Focus Areas
Class Actions
- Defense of plumbing manufacturers from nationwide class action alleging negligence and breach of duties relating to products installed in millions of homes and commercial buildings.
- Defense of clothes dryer manufacturer from nationwide class action alleging defect in dryer drum.
- Defense of multiple individual state ROI class action lawsuits alleging violation of state statutes and common law claims arising out of medical record copying costs.
- Defense of nationwide and state class action claims based on alleged building product defects and breach of warranty.
- Defense of coatings manufacturer from state law breach of warranty class action.
- Defense of several putative class actions for financial institutions and loan servicers alleging failure to comply with federal statutes, failure to comply with state mortgage loan laws, failure to comply with state personal loan laws, breach of contract and misapplication of payments, and unauthorized practice of law arising out of the assessment of document preparation fees.
- Defense of world’s largest welding rod consumer in class action alleging injury due to exposures to manganese in welding fumes.
- Defense of grinder manufacturer from class action alleging exposure to silica.
- Defense of thermoplastic compound manufacturer from class action claims alleging exposure to isocyanates.
- Defense of power tool manufacturer from alleged false advertising of jigsaw.
- Defense of consumer product manufacturer from class claim alleging consumer deception involving warranty for personal care product.
Business Litigation
- Pursuit of breach of contract and indemnity claims for major manufacturer arising from defense of tort and environmental claims brought for alleged downstream contractor’s improper disposal of recyclable material.
- Pursuit of manufacturer’s claims against former distributor for breach of confidentiality obligations, unfair competition, breach of contract, and patent infringement arising out of distributor’s appropriation of innovative technology.
- Pursuit of raw material provider for breach of contract and breach of warranty with regard to long-term supply contract.
- Defense of steel manufacturer and pursuit of nine-figure counterclaim for failure to supply iron ore.
- Pursuit of coal supplier for failure to abide by terms of contract, causing eight-figure damages.
- Pursuit of breach of contract and professional negligence claim against project engineering company arising out of delayed and flawed execution of contract, resulting in significant damages.
- Arbitration defense of a construction contractor and successful prosecution of counterclaim for payments owed.
- Achieved appellate reversal of sanctions awarded at trial court level in alleged breach of fiduciary case for a major financial institution.
- Obtained return of airplane parts for an aftermarket reconditioner and supplier.
- Successful resolutions of engine warranty claims for Fortune 200 manufacturer of heavy industrial and agricultural machinery.
- Pursued breach of warranty claims against a specialty tool manufacturer over a failed million-dollar industrial grinder.
- Successfully pursued a third-party claim for indemnity and insurance coverage, resulting in zero-payout for client in a seven-figure product liability case.
- Pursuit of claims on behalf of a Fortune 100 company to recover millions of dollars in insurance proceeds due to business interruption caused by failure of inductor and run-out of molten iron.
Intellectual Property Litigation
- Successful pursuit of a Chinese manufacturer for patent infringement, as local trial counsel with outside patent counsel, resulting in jury finding of willfulness and resulting in judgment in excess of $24 million.
- Defense of an RF and AM security device manufacturer and developer in patent infringement action and assertion of patent infringement counterclaims.
- Defense of a website developer in cases involving alleged breach of contract, replevin and breach of warranty; established first Ohio recognition of artisan’s lien on computer servers.
- Obtained dismissal of a manufacturer of radiological equipment in an alleged computer software copyright violation action.
- Defense of a design patent infringement claim for a manufacturer of children’s toys.
Mass and Toxic Torts
- Obtained summary judgment on three separate plaintiffs’ claims arising out of alleged outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease.
- Defense of Fortune 100 manufacturer in hundreds of suits alleging injury due to exposure to welding fumes.
- Obtained dismissal of hundreds of silica claims for a Fortune 500 manufacturer.
- Defense of defendants in asbestos exposure cases.
- Defense of shipowners in lawsuits alleging maritime asbestos exposure.
Product Liability Defense
- Defense of multiple products of a Fortune 100 construction and mining equipment manufacturer from wrongful death and personal injury claims.
- Defense of construction equipment manufacturer from breach of warranty claims.
