probation.

After rehabilitating himself through some community college courses, Ben was able to gain re-admission to Cornell and to complete his degree. Ben applied to law school and was admitted to Boston University School of Law. There, Ben was a standout student. His grades were so exceptional after his first year that he was accepted as a transfer student to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree.

Ben began his career in private practice at a large, multi-national law firm, Latham & Watkins, in New York City. He practiced there for several years before deciding to return to Maine to join Berman & Simmons, PA, Maine’s largest plaintiff’s law firm.

• Cornell University, 1993
• Yale Law School, 1999

• The Inner Circle of Advocates, 100 of the Best Plaintiff Lawyers in the U.S., 2019-present
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2020-present, Top 1% of all lawyers
• America’s Top 100 Attorneys ― Listed in Maine for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Products Liability, 2017
• The Best Lawyers in America ― 2013–present; “Lawyer of the Year,” 2016–present
• Super Lawyers ― “Super Lawyer,” 2013–present
• Martindale-Hubbell ― Top Rated “AV Preeminent”
• Chambers & Partners USA ― Listed for Litigation: Medical Malpractice & Insurance and Mainly Plaintiff
• Benchmark Litigation ― “Litigation Star”
• AVVO — Rated 10.0 out of 10

• Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, Professional Ethics Commission
• Maine State Bar Association
• American Association for Justice (AAJ)
• American Bar Association
• Governor, Maine Trial Lawyers Association

• Maine (2003)
• U.S. District Court, District of Maine (2010)
• Vermont (2016)
• New Hampshire (2010)
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (2002)
• New York (2000)

During his years at Berman & Simmons, Ben rose from an associate to become an owner and practice leader at the firm. Ben was instrumental in helping the firm re-invent its approach to litigating and trying cases; expanded its areas of practice expertise; and recruited and trained many talented lawyers.

During his 17 years at Berman & Simmons, Ben enjoyed many great successes and some disappointing failures, but overall managed to build the most successful plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice practice in the State of Maine. Ben achieved success in a broad range of different types of plaintiff’s cases—police civil rights, product liability, medical malpractice, nursing home, maritime and industrial accidents.

Early in his career, Ben achieved a landmark civil rights verdict against a police officer for violating his client’s civil rights with a Taser shooting. The verdict was affirmed on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

In 2014, after 4 ½ year of litigation, Ben achieved a record-setting $22.5 million jury verdict in Burlington, Vermont, on behalf of a utility lineman who lost both of his legs during a high-voltage powerline switching operation.

Ben followed his Vermont verdict with a verdict of $1.75 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice trial in Bangor, Maine.

More recently, Ben recovered $2.5 million in a medical malpractice case tried to a jury in New Hampshire.

Over the past decade, no other plaintiff’s lawyer in Maine can match Ben’s level of success on behalf of his clients, which include:

• Recovering more than $130 million in verdicts and settlements
• Achieving 31 verdicts or settlements in excess of $ 1 million
• Recovering more than $50 million for the victims of medical malpractice
• Recovering tens of millions of dollars for victims of car and trucking accidents.
• Recovering more than $11 million in actions against major automobile manufacturers, including Toyota, Hyundai, and Fiat Chrysler
• Recovering more than $15 million from power and electrical utility companies
• Recovering millions of dollars for families of the victims of the El Faro maritime disaster
• Recovering more than $5 million from 3 trials and several settlements of medical malpractice and personal injury against the U.S. Government
• Recovering millions of dollars for victims of nursing home negligence and abuse
• Recovering millions of dollars for victims of dangerous and defective products

Ben’s accomplishments, professionalism and character have won him the recognition of his peers. Ben has been named in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013 and was named “Lawyer of the Year” for the State of Maine twice. Ben has been listed in Super Lawyers every year since 2013. He has received the top rating of “AV Preeminent” from Martindale-Hubbell and has a 10.0 out 10 rating on AVVO.

In 2019, Ben became only the second lawyer in Maine to be inducted into the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of the best 100 plaintiff lawyers in the United States.

Here is how the Inner Circle describes its criteria for membership:

Membership Criteria

Membership in The Inner Circle of Advocates is by invitation and based on criteria that include an applicant’s performance and success in the courtroom. The Inner Circle carefully evaluates experience, reputation, judicial references, and peer evaluations to identify the best 100 trial lawyers in the country. Typically, applicants are expected to have at least three verdicts of one million dollars or a recent verdict in excess of ten million dollars to be considered for membership. The Inner Circle looks for cutting edge lawyers in their jurisdiction who are active courtroom lawyers with a willingness to learn and teach about our craft and to be part of a close-knit, sharing group of professional colleagues. Membership in The Inner Circle of Advocates is not just an accolade, it is a commitment to participate in a unique laboratory of professional advancement.

In 2020, Ben was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), an invitation-only group limited to the top 1% of lawyers. Here is how ACTL describes the qualifications required for membership:

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province.

After 17 years at Berman & Simmons, in November 2020, Ben decided to leave one firm he loved and had helped to build, to form a new law firm, Gideon Asen LLC.

“I was very proud of everything we accomplished at Berman & Simmons,” Ben said, “but I was excited by the challenge of building a new firm that could be even better.”

Ben’s first step was to recruit Taylor Asen to join him.

“Taylor and I have a common mission,” Ben said. “Although we’re separated by 12 years, Taylor also attended Yale Law School and completed prestigious Federal clerkships. He’s insanely smart.”

“But perhaps more important, Taylor and I share a common vision of a plaintiff’s law firm where clients have access to exceptional lawyers and service. We are both supremely competitive and don’t tolerate mediocrity. We believe we owe it to our clients to give them the very best, and that is what Gideon Asen will provide.”

Ben enjoys thinking about the practice of trial law and strategies for success and is a frequent writer and speaker on trial topics.

