Adam practices in products liability and toxic tort, where he has represented national and regional companies in complex consolidated and class action cases. His significant case management experience includes his role as a trial attorney in complex mass-tort products liability litigation involving chemical exposures, industrial tools, construction machinery, consumer products and environmental contaminants.
Adam has appeared in mass toxic tort and products liability cases in state and federal courts in numerous jurisdictions, including Mississippi, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, California, Arkansas, Montana, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.
He has been extensively involved in complex mass tort and class action products liability litigation involving consumer and commercial products containing benzene, solvents, iodine-uptake inhibiting compounds, dioxins, PCBs, caustics, tobacco products, creosotes and environmental contaminants such as mercury and perchlorate. He has defended manufacturers, suppliers and industrial users of these products against claims involving cancers, thyroid and endocrine-related disorders, neurological complaints, neurodevelopmental deficiencies, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, fear of future diseases and medical monitoring. Adam also specializes in the legal and scientific responses to claims for medical monitoring and future medical surveillance.
Adam has played an integral part in the development of his clients' medical and scientific defenses and trial strategies relating to these issues, including the identification and development of medical and scientific expert witnesses and the effective cross-examination of opposing experts. In these pursuits, Adam has effectively applied principles of toxicology, pharmacology, epidemiology, risk assessment, physiology-based pharmacokinetic modeling and biostatistics.
Awards & Recognitions
· National Law Journal, Verdict of the Week, Dec. 5, 2001
Professional Associations & Memberships
· Defense Research Institute, Co-chair, Products Liability Committee, Chemical and Toxic Products Special Litigation Group
· Illinois State Bar Association
· The Missouri Bar
Experience
· Successfully defended a cigarette manufacturer against a certified class of West Virginia smokers seeking medical monitoring for lung cancers and COPD involving the use of low-dose helical CT scans and positive electron topography in 2001. The case resulted in a defense verdict and was identified by the National Law Journal as the "Verdict of the Week" in its Dec. 5, 2001 issue.
· Successfully defended client in federal court in San Jose, Calif. in more than 250 related lawsuits, including putative class actions, alleging groundwater contamination arising from historical use of perchlorate. Plaintiffs sought certification of a medical monitoring class and actual and punitive damages for alleged property value diminution. A four-week jury trial resulted in a complete defense verdict in selected bellwether cases. All remaining cases resolved favorably for the client.
Events
9.1.09, Environmental Law, Future Regulatory Policies and Law on Going Green, Annual Meeting of the Missouri Bar
Speaking Engagement
1.1.04, Medical Monitoring, Defense Research Institute's Product Liability Conference
Speaking Engagement