Skip to Main Content.

Industries

Practices

Biography

Steve has been handling mass tort, fire and explosion, toxic exposure, and premises and product liability lawsuits in both state and federal courts across the United States since 1993. He has represented 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 also involved in national litigation management, participates in crisis response teams, and analyzes safety systems and procedures across a variety of business sectors.

Steve’s comprehensive understanding of the construction industry contributes to his legal expertise as a first chair lawyer in the fields of industrial processes, electrical, structural, chemical, and mechanical engineering, metallurgy, fire cause and origin, and failure analysis. Steve also utilizes the knowledge gained from almost 3 decades of litigation experience as a basis to provide advice on product warnings, product testing, fire suppression equipment, and compliance with industry and regulatory standards.

Other Info About Steve

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

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

Representation of building owners and property managers in the evaluation of appropriate fire suppression systems.

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

Representation of a manufacturer in a wrongful death case arising from an industrial process accident.

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

Representation of propane supplier in fire/explosion litigation.

Representation of sports and entertainment venue on all litigation matters.

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):

U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

State of Kentucky

United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky

United States District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Rated AV Preeminent®, the Highest Possible Rating in both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards, Martindale-Hubbell®, 2022

Selected for inclusion in Kentucky Super Lawyers®, 2010-2024

The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Construction, 2011-2025, “Lawyer of the Year,” 2015, 2024; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, 2013-2025; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2013-2025

Rated AV®, Martindale-Hubbell®, 2003-2021

Leadership Louisville, Class of 2021

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Bar Association, Member

Kentucky Bar Association, Member

Louisville Bar Association, Member

Leadership Louisville Center, Member

Defense Research Institute, Member

Propane Gas Defense Association, Member

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Citizens for Better Judges, Member

Make-A-Wish OKI, Board Member

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

The Power of Will, Inc., Advisory Committee Member

Firm Committees

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

Manufacturing Industry Team, Leader

Associate Recruiting Committee, current Member

Legal Project Management Advisory Committee, current Member

Legal Personnel Committee, former Member, 2013-2020

Executive Committee, former Member, 2011-2020

Compensation Committee, former Member and Chair, 2004-2010

 

 

Presentations

Steve was invited to speak at the following events:

Co-presenter, “Stay in Your Lane”, Propane Gas Defense Association Fall Meeting, 2019.

Speaker, “Recent Developments in Lithium Battery Litigation and Mitigating Exposure Before and After an Accident”, Vapor Trade Association Annual Conference, June 2018.

Panelist, “Unique Industry Challenges and Opportunities Involving Lithium Batteries”, Vapor Trade Association Annual Conference, June 2018.

Major Publications

Steve is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Co-author, “Daller, Tort Law Desk Reference – A Fifty-State Compendium” [Kentucky section], 2003-2021 editions.

Author, “Liability Claims Based on Choice of Construction Materials,” DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring 2017.

Co-author, “Absence of Prior Accidents Evidence – Recent Trends in Admissibility”, DRI ACMIE News, December 2013.

Co-author, “Sixth Circuit Adopts Differential Diagnosis Admissibility Standard”, Australian Product Liability Reporter, 2009.

Author. “The Role of Legal Counsel for a Private Litigant Involved in a Chemical Dust Explosion Investigation By the CSB”, International Symposium on Fire Investigation Science and Technology, 2006.

Co-author, “Learning from Experience: A Survey of Recent Legal Developments in the Blasting Industry”, The Journal of Explosives Engineering, September/October 1998.

Co-author, “Stolen Explosives: The Unexpected Liability”, The Journal of Explosives Engineering, January/February 1998.

Related Insights