Ben co-hosts a podcast called Elawvate! which focuses on the human factors and guiding principles that drive successful lawyers and law firms.

Ben lives in Freeport, Maine, with his wife, Sara Gideon, and three children, Julian, Aleksandr, and Anna Josephine. Sara is a former two-term Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine. When Ben is not practicing law, he enjoys skiing at Sugarloaf, fishing in Casco Bay, hiking, canoeing, traveling and just spending time with his family.

Tampa Florida trial lawyer Steve Yerrid has done it all.  He was a boxer in his youth and a fighter for justice in his career as a trial lawyer.  Steve was the youngest member of the Tobacco “Dream Team,” which secured a $17 billion settlement from Big Tobacco and numerous changes in their business practices which have saved thousands of lives.  Steve has many record setting jury verdicts.  He has served as personal counsel to NY Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner.  And he has given back to his community through his Yerrid Foundation.  Steve has authored several books and has frequently spoken on the topic of what separates those would achieve greatness (i.e., those who have “it”) from everyone else.  Join Rahul and Ben for their fascinating conversation with Steve as he shares aspects of his incredible career and things that have shaped his approach to trying cases and success in life.

About Steve Yerrid

https://www.yerridlaw.com/attorneys/c-steven-yerrid/

In a city like Tampa, Florida, a coastal metropolis steeped in history, the list of well-known names and larger-than-life personalities is rich and lengthy, but few names resonate with the same renown as Steve Yerrid.

Yerrid, a trail-blazing trial lawyer for more than 45 years, has built a legacy that continues to evolve, fueled by a relentless desire to help as many people as possible, whether seeking and securing justice on their behalf in the courtroom or selflessly devoting his time and donating a substantial portion of his accumulated wealth to bettering the world around him.

In an age where importance and social impact are measured by likes and subscribers, instead of hard work and good deeds, Steve remains a practitioner of the old ways, always leading by example and putting the needs of others first.

Whether meeting each client of his firm personally or taking time to deliver much needed food to the area’s most vulnerable and less fortunate, he is and has always been one-of-a-kind, a determined legal and social warrior the likes of which are a rarity in today’s world.

Yerrid has experienced a career of noteworthy achievements, including over 300 verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more for individuals and the families of those injured or killed by the wrongdoing of others.

Among those was a jury verdict of $217 million, the largest medical malpractice award in Florida’s history, and the nation’s largest verdict in 2006. In 2009, he again obtained the country’s largest verdict rendered in a wrongful death case that year, with a jury award of $330 million.

When he was just 30 years old, Yerrid received international recognition in one of the world’s largest maritime tragedies. In utilizing a rare “Act of God” defense, he was able to secure the complete exoneration of Captain John Lerro, the accused pilot in command of a large 608-foot bulk freighter which, during an unpredicted storm packing hurricane force winds, was blown off course and struck the mammoth Sunshine Skyway Bridge, collapsing its center span and tragically claiming 35 innocent lives. 

Not a decade has passed that Steve has not left an indelible mark.

In 2010, confronted by one of the largest environmental catastrophes in history, then-Governor Charlie Crist appointed him as Special Counsel regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster and its aftermath. Yerrid gave his time, costs, and efforts for nearly a year to the people of Florida as a public service. As a result, The Florida Justice Association presented him with the Outstanding Pro Bono Award, a special recognition given only every several years.

Yerrid also was retained by the City of Tampa to hold BP responsible for the economic damages it sustained as a result of that disaster. He successfully obtained a $27.5 million settlement in July 2015. It was the largest recovery paid to any municipality by British Petroleum.

In the 1990’s, as the youngest lawyer appointed by the late Governor Lawton Chiles to an 11-member “Dream Team” of private lawyers, Steve undertook a leading role in Florida’s landmark lawsuit against the previously unbeaten cigarette industry. The case resulted in the biggest monetary settlement that had occurred in U.S. history, ultimately topping $17 billion. In addition, he and the Dream Team members succeeded in obtaining unprecedented advertising concessions that permanently prevented marketing aimed at children, eliminated cigarette billboards, vending machines, Joe Camel, the Marlboro Man, and established youth tobacco prevention programs across the United States.

As a result of his success, tenacity and integrity, Steve has long been sought out to take on important and precedent-setting cases.

He was honored to be appointed as Special Counsel to the Office of the Chief Judge (13th Judicial Circuit) and the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges. In representing Florida’s entire judiciary, he successfully argued before the Florida Supreme Court and protected state judges and staff from public disclosure of confidential records and internal communications within the court system.

Yerrid is a lifetime member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, an “invitation only” organization whose membership consists of the top 100 trial lawyers in the United States. He is a past recipient of the Perry Nichols Award, bestowed by the Florida Justice Association (FJA) as its highest honor in recognition of a lifelong pursuit of justice, and in 2013, he received the Excalibur Award for exemplifying leadership and commitment at the highest level of Florida’s civil justice system, an honor bestowed on only four Florida trial lawyers.

In 2016, he was voted into the National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Steve also is the recipient of several FJA Eagle Awards (Gold, Silver and Crystal), including recognition as the first donor to achieve the $1 million-dollar-level of giving to the FJA’s educational efforts designed to protect and improve the American system of justice; currently serves as a Distinguished Fellow in the FJA; has been named Top Lawyer in the Nation by Lawyers USA; was selected by the National Law Journal as a top ten litigator; honored by the American Board of Trial Advocates a Diplomate as well as Trial Lawyer of the Year (Tampa Bay); and the recipient of numerous other honors and recognitions through his career too numerous to specifically reference. He has been continuously listed in Best Lawyer in America over the last five decades.

Steve Yerrid, a Georgetown University Law Center graduate has long been one of the country’s top catastrophic injury and wrongful death trial attorneys, having secured over 300 verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more. 

