With more than 20 years of trial experience, Elbert S. Dorn devotes his practice to products liability, pharmaceutical and class action litigation.
As a member of the firm's business litigation group, he also has broad experience in handling complex commercial litigation. His experience includes state representation for several pharmaceutical companies, petroleum companies and as coordinating counsel for one of the big three automotive companies.
In connection with automotive products litigation, Dorn has personally handled and tried to verdict cases for several automotive manufacturers involving alleged defects of handling and stability (rollover), sudden or unintended acceleration (electrical and/or mechanical throttle and speed control systems), seatbelts, airbags, seat backs, roof structure, door latches, glass (glazing), tires, fuel system, and crashworthiness matters. He also currently serves as statewide counsel for one of the world's largest manufacturers of safety restraint systems in seatbelt and airbag product litigation. He is intimately familiar with the substantive and procedural issues faced by automotive and component part manufacturers in product liability litigation.
In the product liability and pharmaceutical fields, Dorn has been at the forefront of advancing legal arguments which have recently culminated in reported appellate decisions which tighten the reliability standards for expert witnesses in state court proceedings, reinforce the requirement that an alternative feasible design be proven in design defect cases, and support the exclusion of post-manufacture evidence. He has worked extensively with the advancement and application of pre-emption defenses. Dorn also has firsthand experience in developing practice strategies for defending corporations against punitive damage claims.
In the class action field, Dorn has defended putative and certified class actions for major corporations in South Carolina state and federal courts. He is thoroughly familiar with the complex notice and approval processes required for settlement or other resolution of class actions, as well as application of the Class Action Fairness Act.
Mr. Dorn is past president of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association. He also recently served as spokesperson for national defense groups and corporate interests in the effort to strengthen the state rules on the admission of expert testimony. As part of that effort, he testified before the South Carolina House, Senate and Supreme Court. Mr. Dorn is an active member of IADC, DRI and the S.C. Judicial Invitational Conference.
He is a native of Greenwood and has lived here all of his life. He is married and the father of 4 children.
Career Highlights
· Best Lawyers in America® - Product Liability Litigation since 2007
· South Carolina Super Lawyers® - Personal Injury: Products (2009-current)
News
Attorneys Recognized By Peers; Twenty-Four Named to 2012 Super Lawyers® List for South Carolina
Nexsen Pruet is pleased to announce that twenty-four attorneys have been listed in the 2012 edition of South Carolina Super Lawyers®.
62 Attorneys Named to the 2012 Edition of Best Lawyers®
Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 62 of its attorneys have been named to the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers®.
Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Recognized By Peers; Sixteen Named to 2011 Super Lawyers® List for South Carolina
Nexsen Pruet is pleased to announce that sixteen attorneys have been listed in the 2011 edition of South Carolina Super Lawyers®. Those attorneys practice in firm's Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach offices.
Fifty-nine Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®; Five Practice Areas Listed Among Top in the Carolinas
Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 59 of its attorneys have been named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®.
Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Recognized by Their Peers
Nineteen Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the 2010 list of South Carolina Super Lawyers®.
Fifty-eight Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®
Fifty-eight Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
"Business pulse" includes item about Elbert Dorn
The April 18th edition of Myrtle Beach newspaper The Sun News includes an item about Nexsen Pruet attorney Elbert Dorn in its "Business pulse" section.
Twenty-Five Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named Among South Carolina's Super Lawyers®
Twenty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the 2009 list of South Carolina Super Lawyers®.
Elbert Dorn joins Nexsen Pruet; Expands Business Litigation Practice Group
Myrtle Beach, SC - Nexsen Pruet, LLC announced today that Elbert Dorn has joined the firm as a member.
Publications
No Other Alternative: Challenging Plaintiff's Proof of Reasonable Alternative Design
In the February 2012 edition of the International Association of Defense Counsel's Product Liability newsletter, Nexsen Pruet attorney Elbert Dorn "provides tips to the defense practitioner on aggressively pressing legal and factual points to test plaintiff's proof of a reasonable alternative design in design defect claims."
Events
Elbert Dorn Selected to Participate in Trial Superstars™
Civic & Professional Memberships
· International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
· Defense Research Institute (DRI)
· South Carolina Judicial Invitational Conference
· South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association, President (2007)
(Also at Myrtle Beach Office)