Alan’s defense practice includes civil litigation cases in state and federal courts across the country as well as an appellate practice. He defends companies in a broad range of asbestos, torts/toxic tort, construction defect, personal injury and auto lawsuits. Alan’s experience includes representing insurance companies in a broad range of coverage matters involving all types of policies.
For more than 25 years, Alan has devoted his defense practice to representing product manufacturers and distributors, contractors, installers and premise owners in toxic tort, occupational disease and property damage claims including exposures to dusts, workplace fumes, chemicals and products such as asbestos, benzene, silica and latex.
Early in his career, Alan was a clerk to the Honorable Richard P. Goldenhersh of Illinois Appellate Court for the Fifth Judicial District, that provided him extensive experience with appellate litigation. During his appellate work he touched upon insurance coverage, subrogation/assignment of breach of contract action, various procedural issues, structural work act, coverage for assault and battery/negligent hiring and other issues.
Practices
- Coffman v Armstrong Int’l., et al., No. E2017-01985-SC-R11-CV (Tenn. Jan. 4, 2021)
- Successfully represented industrial valve manufacturer client before the Tennessee Supreme Court; the Court held that, under Tennessee law, manufacturers do not have a duty to warn of the dangers associated with post-sale integration of asbestos-containing materials manufactured and sold by others
- McNamee v. Federated Equipment & Supply Co., Inc., 181 Ill.2d 415, 215 N.E.2d 1157 (1998)
- Padgett v A & M Insulation Co., 266 Ill.App.3d 320, 640 N.E.2d 21 (3d Dist.1994)
- Aldridge v A.C. & S., Inc., 263 Ill.App.3d 931, 636 N.E.2d 1 (4th Dist.1994)
Education
- Washington University School of Law, JD, 1989
- Washington University School of Law Jack Garden Humanitarian Award, 1989
- University of Illinois, BA, 1986
- Marching Illini Undergraduate Staff Coordinator
Admissions
- Illinois
- Missouri
- United States District Courts: Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Memberships
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association
- Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee
- Insurance Law Committee
- Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, International Vice Justice, Vice President
Languages
- English
Related News
Presentations/Publications
- Speaker, “Personal Jurisdiction: Recent Developments” (May 2017)
- Speaker, “Navigating a Lawsuit in Illinois and Missouri” (March 14, 2014)
Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™ attorney, recognized since 2014 for the highest level of professional excellence
- Selected as an Illinois Leading Lawyer annually since 2014 by peers in the practice areas of toxic torts defense and products liability defense law, a designation received by fewer than five percent of all lawyers licensed in Illinois