Warner S. Fox
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Warner S. Fox is a Senior Partner with Hawkins Parnell Thackston & Young LLP. Warner has practiced with the Firm for more than 25 years. His practice focuses on catastrophic accident litigation primarily arising from matters involving transportation accidents, premises and products liability. Through the years, Warner has tried numerous cases involving many types of tort matters. He is often called upon by his clients to handle catastrophic matters in other jurisdictions. Many of those catastrophic matters have been cases involving traumatic brain injury, a topic on which he lectures frequently. Warner developed a subspecialty in defending these types of cases based upon his many years of experience in dealing with them.
Warner believes that the most important attribute a defense lawyer can bring to a client’s matter is the ability to quickly grasp the issues and threat to a client. By analyzing early in a case the client’s potential exposure, clients, through consultation with their lawyer, can determine whether or not the case is one that should be disposed of early or positioned for a possible trial. Warner firmly believes that the worst thing a defense lawyer can do for the client is advise that a case should be tried up until the time the case arrives at the courthouse steps and then retract the advice.
Professional Experience
Warner has defended a wide variety of clients including multi-national retailers and trucking companies as well as product manufacturers. He currently serves as regional counsel for one of the country’s largest retailers in its general liability matters. He also routinely represents insureds for several major insurers and serves as major case counsel for a carrier in Georgia and other jurisdictions.
Transportation Litigation
Warner has served as eastern regional counsel for a national pest control company, for their vehicle fleet bodily injury litigation. In that capacity, he oversaw all vehicle litigation east of the Mississippi and tried those cases depending upon their severity.
Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation
Warner has developed an expertise in the defense of closed head injuries as a result of handling numerous cases alleging these types of injuries. He serves as lead litigation counsel for a national retailer in traumatic brain injury and catastrophic injury cases in various areas of the country.
Products Litigation
Warner also specializes in cases involving flammable fabrics, including garments, protective wear, and furniture. He serves as Co-Coordinating National Counsel for a national insurance company’s Flammable Fabric Program.
Professional affiliations
- State Bar of Georgia
- Board of Directors - Younger Lawyers Section 1987-1990
- Co-Founder Young Lawyers Section High School Mock Trial Competition
- Atlanta Bar Association
- Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
- President, 2006-2007
- Executive Vice President, 2005-2006
- Secretary/Treasurer, 2004-2005
- Vice President, 2003
- Board of Directors, 1999-2002
- Defense Research Institute
- American Law Firm Association
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
Community involvement
- Co-founder, Georgia High School Mock Trial Competition
Honors
- Georgia Super Lawyer (2004-2010)
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, Corporate Counsel Edition (2010)
- Georgia Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, Business Edition (2011)
- Georgia's Best Lawyers, for Personal Injury Litigation (2011)
- Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation (2011-2012)
Presentations
"Damages Update: Trends and Challenges Facing Retailers," DRI?s Strictly Retail Seminar, Chicago, Illinois (March 4, 2010)
"Litigating Traumatic Brain Injury Claims," PLRB/LIRB 2009 Claims Conference, Seattle, Washington (March 22, 2009)
"Dude Where's My Truck: Non-Consensual Towing Issues," ATA Litigation Centers' 2008 Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, Moderator, Nevada (August, 2008)