This year the jury awarded $15 million in damages to each parent for mental anguish, plus burial expenses of $7,502.00. The verdict total was $30,007,502.00. 

In 2006 - A $217 million verdict was obtained for the client and his family. It is the largest medical malpractice verdict in Florida’s history, and the top national jury verdict of its kind in 2006. 

1990s, Mr. Yerrid was selected by the late Gov. Lawton Chiles as the youngest member of the 11-member “Dream Team” of private trial lawyers. He took a leading role in Florida’s landmark lawsuit against the previously unbeaten cigarette industry. The case resulted in the biggest monetary settlement in the nation’s history at the time, ultimately topping $17 billion. 

The mantra that everyone should have a shot at happiness, success and living the American dream led to the formation of The Yerrid Foundation almost four decades ago.   The self-funded family foundation has made significant donations to more than 700 causes and charitable organizations locally, nationally, and even internationally, with an emphasis on children’s issues, pediatric cancer research, the welfare of veterans, and domestic abuse victims.

Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Jake and Tor, breaking down the recent 495 million Dollar verdict in a product liability case against Abbott Laboratories for pre-term infant formula that increases the risks for developing necrotizing enterocolitis. Hear how Jake and Tor navigated this difficult case and won this epic battle.

About Jacob Plattenberger

https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/team/jake-plattenberger/

Jacob Plattenberger has taken hundreds of depositions, argued in countless hearings, and tried over 35 cases to a jury.

His experience in and out of the courtroom has made him a passionate advocate for those injured due to the negligence of others.

Jake started his career trying cases at one of the busiest civil courthouses in the country – the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago.

He started out doing insurance defense because he knew that afforded him the best opportunity to get courtroom experience.

“When I was working on the defense side, I always knew that I was going to be a plaintiff’s lawyer. I knew that being able and willing to try a case to a jury was a skill that I needed to have if I was going to be able to offer my clients the best legal representation. Insurance companies and corporate defendants need to believe you when you say you will take them to trial – they need to fear that.”

This type of real trial experience is exceedingly rare in complex civil litigation and having seen it from the defense side gives Jake an added advantage.

At TorHoerman Law, Jake manages our Chicago office where he leads trial teams in nationwide, complex litigations such as:

Representing dozens of workers across the United States who were exposed to Diacetyl at work and now suffer lung disease

eg. The Juul/E-cigarette Litigation

The Incretin Mimetics Products Liability Litigation, currently pending in the Southern District of California, where he was named to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee

Various Transvaginal Mesh multidistrict litigations that are currently pending

Jake also maintains a personal injury practice in Chicago, representing people and their families who have been victims of catastrophic auto and truck accidents, products liability, maritime accidents, premises liability, and medical negligence.

Jake believes that to successfully represent his clients, it is absolutely necessary to get personally involved.

Jake’s quote below perfectly reflects that belief!

Notable Cases & Results

Incretin Mimetics – Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 13MD2452 AJB (MDD). Appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee by Judge Battaglia in the MDL. The case is pending.

JUUL E-Cigarettes – Products Liability Litigation, JCCP No. 5052. Appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee by Judge Anne Jones in the JCCP. The case is pending.

Diacetyl – Leads the Diacetyl litigation for TorHoerman Law. Previous settlements and verdicts have exceeded $5,000,000.00 to date. Litigation is currently ongoing.

Actos Related Cases, MDL Case No. 11 L 10011, Et. Al. – Actively participated in managing the case for TorHoerman Law which resulted in a $2.4 billion settlement.

Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Litigation Case No. 279 and Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 1909 – Managed the cases for TorHoerman Law which resulted in a large, confidential settlement.

Bus Accident – Handled a bus accident injury case in which an individual was thrown from a seat. Resulted in a $850,000.00 settlement.

Auto Accident – Handled an auto accident injury case that resulted in a $650,000.00 settlement.

Slip and Fall – Handled a slip and fall accident that occurred on a sightseeing boat in Chicago. Resulted in a $490,000.00 settlement.

Personal Life

Jake was born and raised in Chicago.

He now lives in the Chicago suburbs, where his two young sons keep him busy.

When he isn’t working, Jake is a lifelong Bears and Cubs fan and loves participating in the (mostly) healthy rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals fans at TorHoerman Law.

About Tor Hoerman

https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/team/tor-hoerman/

Tor Hoerman is a nationally recognized attorney who has served in the field for more than 25 years.

He is most well-known as the founder of the personal injury law firm TorHoerman Law, LLC (THL).

Early Life & Education

Tor was born the youngest of four boys on July 16, 1969, in Bethesda, Maryland to Kirk and Greta Hoerman.

With his father serving as a Captain in the Navy, Tor often moved towns during his childhood, eventually landing in the Chicago metropolitan area.

In Chicago, Tor lived in the Great Lakes Naval Base and Lake Bluff before his family settled in Lake Forest, which is where he attended high school.

Despite repeatedly switching homes, Tor made the most of his situation.

In high school, he played football, basketball, and baseball, and he earned varsity letters in each of these sports.

In addition to varsity recognition, he was recognized as an All-county athlete and awarded the Booster Club Athlete of the Year his senior year.

Outside of sports, Tor coached little league baseball, served as a summer camp counselor, and worked as a summertime janitor at his former high school after graduating.

Tor attended Depauw University and majored in Political Science.

He played NCAA baseball and football at Depauw, and he was the captain of the baseball team.

After graduating from Depauw in 1991, Tor enrolled in the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

During law school, Tor bartended at a local bar and clerked for Kravolec, Jambois & Schwartz, LLC.

Legal Career

After graduating from law school in 1995, Tor took on a job doing insurance defense at Bolero, Cart & Stone, LLC, where he worked reluctantly for a year and a half.

