Connor J. Sears

Connor is a litigator who defends companies that face complex and individual product liability cases involving technical and scientific issues. He has been a member of more than 30 trial teams.  

Connor has managed trial teams and has also personally tried cases in state and federal courts. Through managing these cases, Connor has experience in all aspects of product liability defense, including strategy development, fact investigation, discovery, taking fact and expert depositions, defending expert depositions, motion practice, oral argument, preparing expert witnesses, and trial.

Connor has extensive experience in medical witness development though working on tobacco litigation and as a member of the team that achieved two defense verdicts in bellwether trials in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving the chemotherapy drug Taxotere. In these capacities, Connor continues to work with dermatologists, medical oncologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, radiologists, ophthalmologists and surgical oncologists and has obtained vast knowledge regarding hair loss or alopecia and eye injuries, as well as cancer and cancer treatment.

In addition to current litigation, Connor anticipates future claims that could be brought against companies. For example, Connor has researched potential product liability claims that could threaten food manufacturers in sugar-related litigation and developed strategies for how companies may mitigate and defend against such claims. Likewise, Connor has researched potential product liability claims that marijuana growers and distributors may face.

Connor also takes an active role in pro bono work. As part of his pro bono efforts, he co-chaired a federal civil rights jury trial and argued before the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District.