"Litigating Traumatic Brain Injury Claims", PLRB/LIRB 2008 Claims Conference, Boston, Massachusetts (April, 2008)
"Litigating Traumatic Brain Injury Claims", PLRB/LIRB 2007 Claims Conference, Orlando, Florida (March, 2007)
"Defense and Evaluation of Brain Injury Cases," Georgia State Bar, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Duluth, Georgia (March, 2007)
"Preeminent Lawyer - Superstars of Trial: The Direct Examination of Defense Liability Expert Witnesses," Defense Research Institute (DRI), Chicago, Illinois (September, 2006)
"Defending Pediatric Brain Injuries: A Defense Lawyer's Perspective" (May, 2006)
"Defending Pediatric Brain Injuries: A Defense Lawyer's Perspective" (April, 2004)
"Catastrophic Trucking Losses From a Defense Lawyer's Perspective" (January, 2002)
"Furniture, Flames, and Products Liability -- How to Handle the Perils of a Flaming Encounter With Your Worse Nightmare: A Plaintiff's Lawyer Who Wants Your Company's Money. An Overview of Strategies to Control Your Company's Product Liability Risks With Respect to Flammability Issues," (February, 2001)
"Wrongful Death Claims in Georgia From a Defense Lawyer's Perspective" (April, 1999)
"Damages: From a Defense Lawyer's Perspective," Georgia State Bar, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) (February, 1999)
"The Ins and Outs of Medical Evidence at Trial" (June, 1997)
"Trucking Litigation: A Primer" (February, 1996)
"Closed Head Injury Seminar" (May, 1996)
Trials
- Susan J. Tomsic v. Marriott International, Inc. and Broderick W. Sumner
- Borrero v. Home Depot
- Harris v. HD
- Edna Ramcke, Individually and in her Representative Capacity As the Administratrix of the Estate of Robert A. Podorsky (deceased) v. Georgia Power Company, The Southern Company, The Southern Company Generation
- The Gates Condominium Homeowners' Association v. Arrow Exterminators, Inc.
- Larry Reece v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., et al.
- Reece v. Home Depot
- Trevino v. First Support Services, Inc.
- Caitlynn Harris, et al. v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., et al.
- Eymorfia Karanikitas v. The TJX Companies, Inc. d/b/a TJ Maxx
- Joseph Williams and Marilyn Cornell, as Parents of the deceased, Sylvia Atchison v. Greyhound Lines, Inc. and Carl Alston
- Charity Ann McDaniel v. Michael Joshua Hulsey
- Debra J. Williams, et al. v. Carey Royals and Waste Services USA, Inc.
- Tony Bridges v. Revco Discount Drug Stores, Inc. et al.
- Kenyatta A. McFadden v. Greyhound Lines, Inc
- Jerry Ray Willis vs. Marten Transport, et al.
- Barbara H. Langley v. Kids "R" Us, Inc.
- Angela Delaine Dover v. Revco Discount Drug Centers, Inc. and Kristy Tumlin
- Brown v. E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co.
- Fallon v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co.
- Akintobi v. Phoenix Fire Restoration Co.
- High v. Parker
- Smith v. Toys "R" Us
- Baskin v. Rogers
- Stokes v. Taco Bell Corp.
- Morgan v. Guaranty Nat'l Cos.
- Hitchcock v. McPhail
- Myrick v. Stephanos
- United Refrigerated Services v. Emmer
- Buford v. Toys "R" Us
- Fulton v. Toys "R" Us
- Valdez v. Power Indus. Consultants
- Canadyne-Georgia Corp. v. Continental Ins. Co.
- Colonial Ins. Co. v. BASS
- Bridgestone Firestone, Inc. v. Green
- Booth v. Johnson
- Butler v. Glen Oak's Turf, Inc.
- Smith v. State Farm Mutual Auto Ins., Co.
- Canadian Indem. Co. v Peachtree Doors, Inc.
- Chitwood v. Southern General Ins. Co.
- Gielow v. Strickland
- Standard Guaranty Ins. Co. v. Grange Mutual Casualty Co.
- Wilson v. Southern General Ins. Co.
Practice areas
Education
J.D., University of Georgia Law School, cum laude, 1984
B.A., Political Science, Valdosta State University, cum laude, 1977
Bar admissions
- Georgia
Courts
- Supreme Court of Georgia
- Court of Appeals of Georgia
- United States Court of Appeals (11th Circuit)
- United States District Court (Northern District of Georgia)
- United States District Court (Middle District of Georgia)
- Numerous pro hac vice admissions to State and Federal Courts