One day at work, Tor received a phone call from Steve Jambois, his former employer throughout law school, asking if he wanted a job on the plaintiff’s side of insurance law.

Tor immediately accepted the job, kickstarting decades to come of fighting corporations on behalf of harmed individuals.

Tor’s Transition to Medical Malpractice Litigation

Tor returned to Kravolec, Jambois & Schwartz to fight on behalf of medical malpractice victims, which mostly consisted of high-intensity trial work in the Chicago courthouse.

After seven years at the Jambois firm, Hoeman was recruited by the Simmons law firm, based in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis, to start and lead a branch of the practice that focused on pharmaceutical litigation.

Leading the Pharmaceutical Practice at Simmons Law Firm

Tor became a partner of what is now Simmons, Hanly, and Conroy and led the pharmaceutical practice for seven years.

One of Tor most notable achievements while leading the practice was his work against Purdue Pharma and its reckless distribution of OxyContin.

Tor was the first to file a case alleging Purdue Pharma’s wrongdoing in distributing OxyContin and failing to adequately warn healthcare providers and the public of the risks of addiction.

Achieving Justice Against Purdue Pharma

He led the litigation process and got Purdue Pharma to agree to a large settlement, which was distributed to thousands of accidental addicts.

Tor took a step further to achieve justice in this case, assisting the Department of Justice in obtaining guilty pleas by Purdue Pharma representatives who had a direct role in contributing to the opioid epidemic.

Founding TorHoerman Law

Having garnered success leading the pharmaceutical branch at the Simmons firm, Tor amicably decided to split from Simmons in 2009 and start his own pharmaceutical and personal injury practice called TorHoerman Law, LLC (THL).

After negotiating the terms of the split, Tor struck a deal that allowed him to bring his entire staff from Simmons to his new practice, which summed up to more than 25 lawyers and staff members.

Expansion and Success of THL

Tor opened offices in Edwardsville, IL; Clayton, MO; and Chicago, IL to kickstart operations; all three offices remain open today.

In the time since opening THL, Tor and his team have litigated many pharmaceutical malpractice and personal injury cases.

Notable Successes at THL

Tor’s most notable successes while operating THL are perhaps co-leading the litigations against Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa and Takeda’s Actos.

Through intense research and vetting, Tor was able to find substantial evidence indicating Actos causes bladder cancer and Pradaxa causes internal bleeding.

He then presented the evidence to the companies, which decided to settle the cases.

Tor played a significant role in negotiating these settlements, which ended up being $650 million for Pradaxa and $2.4 billion for Actos.

Tor has also had major success in several other product liability lawsuits, such as Zelnorm, Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents, and Incretin Mimetics.

We’ve outlined these cases, a few other notable cases, and their correlating results in the section below.

Recognition & Awards

His successes with these cases and beyond earned him the distinction as a Top 25 Notable Alumni from the Chicago-Kent School of Law, which was awarded to him and 24 other lawyers out of the tens of thousands who have graduated from the school since its founding in 1888.

Tor is also recognized as a Top 100 National Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers Organization.

Notable Cases & Results

Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) – Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2385 – Appointed by Judge Herndon as national lead counsel in the MDL. After protracted litigation successfully negotiated a $650 million settlement.

Actos Related Cases, MDL Case No. 11 L 10011, Et. Al. – Appointed by Judge Dooling as lead counsel in Cook County consolidated docket (over 4400 cases). After protracted litigation, he was one of four lead negotiators (along with Pete Flowers, Mark Lanier, and Andy Birchfield) on a $2.4 billion settlement.

Incretin Mimetics Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 13MD2452 AJB (MDD) – Appointed as lead counsel by Judge Battaglia in the MDL. The case is pending.

OxyContin – Represented thousands of “accidental addicts”. After protracted litigation, he negotiated a large settlement and assisted the DOJ in obtaining guilty pleas by corporate representatives.

Zelnorm Litigation., Case No. 280 – Appointed lead counsel in NJ state court consolidation, took the major depositions and negotiated a confidential settlement.

Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents Litigation Case No. 279 and Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 1909 – Appointed by Judge Polster as both the state and federal liaison and lead counsel in the Cook County consolidated docket. He negotiated large, confidential, individual settlements.

Involvement in the Legal Community

In addition to his litigation work, Tor is on the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyer Association and an Executive Board Member of the Mass Torts Trial Lawyer Association.

He also attends national legal conferences on a yearly basis.

Personal Life

Personally, Tor is the proud father of Casey, Kirsten and Quinn, and husband of Jessica.

He tries to stay active, including still playing baseball.

Join Ben for his conversation with Dylan Ruga, trial lawyer and co-founder and President of Steno, a long-time sponsor of the pod.  Dylan updates us on the new functionality and services offered by his innovative court reporting service, Steno.  Steno allows plaintiff attorneys to defer costs of court reporting and videographer services until the end of the case.  In states that allow it, these deferred costs can be non-recourse.  Steno now operates through the Zoom platform but offers an app that integrates with Zoom and makes collating, marking, annotating, and saving exhibits at depositions seamless.  Steno also offers videographer services that enable recording of the witness and exhibits and post-production editing so that witnesses and exhibits can be presented in optimal fashion without requiring substantial attorney time or other vendor for editing.  Dylan also discusses the roll out of a new product, Transcript Genius, which uses AI that has been specifically training to understand and interpret deposition transcripts to enable lawyers to query one or multiple transcripts to quickly identify key admissions, information, or contradictions in witness testimony.  If you are a trial lawyer who handles a volume of depositions, you will gain a lot of insight and value from this episode. 

Dylan is the Co-Founder, President and Chief Legal Officer at Steno, where he stewards business development initiatives and forges new partnerships. Dylan is also a founding member of Stalwart Law Group, recognized as one of California's top 20 litigation boutiques. He is a practicing trial lawyer with more than 15 years of experience in intellectual property, professional liability, and commercial litigation.