- Defense of Fortune 500 appliance manufacturers in cases alleging product liability, design defect, failure to warn and negligence.
- Defense of building product manufacturer from claims of product defect.
- Defense of alleged food contamination cases for a Fortune 500 company.
- Achieved dismissal of defect and failure to warn claims against a rubber calendar manufacturer based on successor liability doctrine.
- Defense of standard-setting association in swimming pool-related quadriplegic injury case.
- Defense of an electronic circuit board manufacturer of assembly materials in product liability and breach of warranty claims.
Premises Liability/Negligence Claims
- Defense through summary judgment of dozens of premises liability, negligence and employment intentional tort claims for a Fortune 100 manufacturer.
- Defense of major construction management firm from carbon monoxide wrongful death claim arising out of an alleged negligent building design.
- Defense of a wrongful death claim arising out of employee’s failure to follow energy control safety policies.
- Defense of alleged serious burn injury claim involving industrial mold line.
Warranty and Warnings Review and Drafting
- Develop product safety messages for retail distribution of consumer products.
- Draft warranties, manuals and product safety messages for satellite communications products.
- Draft warnings and disclaimers for a household product; draft related provision of distributor and independent contractor agreements.
- Draft warranty provisions for multiple consumer-facing products.
Fire/Explosion Cases
- Defense of a propane tank valve manufacturer in a propane-powered grill fire/explosion involving alleged burn injuries and property damage.
- Achieved dismissal in an explosion and major burn injury case for propane producers.
- Obtained dismissal of claim alleging product defect in an appliance brought after a kitchen fire.
- Achieved dismissals of multiple fire damage claims for a small appliance manufacturer.
- Defended “sooting” claim alleged against a furnace manufacturer.
Pro Bono
- Pro bono appellate representation of a white collar criminal conviction involving wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering.
- Member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee, directly supervising hundreds of hours of pro bono service, and indirectly involved in thousands of firm hours of pro bono service per year.
- “Recent Holdings on the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA),” Thompson Hine Privacy & Cybersecurity Update, July 2024
- “No Cause of Action: California’s Pen/Trap Law Inapplicable to Web Ad Cookies and Pixels,” Washington Legal Foundation, March 2024
- “Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Consigned Goods,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, May 2020
- “Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Termination, Credit and Insurance Terms,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, May 2020
- “Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Protections for Failure to Perform,” Thompson Hine COVID-19 Update, May 2020
- “President’s Message: Rule of Law,” The Federal Lawyer, September 2018
- “President’s Message: Choosing Well,” The Federal Lawyer, August 2018
- “President’s Message: Standing Up,” The Federal Lawyer, July 2018
- “President’s Message: Our Immigration Courts Should be Independent, Too,” The Federal Lawyer, June 2018
- “President’s Message: Investing in Others,” The Federal Lawyer, May 2018
- “President’s Message: The FBA at Its Best,” The Federal Lawyer, April 2018
- “President’s Message: Statement of FBA President Kip T. Bollin on International Women’s Day,” Federal Lawyer, March 2018
- “President’s Message: Come Find Your People,” The Federal Lawyer, January/February 2018
- “President’s Message: Judicial Independence,” The Federal Lawyer, December 2017
- “An Interview with the President of the Federal Bar Association, Kip Bollin” Huffington Post, December 2017
- “President’s Message: Let’s Lead,” The Federal Lawyer, November 2017
- “Supreme Court’s Personal Jurisdiction Limits Could Lead to More Companies Being Sued in Their Home States,” Thompson Hine Product Liability Update, June 2017
- Co-author, “Intense Scrutiny of Class Counsel’s Fees,” DRI For the Defense, August 2015 (reprinted with permission)
- “2011: The Supreme Court Impacts Class Action Litigation,” OSBA Sixth Biennial Federal Bench Bar Conference, October 2011
- Co-author, “Common Interest Agreements: Protect the Privilege,” ACC Docket, July/August 2010
- Co-author, “Greenwashing Class Action Lawsuits,” Inter Alia, Federal Bar Association, Summer 2010
- Panelist, “Leadership Essentials,” Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Bar Association Leadership Academy, November 2018
