Robert E. Thackston
Robert Thackston has tried commercial, products liability and toxic tort cases involving personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, theft of intellectual property, civil nuisance, land use, and property damage in state and federal courts throughout the nation. He has developed comprehensive strategies for handling large numbers of complex cases such as mass multi-jurisdictional toxic tort litigation and has successfully implemented those strategies in the courtroom. He has served as national coordinating, regional and local trial counsel for clients in mass tort litigation.
In February of 2008, he took the California Bar Examination, which he passed, and then tried a seven-week case in Los Angeles in March and April. In 2006, he received a $6.5 Million verdict plus costs and interest for Dodge Motorsports against Bill Davis Racing in federal court in Michigan. Three months later he received a defense verdict for Sears, Roebuck & Co. in state court in Harris County, Texas and also received a defense verdict in Los Angeles County, California in November 2006.
Robert also defended individual cases for manufacturers of an array of products including pharmaceuticals, HVAC systems, cranes, electrical plugs, aerial lifts, turbine generators, motors, industrial laminates, switchgear, automobiles, brakes, gaskets, cutting equipment, and foods. In addition, he has handled cases involving allegedly toxic substances such as asbestos, benzene, PCBs, silica, dioxin, and uranium.
He has also tried commercial products liability, medical malpractice, general negligence, and federal civil rights cases. With cost-conscious use of experts, he specializes in simplifying complex scientific, medical, and engineering issues into a story that persuades jurors. He also helps clients avoid law suits with risk management advice on warnings, warranties, regulations, and post-sale responsibilities. Crisis management and public relations are additional areas in which clients often call on Robert’s expertise.
Professional affiliations
- Defense Research Institute
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel
Presentations
"Cross Examining the Plaintiffs' Expert Witness on Damages," DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas (March 18, 2004)
"Defending Retailers in Asbestos Litigation," DRI Asbestos Medicine Seminar, Miami, (November 6, 2003)
"Cross Examining Plaintiffs' Industrial Hygiene Experts," Defense Research Institute Conference on Asbestos Litigation, Miami, (November 2000)
"Court-Appointed Experts in Toxic Tort Litigation," Andrews Continuing Education Institute, New Orleans (May 1998)
Articles and publications
Trials
- Charles E. Morrison v. Alfa Laval, Inc.
- Matthew Swalling v. Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., et al.
- Robert Niebauer, et al. v. 3M Company
- Donna Walmach v. Warren Pump
- George Graves v. Alfa Laval, Inc.
- James Howell v. Alfa Laval, Inc.
- Hughie Robinson v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., et al.
- Alvin Jensen v. Warren Pump
- Michael Robertson v. Warren Pump
- Richard Cunningham v. Warren Pumps, Inc., et al.
- Harvey Gudmundson v. Warren Pump
- Jim Henry v. Warren Pump
- Peter Fredrickson v. Warren Pump
- Christopher Stoeckler v. DaimlerChrysler
- Gary Carlisle v. DaimlerChrysler
- Kenneth Hicks v. DaimlerChrysler
- Louis Hicks v. DaimlerChrysler
- Stephanie Davis v. DaimlerChrysler
- Barletta v. A.W. Chesterton
- Savatore Polito and Constance Polito v. Anchor Packing Company
- Thomas Collins v. DaimlerChrysler
- James Lansford & Leta Lansford v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., et al.
- Vaughn v. AC&S, Inc., et al.
- Bando v. Aces
- Hermasillo v. OCF
- Williams v. W.R. Grace, et al.
- Cole v. OCF, et al.
- Dascho v. Keene, et al.
Practice areas
Education
J.D., with honors, University of North Carolina School of Law, 1987
- North Carolina Law Review
B.S., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1984
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Johnston Scholar
Bar admissions
- California
- North Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
Courts
- California and Texas Federal Courts
- State Courts of California, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia
- Texas Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals, Fourth and Fifth Circuits