Join Ben and Rahul for their interview of famed Los Angeles trial lawyer, Arash Homampour. Arash has perfected the ability to trial difficult liability and damages cases to outlier high verdicts. Arash explains how he channels his innate connection with his clients and abilities as a trial lawyer to achieve these results. Arash discusses his upbringing as the child of first-generation Iranian immigrants and how he went from failing the bar examination to being one of the most accomplished and successful trial lawyers in California and the United States. You don’t want to miss this episode! 

About Arash Homampour

https://www.homampour.com/

Arash Homampour Has Obtained Over $1 Billion Dollars in Settlements, Verdicts and Judgments for His Clients.

He is a trial attorney who in the last five years alone has obtained many successful trial results (ranging from $2.5 million to $60 million) against Sunbeam Products, the State of California, Costco Stores, Farmers Insurance Exchange, Allstate Insurance, and Louisville Ladder in a wide array of cases involving dangerous roads, dangerous ladders, dangerous premises, and unlawful employment practices.

In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal’s Top Plaintiff Lawyers In California.

In 2023, he has been named one of Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers In California.

In 2023, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers, 3 consecutive years.

In 2023, he has been named the Best Lawyers® 2023 Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs “Lawyer of the Year” in Los Angeles.

In 2023, he has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a legal visionary.

In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict’s Top 10 Verdicts in California.

In 2002, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of Top Verdict’s Top 20 Verdicts in California.

In 2022, Homampour Law Firm was honored to be one of CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of the year.

In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $60 million.

In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $34 million.

In 2022, he recovered a verdict of $36 million (wrongful death)

In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $23 million (dangerous condition of public property)

In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $15.92 million (dangerous condition of public property)

In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $10 million (dangerous condition of public property)  

In 2022, he recovered a settlement of $8 million (dangerous condition of public property) 

In 2022, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers.

In 2022, he has been named one of Law360°’s Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar.

In 2021, he recovered settlements of $24 million (dangerous condition of public property) and $8 million (dangerous condition of public property)

In 2021, he has been named one of the Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers.

In 2021, he has become an Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor.

In 2020, he recovered verdicts of $32 million (single plaintiff settlement premise and product liability case), $5.3 million (confidential settlement) and $5 million (disputed policy limits settlement).

In 2019, he recovered a verdict of $30 million (wrongful death of driver that hit improperly parked truck), $12 million (wrongful death) and $5 million (liability and damages settlement)

In 2018, he received the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA’s) Ted Horn Memorial Award presented to the lawyer who has provided outstanding service to the Association and the legal community.

In 2018, he received the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association Top Gun/Trial Lawyer of the Year award in Products Liability.

In 2018, he recovered verdicts of $12.25 million (wrongful death of man at swap meet) and $10 million (fatal vehicle versus motorcycle) and was named in the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers for the 7th year in a row.

In 2017, he recovered settlements & verdicts of $14.5 million (insurance bad faith), $14.25 million (wrongful death of a motorcyclist) $4.5 million (auto vs. truck).

In 2016, 2018 and 2019, he has been named one of the Top 30 Plaintiff’s attorneys in the State by the Daily Journal.

In 2016, he was awarded the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association Trial Attorney of the Year award.

In 2015, he recovered verdicts of $16.2 million (motorcycle rider suffered a head injury), $5.6 million (wrongful death of 83 year old), $60 million (wrongful death of mother in fire started by a defective space heater),  $14.2 million (dangerous condition wrongful death case for lack of warning signs against Caltrans) and $14 million (bad faith claim against Allstate Insurance Co.).  

In 2010, he was named by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) as its Trial Attorney of the Year. CAALA is the largest plaintiff attorney group in the country.

In 2007, he was named one of the Top 20 Attorneys Under the Age of 40 in the State of California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Every year since 2004, he has received nominations for Trial Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California and/or CAALA.

Since 2005, he has been designated a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics.

Since 2010, he has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers which is based on the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the Southern California nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.

He has also successfully briefed and argued many appeals, including a recent California Supreme Court victory in Cortez v. Abich (2011) 51 Cal. 4th 285.

Arash frequently lectures throughout the state on all matters related to trial practice and has published many articles. You can find copies of those articles or videos of his presentations at www.caala.org or www.caoc.org

Areas of Practice

• Litigation
• Insurance Bad Faith
• Personal Injury
• Employment
• Business

Litigation Percentage

• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• California, 1993
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1993

Education

• Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California
• University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
• B.S., Bachelor of Science – June, 1989
• Major: Economics/Finance

Join Ben for this conversation with John and Johnny Simon and Tim Cronin of the Simon Law Firm.  This episode covers discussion of two fascinating recent cases in which the Simon firm obtained more than $ 1 billion in combined verdicts on behalf of a client killed by a driver high on nitrous oxide and a rape victim in a psychiatric hospital.  Learn about John, Johnny and Tim expertly built these cases around themes of corporate malfeasance, greed, neglect, and punitive damages.  Both verdicts are huge landmark accomplishments that will create positive change for society.

The Simon Law Firm, P.C. | Over $1 Billion Won (simonlawpc.com)

About John Simon

John G. Simon’s work as Managing Partner at the firm has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for past clients. Well-respected in his field, John’s career includes several published works, frequent community involvement, and the role of adjunct professor at Saint Louis University School of Law

For 30 years, John Simon has devoted himself to fighting for the victims of negligence in St. Louis and across the nation. Because of his unparalleled skill and belief in the power of the law, John has secured over 150 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million or more for his clients.

John’s practice is among the most accomplished in the nation:

• He has secured over 150 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million each.
• He has obtained more than 15 verdicts/settlements over $10 million.
• He has secured more than 25 verdicts/settlements over $5 million.

