Colin focuses his practice on defending consumer product and manufacturing companies against product liability, mass/toxic tort and commercial litigation matters (including asbestos claims). He has significant experience in bet-the-company crisis management and was on the team that defended the largest industrial disaster in Georgia. Colin has provided individual counseling and class action strategies for companies of all sizes faced with false labeling claims by state agencies in California and consumers in Florida and New York, particularly in the area of eco-friendly or “natural” products.
He has a history of trying difficult cases in difficult places. Colin has served as national trial counsel to chemical, automotive and consumer product manufacturers for more than a decade in some of the most hostile jurisdictions in the country.
Beyond consumer product defense work, he has litigated high stakes litigation matters for more than 10 different Fortune 500 companies and has prepared cases for trial in more than 42 states. He was part of the Enron Bankruptcy Examiner’s team and has done adversary proceeding litigation and receivership counseling work for clients going back nearly two decades. Recently Colin served as counsel to a $10 million dollar construction company placed in Receivership. Colin has handled every aspect of litigation from pre-suit counseling and early resolution to jury trials and appeals.
For eight years, Georgia Super Lawyers has named Colin a Rising Star in class action and mass tort. He also was named “Toxic Torts Lawyer of the Year” in Lawyer Monthly’s Legal Awards in both 2013 and 2014. In addition, Colin was selected for the 2019 class of Leadership Atlanta, one of the oldest community leadership development organizations in the country, along with 88 other business executives, community leaders, educators, lawyers and entrepreneurs. Colin serves as an officer on the Board of Directors for the Truancy Intervention Project, Inc. and has represented more than 50 children in Atlanta juvenile court proceedings.
Presentations
Product Liability Litigation: Comprehensive Guide and Strategies for Manufacturers, Webinar, The Knowledge Group, December 19, 2017.Implications of the 2016 Product Recalls to the 2017 Product Liability Landscape, Webinar, The Knowledge Group, June 1, 2017.
Social Media in eDiscovery: Effective Tools and Techniques for 2017, Webinar, The Knowledge Group, December 1, 2016.
Become a Social Media Ninja for Your Client at Trial, Webinar, Lorman Education Services, August 26, 2016.
3D Printing: Evaluating Product Safety and Liability Risks, Avoiding and Defending Claims, Webinar, Strafford, January 28, 2016 (with Matthew D. Jacobson and Brandan P. Mueller).
Publications and Media
Behind the Mask - A Look at How Mask Wearing During the COVID-19 Pandemic May Improve PPE Compliance in the Post COVID-19 World, Insurance & Risk Management 2021, June 2021 (with Caroline Gieser).
Lawyers Rally Support for 7 Fulton Superior Judges up for Reelection, The Daily Report, June 18, 2021.
J&J Faults Doctor's Affidavits in GA Suits Over Cancer Deaths, Law360, May 12, 2021
Liability Risks for 3D-Printed Medical Supplies and Protective Products, COVID-19 Shook Client Primer, April 6, 2020 (co-author).
Are “Casual” Auto Sellers Subject to Strict Liability? Law360, February 26, 2016 (with Sarah O’Donohue).
NHTSA Puts the Pedal to the Metal on Auto Compliance, Law360, September 10, 2015 (with Sarah O’Donohue).
Product Liability Trends for U.S. Businesses, Lawyer Monthly, May 2014.
Leveraging Social Media Evidence in Your Case, DRI Young Lawyer Handbook, 2014.
A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Using Social Media Information During Trial, DRI’s For the Defense, October 2013 (co-author).
Key Toxic Tort Figures Around the Globe, Corporate Livewire, 2013.
Environmental and Toxic Tort Litigation in the USA, Lawyer Monthly, November 2012.
Impact of Product Regulatory Changes on Medium-Sized Manufacturing Company, Counselor Magazine, November 2012.
Be Prepared to Act Quickly to Protect Your Company’s Reputation in Case of a Crisis, LexisNexis In-House Advisory, April 2012.
CPSIA Update, Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association Magazine, 2010.
How California’s Green Chemistry Initiative Will Change the Way You Make Toys, Playthings, 2010.
Toy Safety Update: Two New Regulatory Playing Fields, New Sets of Rules, and New Umpires, The Toy Book, 2009.
Jury Innovation: A Process of Trial and Error, Trends in Litigation, 2004.
Hamilton v. Accu-Tek: Collective Liability for Handgun Manufacturers in the Criminal Misuse of Handguns, 103 W. Va. Law Rev. 81, 2001.
Media Coverage
Georgia Defense Lawyers Stirred Up Over Proposed Opinion on Contacting Ex-Employees, Daily Report, December 28, 2020.
COVID-19 Can't Halt Discovery In Ga. FTC Fraud Case, Law360, March 20, 2020.
Does the Legal Department Have a Role in Preventing Product Recalls? Law.com Corporate Counsel, May 14, 2019.
Lawyers Dominate Leadership Atlanta’s New Class, Law.com Daily Report, June 13, 2018.
Leadership Atlanta Launches Class of 2019 Training Program, Atlanta-Journal Constitution, May 8, 2018.
Leadership Atlanta Names 89 to Class of 2019, Atlanta Business Chronicle, May 1, 2018.
Four Questions About DOT’s $4B Plan for Driverless Car Tech, Law360, January 15, 2016.
The 3 Biggest Blunders With Attorney-Client Privilege, Law360, September 29, 2015.
NHTSA’s Chrysler Scrutiny Marks Agency Shift Amid Criticism, Law360, June 22, 2015.
5 Tips for Preparing Expert Witnesses in Products Cases, Law360, April 30, 2015.
5 Dirty Litigation Moves and How Good Lawyers Foil Them, Law360, February 13, 2015.
Top Product Verdicts of 2014 – And the Firms That Won Them, Law360, February 9, 2015.
Product Liability Cases to Watch in 2015, Law360, January 2, 2015.
$1B Stryker Deal Shows Path to Trial-Free MDL Settlements, Law360, November 6, 2014.
Peanut Corp. Verdicts Show Food Execs Aren’t Safe From DOJ, Law360, September 23, 2014.
Top Product Liability Verdicts in First Half of 2014, Law360, July 11, 2014.
Target’s Gun Policy May Still Leave it Open to Liability, Law360, July 7, 2014.
GM Deal Shows Feds’ Push to Police Internal Policies, Law360, May 23, 2014.
GM Settlement Plan Strong Enough to Block Most Injury Suits, Law360, June 30, 2014.
GM’s Fate Rests on Reason for Ditching Defect Fix, Law360, April 22, 2014.
RICO A Tempting Route for Companies Facing Tort Trickery, Law360, October 22, 2013.
5 Definite No-Nos for Daubert Motions, Law360, April 9, 2013.
FDA Rule May Be Lose-Lose Scenario For Metal-Hip Makers, Law360, January 17, 2013.