- Panelist, “A Day in the Life of Corporate Counsel,” Corporate Finance & Law Alliance, November 2017
- “Class Certification Analysis after Dukes and Comcast”, OSBA Federal Bench Bar Conference, October 2016
- “It’s All About the Money: Limits on Class Counsel Fees,” Class Actions: Latest Developments in Law and Practice, DRI, Washington, D.C., July 2015
- “Civil Court Procedure and Strategy Boot Camp: Opening Statements – Telling a Compelling Story,” National Business Institute, December 2012
- “Civil Court Procedure and Strategy Boot Camp: Skillful Use of Objections,” National Business Institute, December 2012
- Moderator, “Making a Federal Case Out of It,” ACC-FBA CLE Seminar, May 2012
- “Northern District of Ohio Break-Out Session on Economic Impact of Court Proceedings on Parties and Counsel,” Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, April 2012
- “Developments in Class Action Management,” Sixth Biennial Federal Bench Bar Conference, October 2011
- “Class Action: Shady Grove and Beyond,” DRI Product Liability Conference, April 2011
- “Best Practices on Managing Mass Torts,” DRI Panel Presentation, April 2010
- “Consumer Class Actions,” Advanced Federal Practice Seminar, Federal Bar Association, November 2008
- Selected to Law360’s Product Liability Editorial Board, 2022
- Selected as an Acritas Star, a “client-nominated, stand-out lawyer”
- AV® Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Listed as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, 2018, 2020-2024
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015 to 2025 in the fields of Commercial Litigation and Product Liability Litigation-Defendants
- Named the Best Lawyers® 2023 Product Liability Litigation – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Cleveland
- Selected to the Ohio Super Lawyers list, 2011-2024
- Selected to the Ohio Rising Stars list, 2005-2007
Professional Associations
- Advisory Group, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Chair (2018-present); member (2010-present)
- Federal Bar Association, National President (2017-2018)
- Federal Bar Association, President-elect (2016-2017); Treasurer (2015-2016)
- Federal Bar Association, National Board of Directors, member (2012-2019)
- Federal Bar Association, N.D. Ohio Chapter President (2010-2011)
- Federal Bar Building Corporation, Treasurer (2021-present), Board of Directors (2019-present),
- Defense Research Institute, Class Action Seminar Steering Committee, member (2011, 2013-2017); Product Liability Committee, member; Commercial Litigation Committee, member
- United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference, Program Chair (2020, 2021, 2023)
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Changing the Status Quo: Achieving Legal Inclusion, Racial Equity and the Law Workgroup, Co-chair (2021-present)
Community Activities
- United Way of Greater Cleveland, Director (2021-present)
- Cleveland Leadership Center, Vice Chair (July 2022 – present), Board of Trustees (July 2020-present)
- Great Lakes Theater, Board of Trustees (July 2020-present)
- Leadership Cleveland, Class of 2020
- Circle Health Services (formerly The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland) and Centers for Families and Children, member, Advocacy Committee (2017-present)
- Circle Health Services, Vice President (2016-2017); Board of Directors (2008-2017); Advocacy Committee Chair (2009-2017)
- Free Clinic Associate Board, President (2008-2009); member (2004-2016)
- The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, LeadDiversity Class of 2003
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1995,
articles editor, Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy
- New York University, B.A., 1992, cum laude
Bar Admissions
- Ohio
- Colorado (inactive)
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Select a filter
- Recent Holdings on the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA),
Privacy & Cybersecurity Update
, July 10, 2024 - Thompson Hine Memo Highlights Surge in California Website Privacy Litigation,
Points to Misunderstanding of Recent Court Decision
, March 12, 2024 - California Pen/Trap Law and Website Privacy Litigation,
Privacy & Cybersecurity Update
, March 1, 2024 - Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Thompson Hine’s Litigation and Labor & Employment Practices and 24 Firm Litigators,
Thompson Hine LLP
, December 1, 2020 - Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Consigned Goods,
COVID-19 Update
, May 20, 2020 - Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Termination, Credit and Insurance Terms,
COVID-19 Update
, May 13, 2020 - Risk Mitigation in Supply Chain Contracts: Protections for Failure to Perform,
COVID-19 Update
, May 11, 2020