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Biography

Steve has been handling mass tort, fire and explosion, toxic exposure, premises liability and product liability lawsuits since 1993 in state and federal courts across the United States. His experience includes representing product manufacturers, distributors, service providers, and property owners in incidents and exposures involving industrial facilities, distribution centers, and other commercial and residential properties.

Steve is an experienced first chair lawyer and regularly coordinates with experts in the fields of industrial processes, electrical, structural, chemical, mechanical engineering, metallurgy and fire cause and origin. His comprehensive understanding of construction products and industrial processes contributes to his legal expertise in handling fire and explosion cases and assists in failure analysis in his construction and product liability practice.

Steve also utilizes the knowledge gained in his 27 years of litigation experience as a basis to provide advice to businesses on product warnings, product testing, fire suppression equipment, and compliance with governmental standards.

Other Info About Steve

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Representation of an aluminum manufacturer in amputation case on issue of first impression in Kentucky at trial level, affirmed on appeal to Sixth Circuit.

National Coordinating Counsel for distributor of lithium ion batteries and related devices.

National and regional representation of multiple product manufacturers, suppliers and premises defendants in the asbestos litigation.

National Fire Litigation Counsel for an agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Representation of a furnace manufacturer arising from a fatal residential propane gas explosion.

Representation of a medical product supplier in fire litigation arising from misuse of medical equipment.

Served as lead counsel for CertainTeed Corporation in litigation arising from an explosion and fire at the CTA Acoustics manufacturing facility in Corbin, Kentucky involving seven deaths and over $100 million in alleged damages.

Served as counsel to Amgen in litigation involving significant property damage and product loss caused by improper installation of sprinkler equipment.

Representation of a smoke detector manufacturer in fatal apartment fire litigation.

Representation of various explosives manufacturers and distributors in personal injury and property damage litigation arising from the misuse of explosives and fertilizers.

Representation of ICI Explosives USA in a lawsuit filed on behalf of those injured or killed in the terrorist attack by Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City in 1995.

National representation of general contractors in North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky arising out of the use of synthetic stucco as the exterior cladding on commercial and residential structures.

National representation of a raw material supplier in the Breast Implant Litigation.

National representation of a distributor of spinal fixation devices in the Orthopedic Bone Screw litigation in state and federal courts.

Education

Law School

Chase College of Law, J.D., 1993

Undergraduate School

Kentucky Wesleyan College, B.A., 1987

Bar Memberships

Steve is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Kentucky, 1993

Courts

Steve is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky

United States District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky

State of Kentucky

U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

United States District Court, Western District of Tennessee

United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio

United States District Court, North Dakota

United States District Court, Oregon

United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Selected for inclusion in Kentucky Super Lawyers® for Personal Injury Defense: Products, 2010-2021

The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Construction, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants 2010-2021; Louisville Litigation-Construction “Lawyer of the Year,” 2015, 2020

AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell® since 2003

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Leadership Louisville Center, 2020-2021

American Bar Association

Kentucky Bar Association

Louisville Bar Association

Defense Research Institute, Member

Propane Gas Defense Association, Member

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Citizens for Better Judges

Make-A-Wish OKI Board Member

Joint Local Federal Rules Committee for Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky

Firm Committees

Steve serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at Frost Brown Todd:

Executive Committee, former Member

Legal Personnel Committee, former Member

Personnel Committee, former Member

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