Fighting for Plaintiffs Across the United States John’s conviction and passion for the law form the cornerstone of our practice. His belief in the power of hard work, persistence, and dedication allows him and his fellow attorneys to achieve incredible results. Above all, he knows that a group of committed individuals working together can accomplish great things—that’s the heart of his firm.

About Johnny Simon

By joining The Simon Law Firm, P.C. in 2015, Johnny continues a proud tradition of excellence in the art of advocacy on behalf of people and businesses in need. A tradition that was established by his father—a tradition he intends to uphold.

Ask Johnny Simon, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, what he does for a living, and he will tell you very simply: a trial lawyer. Trying cases to juries, to verdict, is what he does. Practicing law, he will tell you, is not job, but a vocation—a privilege that he takes very seriously. Johnny focuses his practice on a diverse array of personal injury cases, including litigating cases involving defective products and product liability issues, medical malpractice claims, 1983 excessive force cases, and trucking/auto accidents, business litigation, and consumer fraud. Johnny graduated from Marquette University obtaining a degree in business, finance, and economics. He obtained a law degree from Boston College law school.

Johnny has litigated against some of the largest companies and hospital systems in the country. He is proud to represent clients from in need of top-notch legal representation and knows that he has the resources and experience to even the odds. He has tried cases in state, federal, and appellate courts across the country. With every case, Johnny brings the same tenacity and drive in order to achieve the best results for his clients. He is always eager to tell the story of his clients to a jury, members of the community, and expose improper and unlawful conduct which caused devastating and life altering injuries.

Outside of the Courtroom, Johnny is a husband, father, son, brother, and nephew. His hobby: thinking of ways to make a client’s case better.

About Timothy Cronin

Tim Cronin is a skilled and experienced personal injury trial attorney, including product liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, and trucking litigation, serving clients nationwide from our St. Louis office. He has recovered over 750 million dollars for injury victims, received numerous legal accolades, and offers compassionate counsel to his clients.

Timothy M. Cronin is a skilled trial attorney that focuses his practice on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, premises liability and trucking litigation involving catastrophic injuries or death.

Tim devotes himself to uncovering wrongdoing and seeking justice for his clients. His goal in every case is to help repair the lives of his clients that have been devastated by the reckless conduct of others, to do everything possible to ensure it never happens again to anyone else, and to make the litigation process as easy and stress-free for his clients as possible. He has tried many cases, and prepared countless others that settled on the courthouse steps. Tim has obtained verdicts exceeding ten million dollars on four separate occasions, along with a recent $535 million verdict that is the largest in Illinois state history for a single plaintiff. He has also obtained settlements or verdicts exceeding a million dollars for his clients on nearly fifty separate occasions, recovering in excess of four million dollars or more on over half of those cases.

When Conal Doyle started his plaintiff’s practice, he faced long odds and daunting obstacles.  But as one born without one of his legs who went on to become a ski racer, long odds and obstacles were nothing new to Conal.  Join Ben and Rahul for their discussion with Conal about how he bet on himself and his clients time and again, achieved monumental verdicts and changes to the legal system on his way to becoming one of California’s most successful trial lawyers.    

About Conal Doyle

https://conaldoylelaw.com/

Conal Doyle is an award-winning trial lawyer who has received national recognition for his courtroom victories that have had broad reaching impact on society. He is one of the few attorneys in history to argue before the United States Supreme Court and obtain multiple seven and eight figure jury verdicts.

His international human rights victory in Castaneda v. United States was a catalyst for the reform of the United States immigration healthcare system, and garnered widespread acclaim from his peers, legal publications and the international media.

For example, he received the 2012 California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award in Human Rights, and the 2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA). He has been listed in both Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for the past ten consecutive years, and his courtroom victories have been chronicled in newspapers around the world, including a piece on the CBS news magazine “60 Minutes.”

Conal’s reputation as one of the finest trial attorneys in America was further cemented with two stunning back-to-back verdicts in Kern County, California, one of California’s most “conservative” jurisdictions.

In December 2013, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $26.8 million medical malpractice jury verdict in McKnight v. Spain. This result was the largest medical malpractice verdict in County history and was recognized by The Daily Journal as a Top 10 Verdict in California for 2013. The National Law Journal recognized the verdict as a Top 100 Verdict nationally and the Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) named him a Finalist for the 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award. The highest pre-trial offer by the defense was $300,000.

In March 2014, Conal obtained as lead trial counsel a $3.8 million jury verdict in Doe v. Jack In The Box. In this premises liability case, the highest pre-trial offer was $200,000.

The foundation of this success is a passion for justice and a commitment to client service. Conal was born without his right leg, and like many of his clients, has overcome great obstacles and endured daily struggles. These experiences provide him a unique insight into his clients’ challenges and help him guide his clients through difficult times.

Conal’s personal experience has led him to focus on the representation of amputees in both first party bad faith and personal injury claims.  The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) honored Conal as the 2020 Street Fighter of the Year for his work on behalf of amputees in Trujillo v. United Healthcare, a national ERISA health insurance class action.  The case required the nation’s largest health insurer to change its claims practices and reprocess claims related to the denial of prosthetic devices to amputees.  Conal is also prosecuting two other class actions for wrongful denial of prosthetics-against Anthem and Blue Shield of California, among numerous individual bad faith claims for wrongful denial of prosthetics.

Conal is well known as an advocate for amputees in injury and bad faith insurance claims. His article, “Glimpsing the Future for an Amputee,” is used as a guide for litigating limb loss cases by attorneys across the country.

Conal has never backed down from a challenge or started a fight that he couldn’t finish. When he isn’t challenging corporate giants in the courtroom, Conal enjoys skiing the Rockies, a remnant from his past as an alpine ski racer.

