Bowman and Brooke LLP > Detroit, United States > Firm Profile
Bowman and Brooke LLP Offices
41000 WOODWARD AVENUE
SUITE 200 EAST
DETROIT, MI 48304
MICHIGAN
United States
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Bowman and Brooke LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive/transport Tier 1
With bench strength spread across both coasts, niche product liability firm Bowman and Brooke LLP regularly acts as lead trial counsel and national co-ordinating counsel in high-exposure and technically intricate lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions. It has developed a particular strong reputation defending leading car and motorcycle manufacturers, including Toyota, Ford Motor and Honda, and is also at the vanguard of industry developments and the subsequent litigation spawning from the increased computer decision making in vehicles, including disputes arising from airbag control technology, electronic stability control and automatic emergency braking. Vastly experienced Phoenix-based firm chairman Paul Cereghini
‘s formidable courtroom skills and subject matter knowledge have ensured that he remains a popular choice for automotive defendants in their highest exposure litigation. San Jose-based Vincent Galvin, Jr. is a favorite among high-profile clients, including Toyota, which he has gained particular acclaim as a result of his work as lead counsel in the well-publicized bellwether “unintended acceleration” trial in 2013. Columbia-based Joel Smith is also recommended and continues to represent Honda against all claims relating to injuries and deaths tied to the much-publicized Takata air bag non-deployment recall. Bard Borkon and Tom Branigan co-chair the automotive practice group from Minneapolis and Detroit respectively.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Ford Motor Company
Honda North America, Inc.
Stellantis/FCA US LLC
Nissan North America, Inc.
Hyundai Motor America
BMW AG
Tesla, Inc.
Jaguar Land Rover North America
Yamaha Motor USA Corp
Subaru of America, Inc.
Kia Motors America, Inc.
Work highlights
- Representing Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. as their lead counsel and largest provider of automotive product liability defense counsel in the US.
- Representing in hundreds of California warranty and lemon law claims throughout California on behalf of multiple automotive manufacturers.
- Representing as lead counsel l in multiple mass actions for Ford Motor Company, including their DPS6 transmission, 10R80 transmission class action, 6F35 transmission and Diesel litigation.
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2
Product liability defense work is a central driver of litigation boutique Bowman and Brooke LLP‘s work flow, with the life sciences industry one of the core areas of industry focus. Consequently, the firm is steeped in real world knowledge, based on trying cases throughout the country and ‘brings top-tier strategic thinking to mass tort management’. The team, which is led from Austin and Minneapolis, respectively, by ‘savvy litigator’ Randall Christian and Kim Schmid, is also appreciated by clients, which include both manufacturers and insurers, for its ability to resource matters ‘with sophisticated professionals on a lean and focused basis’. New Brunswick-based first chair trial attorney Chris Carton is also a key member of the team and has gained most visibility of late for his role as lead trial counsel and national co-ordinating counsel for Patheon Manufacturing Services in the federal Zantac MDL. In early 2022, several practitioners with a focus in the healthcare space departed the firm.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Bowman and Brooke provides outstanding legal services in the products space at moderate prices. They staff their teams with sophisticated professionals on a lean and focused basis.’
‘The team is highly responsive and transparent, and keenly attuned to our business needs.’
‘Bowman and Brooke stands out in the ways that the firm drives value and results. They’re flexible regarding flat fee arrangements, and they have never once complained about having to honor their end of a deal. They bring top-tier strategic thinking to mass tort management, and are appropriately aggressive with plaintiffs’ firms looking for a quick payout.’
‘Randall Christian is a very savvy litigator.’
Key clients
Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc.
Boston Scientific Corporation
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
Patheon Manufacturing Services Inc.
3M
Endologix Inc.
Conformis, Inc.
Spineology
Chubb: Mass tort, Trial Counsel for Medical Device and Drug litigation
Orthofix Medical Inc.
Ossur
ZOLL Medical
Tokio Marine Claims Service, Inc.: Life Sciences Panel
Work highlights
- Representing Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC in proceedings involving the Zantac.
- Representing DaiichiSankyo, Inc. in its Injectafer litigation which involves allegations of injuries following intravenous administration of Injectafer.
- Advising Boston Scientific on product liability issues.
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 3
Litigation focused law firm Bowman and Brooke LLP has an excellent reputation representing consumer product manufacturers in disputes involving catastrophic personal injuries, wrongful death, property damage, consumer fraud and breach of contract claims. The firm, which can draw upon the expertise of lawyers situated throughout the length and breadth of the country, also stands out for the diversity of consumer products it is conversant with, including in relation to manufacturers of household appliances, sports equipment and child products. Drawing upon the insights gleaned from the firm’s trial lawyers, the team is able to provide very robust risk management advice to consumer product manufacturers and is also noted for being ‘on top of the regulations involved with the CPSC’. Well regarded Phoenix-based trial lawyer Paul Cereghini is regularly involved in high-profile product liability and mass torts litigation, including his current representation of an American football helmet manufacturer in concussion litigation brought against it throughout the country. Promoted to partner in January 2021, Phoenix-based Amanda Heitz continues to excel at defending product liability and class actions, including at trial and appellate stage. Jeffrey Warren and Tori Levine co-head the consumer product practice from Phoenix and Dallas, respectively. Robert Wise and Jenny Covington departed the firm during 2021.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team we worked with was totally on top of the regulations involved with the CPSC issue we dealt with. They were very experienced and helped us through confusing and conflicting information that came to us from the CPSC.’