Honors & Awards

2020 Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC) Street Fighter of the Year Award

2014 Finalist-Consumer Attorney of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of California (CAOC)

The National Law Journal Top 100 Verdicts, 2013

The Daily Journal Top 10 Verdicts, 2013

2012 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award

2011 Trial Lawyer of the Year-Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)

2011 Attorney of the Year-The Recorder

The Best Lawyers in America, 2012 – Present

Finalist-2011 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year

2011 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America

The National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100, 2008 – Present

The Daily Journal – Top 20 Under 40 in California, 2010

Super Lawyers-Southern California Superlawyer, 2012 – Present

The Daily Journal – Top 10 Verdicts, 2010

Martindale Hubbell – AV Rating, 2007 – Present

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association – 2011 Civil Justice Award

The National Law Journal-Appellate Lawyer of the Week, 2010

2011 Public Justice Achievement Award-Public Justice Foundation

Public Service

Conal devotes a significant portion of his practice to public interest work and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a non-profit public interest law firm. Mr. Doyle frequently acts as “lead cooperating counsel” on cases with Public Justice, where he donates a portion of his fees as a pro bono contribution to the organization.

Prior Work History

Conal comes from a “big firm” background, where he served as a trial attorney for six years at one of Florida’s largest and most respected law firms. Conal won his first federal jury trial in a civil rights excessive force case at age twenty-seven. By age thirty-one, he was lead trial counsel of an eleven-hundred-member law enforcement agency, where he litigated civil rights, torts, class actions, and employment cases.

Conal participated in a dozen jury trials as a defense attorney, winning eleven of them. His jury trial experience includes cases involving medical malpractice, breach of contract, insurance coverage, premises liability, negligent security, 42 U.S.C. 1983 civil rights violations, excessive force, false arrest, automobile negligence, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, and employment law.

Personal

Mr. Doyle is a right leg amputee. He is an avid alpine skier and has competed in Giant Slalom and Slalom alpine races against the best disabled athletes in the world, including the U.S. Ski Team, Canadian Ski Team, and Australian Ski Team. He is a former member of the Board of Directors (1998-2002) of Self-Reliance, Inc. and is active in community efforts to improve the lifestyles of Americans with disabilities. He regularly draws on his unique life experiences in representing clients who have sustained significant injuries or have suffered discrimination due to their disabilities.

Public Speaking

Mr. Doyle is a frequent lecturer and author on the topics of civil trial practice, civil rights, and personal injury litigation at law schools, Continuing Legal Education seminars, and the FBI NAA National Convention, where he has been recognized as an expert in civil rights litigation. He has also been quoted and featured frequently in national newspapers, radio, and television regarding constitutional law issues and civil rights.

Bar Admissions

California, 2003

Florida, 1997

New York, 2006

District of Columbia, 2006

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

U.S. District Court Central District of California

U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida

U.S. District Court Eastern District of California

U.S. District Court Southern District of California

U.S. District Court Northern District of California

Education

Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida

Juris Doctor cum laude – May 1997

Book Awards: Trial Practice, Litigation Seminar

Florida House of Representatives-Legislative Internship/Scholarship

Florida Bar Scholarship-Top 10 Law Students in State 1996

Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida

First Year of Law School – 1994

Class Rank: 1/159

West’s Outstanding Scholar Award-#1 ranked first year law student

Book Award-Torts

Book Award-Civil Procedure

Book Award-Criminal Law

Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida

B.A. – 1993

Before he became a trial lawyer, Colorado lawyer Kurt Zaner wanted to be an actor. But rather than just play a role, Kurt decided that he wanted to be a real-world champion and decided to become a trial lawyer. Now, Kurt applies lessons about presence, storytelling and drama from the stage to help achieve landmark verdicts for his clients. Join Ben for his wide-ranging discussion with Kurt that covers how a trial lawyer can use acting skills to enhance courtroom impact; strategies that have enabled Kurt to achieve several eight-figure verdicts against considerable odds; and even what modern day lawyers can learn from reading Cicero. 

About Kurt Zaner

https://zanerhardenlaw.com/

Kurt Zaner has dedicated his legal career to representing folks against the modern-day Goliaths. In battling corporations that refuse to take responsibility, Kurt enjoys the challenge of standing up for people that seemingly have the odds overwhelmingly stacked against them.

A sought-after national speaker, Kurt frequently lectures on his winning trial techniques, effective legal writing strategies, and iconic discovery tactics that force top-value settlements.  Kurt has secured the largest premises liability verdict in the history of Colorado ($16,000,000.00).

He has appeared on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and every local media outlet including the Denver Post and local CBS, ABC, and Fox affiliates.  He is a published author of Federal and State case law, including Colorado law establishing the right to punitive damages for victims of drunk drivers; he also authored legal articles on distracted driving as well as articles on ancient Roman trial methods.

As a trained stage actor, Kurt credits much of his trial success to his theatrical training in college and in Los Angeles prior to law school.

After graduating law school near the top of his class and receiving the American Bar Association’s and American Law Institute’s Best Graduate Award – awarded to the one student of the graduating class who best represents a combination of scholarship and leadership – Kurt went on to clerk for United States District Judge Ken Marra.

Working side by side with a Federal Judge on one of the largest caseloads in the country, Kurt learned the art of persuasive advocacy both through legal writing and courtroom theatrics.

Most importantly, he learned how cases are won from behind the bench.

Prior to co-founding Zaner Harden Law, LLP, Kurt practiced with some of the best-known trial lawyers in the country.  Kurt has successfully represented hundreds of clients across the State of Colorado, trying and winning cases at every level of Colorado State Court, including several million and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements.

In 2017 he and his partner were recognized as having two of the largest verdicts of the year across all practice areas, including a 1,700,000.00 verdict against an oil company’s distracted driver as well as a $2,500,000 verdict against a drunk driver that killed his client’s son and then fled the scene.

This drunk driving verdict landed on the front page of the Denver Post as the community was fed up with these kinds of reckless drivers avoiding accountability by running away.

Kurt defended this verdict all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. In 2018, Kurt secured the largest premises liability verdict in the history of Colorado – $16,000,000.00 in Boulder for a father of three who was diagnosed with the crippling neurological condition CRPS after a temporary electrical box exploded.

A few years later, Kurt secured a verdict on another electrocution case where his client also developed CRPS, with a Denver jury delivering a $10,600,000.00 verdict (with interest).  A year after that, Kurt secured a $4,300,000.00 verdict for a client hurt in a trucking crash.

No matter how big or small the case, Kurt takes great pride in helping those that entrust their most significant legal problems to his law firm.

Kurt is very active in the Trial Lawyer community, both locally and nationally. Locally, he was recently elected to the Board of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA) for his fifth consecutive year and serves on several committees.

Nationally, after serving as President of the New Lawyers Division for the American Association of Justice (the 5,000 member NLD division of the most pre-eminent national trial lawyer organization in the Country), Kurt now serves on the Budget Committee of the entire 20,000-member organization as well as the Board of Governors.

He also acts as a certified End Distracted Driving (EndDD Program) presenter, donating his time in high school classrooms in Colorado educating the next generation of drivers on the dangers of distracted driving.

Kurt is invited to speak across the country on novel legal strategies and methods that he has developed – techniques that have resulted in unprecedented successful results for his clients.

He has been a regular speaker for the American Association of Justice, having spoken in Boston, Palm Springs, Denver, Los Angeles, and Montreal on a variety of topics including trial techniques, writing strategies, and insurance bad faith. He also speaks regularly for Trial Lawyers University (formerly Trojan Horse) as well as The National Trial Lawyers’ national trial seminars.

On the State level, Mr. Zaner regularly teaches for the Colorado Trial Lawyers at their state convention, statewide CLEs, and for CTLA’s new lawyer bootcamps,

He has also spoken at several State Seminars around the Country, including the prestigious Arkansas Trial Lawyers College on one of his favorite topics: transplanting 2,000-year-old trial techniques from the Roman trial lawyer Cicero and demonstrating how they can be effective in today’s trials.

When not practicing law, Mr. Zaner spends much of his time with his wife and two young boys, outdoors in the mountains or on the stage in a local theater production.

Licensed in Florida and Colorado.

Publications

Warembourg v. Excel, 471 P.3d 1213 (Co. Ct. App. 2020) – 63-page, 3-0 published opinion that affirmed the firm’s record-breaking 16-million-dollar electrocution verdict.  This opinion creates significant new law in the area of spoliation of evidence, setting new standards for when parties must hold onto evidence and how they may be punished if they do not preserve such evidence (blessing an irrebuttable presumption of liability and causation punitive sanction).  Case settled for 15.7 million shortly after this opinion.

“Lessons From Cicero” – Good Counsel, April 2017

Alhilo v. Kleim, 413 P.3d 902 (Co. Ct. App. 2016), cert denied (Colo. June 26, 2017) – published opinion that affirmed the firm’s multi-million dollar motorcycle verdict and created helpful case law for victims of drunk drivers (allowing for prior DUIs to come in as evidence) and for those who have lost loved ones in a wrongful death case (clarifying the damage cap to afford survivors the maximum benefit).

Spotlight, “Overcoming Liability Roadblocks in Bicycle Accident Case” American Association for Justice, Trial Edition (July 2015)

“Sad But Preventable – a Trial Lawyer’s Quest to End Distracted Driving and Save Lives” The Colorado Trial Lawyers’ Association publication Trial Talk, Volume 62, Issue 3, April/May 2013 publication at p. 26 (sole author).

“Driving While on the Cell Phone; Punitive Damage Awards Should Come Through Loud and Clear” ABA’s The Brief, Tort Trial & Ins. Prac. Sec., Summer 2007, Vol. 35, No.4 (co-author), republished in The Colorado Trial Lawyers’ Association publication Trial Talk, Volume 62, Issue 3, April/May 2013 publication at p. 41.

“National Security Policy and Ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty” 32 Houston Journal of International Law 1 (2009) (contributing author).

Vidinliev v. Carey, 581 F.Supp. 2d 1281 (N.D. Ga. 2008) – created federal case law in the area of worker’s FLSA rights.

Bar Leadership

NATIONAL

American Association of Justice – Board of Governor, 2018-2020; 2022-2025.

American Association of Justice – Executive Committee Member 2019-2020.

American Association of Justice – Budget Committee Member 2020-2023

American Association of Justice – Elected National President of NLD Division 2016.

American Association of Justice – Elected National Vice President of NLD Division 2016.

American Association of Justice – Elected National Treasurer of NLD Division 2015.

American Association of Justice – Elected National Secretary of NLD Division 2014.

American Association of Justice – Appointed Board of Governor on New Lawyers Division, June 2013.

American Association of Justice – Appointed Chair of the Publications Committee for the NLD quarterly national publication, the Sidebar, July 2013.

STATE

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Elected to serve as Board Member 2016-present

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Appointed to serve on Executive Committee and Legislative Committee 2016-17, 2021-2022

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Appointed to serve on Board as Board Member 2015-16.

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Appointed Membership Chair November 2012 -2015.

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Appointed New Lawyer Chair November 2013.

Community Involvement

Actor (Len), A One Night Stand at the Vintage Theater, Don’t Throw the Cheese by Mark Ogle.

Actor (Reverend Parris), The Crucible at Red Rocks Community Theater.

Presenter, End Distracted Driving Campaign; presents programs to high school students to warn them of the dangers of distracted driving.

Board of Director, Denver Athletic Club.