‘They work with their customers as people, not “corporate entities”. They understand and assist in dealing with claims from outside entities that are unsupported yet threatening. They have resources to recommend for assisting with correction of minor to major issues that could cause future legal problems.’
Key clients
Riddell, Inc./BRG Sports
Makita U.S.A., Inc.
3M
BrassCraft Manufacturing Company (Masco)
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Britax Child Safety, Inc.
The Husqvarna Group
Razor USA LLC
L’Oreal
The Toro Company
Glock
Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
Fun Spot Trampoline
Work highlights
- Representing football helmet manufacturer Riddell, Inc. in its highly publicized concussion litigation.
- Representing Austrian firearm manufacturer Glock and its US subsidiary in defending putative product liability class actions in California and aproduct liability case in Arizona.
- Representing Electrolux Home Products, Inc. in multiple cases around the country against allegations of design defects in various Electrolux products leading to personal injury and property damage.
Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort Tier 3
‘Bringing top-tier strategic thinking to mass tort management’, litigation boutique Bowman and Brooke LLP regularly takes on lead and national counsel roles in toxic tort matters relating to chemical exposure, soil and water contamination and asbestos. Clients, that include leading household cleaning and sanitizing product manufacturers, transportation and heavy equipment entities, also appreciate the firm's flexibility on fees. As part of his product liability trial practice, Phoenix-based William Auther has a strong grounding in toxic tort matters, and continues to act as national toxic tort counsel for a leading global air conditioning and refrigeration company. Minneapolis-based trial lawyer Roshan Rajkumar is also a key member of the team and is regularly engaged to act as national co-ordinating or lead trial counsel for major manufacturers defending asbestos and other toxic tort litigation. Larry Ramsey co-heads the team alongside Auther from Los Angeles.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The firm brings bring top-tier strategic thinking to mass tort management.’
Key clients
W.M. Barr & Company, Inc.
Daikin Applied Americas Inc.
Ford Motor Company
Nissan North America Inc.
Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing (Euclid Hitachi)
Mack Trucks, Inc.
Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC
Navistar International
Wayne Combustion Systems, a Scott-Fetzer Company
ViacomCBS
Tuthill Corporation
Caterpillar Inc.
Resolute Management, Inc. (RMI)
International Paper Company
Payne & Keller Company, Inc
DCo (Dana Companies, LLC)
Work highlights
- National premises asbestos counsel to Ford Motor Company in personal injury or wrongful death matters where plaintiffs allege injuries due to exposure to asbestos at a Ford facility.
- Serves as national toxic tort counsel for the largest air conditioning, heating, ventilating and refrigeration company in the world.
- Serves as national no-ordinating and trial counsel to Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing, defending asbestos and toxic tort cases filed nationwide, with responsibility for overall strategy and trial defense.
Bowman and Brooke LLP > Firm Profile
A powerful presence in the courtroom, Bowman and Brooke is one of the largest product liability firms in the United States. Its trial lawyers are courtroom tested and verdict vetted™. The firm serves as both lead trial counsel and national coordinating counsel, defending corporate clients in widely publicized, complex and high-exposure lawsuits. In 37 years, the firm’s lawyers have tried more than 800 cases in more than 350 state and federal courthouses throughout 48 states, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and several Canadian provinces.
It is a firm of nearly 200 attorneys, with more than 25 first-chair trial lawyers and a depth of bench that enables it to concurrently try major cases in multiple jurisdictions. The firm regularly tries precedent-setting bellwether cases where a trial victory resolves major pattern litigation, deters new claims and mitigates future exposure. The firm is made up of real trial lawyers, who solve product-related litigation problems no matter the size or complexity.
Main areas of practice: With the highest concentration of product defense lawyers in the country, Bowman and Brooke represents a wide range of manufacturers in diverse industries including motor vehicles, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, recreational products, aviation, biologics, chemicals, food products, healthcare, heavy machinery, household appliances, tobacco, power equipment, sporting goods, watercraft and more. The firm defends product liability claims, protects product-related intellectual property rights and represents the interests of its clients in diverse product-related litigation, including disputed warranty, dealer relations, indemnity, commercial and regulatory matters.
Turning the complex into the comprehensible, the firm’s cases routinely involve highly technical data, scientific testimony, physics, human physiology, medical evidence and other complex subjects. Bowman and Brooke’s attorneys’ experience extends beyond the legal world to include biomechanics, epidemiology, government regulation, human factors, industry standards, manufacturing processes, mechanical engineering, medical technology, metallurgy, pharmacology, product design, reconstruction and more.
In addition to its core group of nationally recognized first-chair trial lawyers, the firm has the legal analysis and briefing brainpower to resolve cases not worthy of trial. It has the deep experience in strategy development, litigation coordination and discovery management necessary to cost-effectively defend mass tort litigation, multi-plaintiff matters and class actions. The firm matches its resources to the challenges facing the clients, from individual single-plaintiff claims to national multi-venue litigation.
The firm does not compromise when it comes to clients’ interests. It will uncover and advance all appropriate defenses and aggressively and tirelessly pursue the results that clients demand, both in the boardroom and in the courtroom.
For further information please visit bowmanandbrooke.com
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product liability defense | |||
| Class action/mass tort defense | |||
| Toxic tort and environmental defense | |||
| Commercial litigation | |||
| General liability defense | |||
| Contact firm via bowmanandbrooke.com |