• Torts and Personal Injury
  
  Mr. Carlson is highly experienced in these areas, having defended thousands of personal injury lawsuits, including catastrophic injuries, ranging from automobile, pedestrian and motorcycle accidents to products liability matters. Alleged injuries included crushed limbs, severe burns, neurological deficits, hearing loss, loss of eyesight, major reconstructive surgeries, cognitive deficits, emotional distress, loss of earnings, loss of consortium and wrongful death claims.
  
  With over 31 years of experience, Jeffery Carlson has authored supplements to the Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) California Tort Guide, Second Edition, for a number of years and now serves as a consultant to CEB in connection with the latest edition of California Tort Guide, Third Edition. He is a member of the Products Liability Advisory Council and enjoys a nationally-recognized reputation as an experienced trial lawyer.
  
  
• Governmental Liability and Public Entity Defense
  
  Mr. Carlson's experience in this area involves dangerous conditions on public property, slip and falls, trip and falls and claimed liability for criminal acts of third parties, including criminal assault and major exposure personal injury cases. He has represented universities, landowners, business owners, and security guard companies in civil cases brought by persons who were victims of criminal acts while on the premises of the civil defendants. The criminal perpetrators were usually third parties, but sometimes they were never identified.
  
  Among the governmental liability matters Mr. Carlson has handled are alleged dangerous conditions on public property, road design cases, cases involving alleged illegal detention, false arrest and excessive force. His experience also includes cases of police brutality, the responsibility of the County of Los Angeles in placing children in foster homes, civil rights litigation, and a case involving a plaintiff who had been sentenced to spend time in a county youth detention facility who was allegedly "lost in the shuffle" and as a result served approximately 280 days beyond his sentence.
  
  In addition, he has defended a university in a lawsuit involving severe personal injuries involving high voltage electrical injury. The case has raised complex issues of premises liability, peculiar risk, indemnity, and insurance coverage for indemnity obligations. And, he has defended claims alleging toxic and chemically contaminated real property.
  
  Likewise, Mr. Carlson has defended school districts against claims involving alleged violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and has defended academic institutions in wrongful termination and discrimination cases. He represented a major private university in an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) case involving claimed repeated access problems seeking injunctive relief and damages. He has handled cases on behalf of academic institutions in both federal and state court.
  
  Mr. Carlson has represented school districts and governmental entities in the defense of personal injury cases such as a claim by a student that a teacher assaulted and battered him in the classroom in which discovery developed that plaintiff actually slammed his own face into his desk, causing his nose to bleed; an alleged class action by African-American students who claimed physical and verbal assaults by Hispanic school police officers and improper random searches of students in which he successfully opposed class certification and was able to settle the matter for minimal amounts as to the two named plaintiffs; a case in which plaintiff was chased and beaten by alleged gang members on school premises after school hours in which he developed evidence that the beating did not occur.
  
  
• Employment, Discrimination and Civil Rights
  
  Jeffery Carlson has defended management in employment-related claims since 1985. He has been an annual lecturer for the California Continuing Education of the Bar on recent developments in tort law, focusing on employment-related torts. He is currently defending a major private professional university, and several of its professors, against allegations of racial discrimination, civil rights violations, retaliation, due process violations, along with various other legal theories asserted by plaintiffs, stemming form plaintiffs' claims that their low grades were based on discriminatory practices by the university and professors. Recently, he defended a major company's chief executive officer and other managerial employees from "terroristic threats" from a former employee.
  
  In addition, Mr. Carlson has just successfully defended another case against a public entity representing a professional among 39 defendants who were alleged to have committed civil rights violations resulting in the death of the plaintiff. The successful defense of this matter resulted in the granting of a motion for summary judgment in favor of Mr. Carlson's client, thereby obviating the need for a very lengthy Federal Court trial.
  
  
• Environmental and Toxic Torts
  
  Mr. Carlson has successfully defended complex, protracted jury trials in pharmaceutical and chemical product liability matters. He has defended multiple plaintiff actions involving exposure to industrial metals, exposure to chemicals used in theatrical film developing, exposure to asbestos during the installation and removal of asbestos-containing insulation materials, exposure to high-technology paints and primers for the U.S. Government Stealth Fighter Project, claims against a major chemical distributor alleging that ground water contamination had injured over 200 plaintiffs, and claims of mold and mildew contamination.
  
  He successfully completed three trials in the Stealth Lockheed toxic tort cases. The trials involved cases consisting of 14 to 40 plaintiffs, arguably representative of 644 plaintiffs who claimed respiratory ailments, brain injuries, central and peripheral nervous system damages, cancer and the enhanced risk of, and fear of cancer, as a result of exposure to approximately 200 chemicals, including industrial solvents, degreasers, adhesives, resins, advanced structural composite materials, asbestos, silica and other chemicals used in the manufacturing process, which have been alleged to have a co-carcinogenic or synergistic effect, in the workplace environment. There were over 30 chemical defendant manufacturers and suppliers and he represented a Joint Defense Group of (originally) 7 chemical manufacturers or suppliers in this litigation. Two of these defendants were dismissed after motions for summary judgment were made on their behalf. The remaining defendants proceeded to trial, with the first trial lasting for approximately 9 months, including jury deliberations, and resulting in a hung jury. These three trials were in trial or jury deliberation for approximately 20 months.
  
  The second trial resulted in nearly all of his clients' products being found to have adequate warnings during the relevant time periods of exposure (1950-1990). During the second trial of "pilot" plaintiffs, he were able to secure a directed verdict in favor of one of his clients. Another chemical manufacturer, previously represented by a different firm in this litigation, asked Mr. Carlson to take over its defense. Mr. Carlson obtained defense verdicts in 24 out of 26 warnings issues and punitive damages claims in the Stealth Lockheed cases, and has been advised that his Joint Defense Group clients obtained the most wins (i.e., on warnings, punitive damages) than approximately 10-12 other firms. Additionally, one of Mr. Carlson's clients was the only defendant to receive a directed verdict in the Stealth Lockheed cases.
  
  In addition to the Stealth Lockheed cases, Mr. Carlson represented a joint defense group in an occupational asthma case involving 40 different chemical defendants. He has defended "sick building syndrome" cases, mold cases, carbon monoxide poisoning cases, long-term asbestos exposure, talc exposure, benzene and various other chemical exposure cases, as well as other toxic tort and environmental clean-up actions. These cases include complex tort matters which present a variety of novel legal, medical and scientific issues.
  
  For instance, Mr. Carlson defended a major distributor of chemicals in a case alleging ground water contamination. The 223 plaintiffs claimed that chemicals leaked from a retention pond into wells used for drinking water and other household uses. The plaintiffs claimed a spectrum of maladies, including respiratory ailments, cancer and birth defects. After filing a Motion for Summary Judgment based upon the sophisticated user defense, he was able to obtain a free dismissal on behalf of his clients in this litigation.
  
  Recently, he defended a chemical manufacturer in the General Dynamics and Hughes missile system litigation wherein plaintiff's injury was testicular cancer, which metastasized to other organs, including the brain. Plaintiff alleged that while he was working on the Tomahawk Missile, he was exposed to MEK, trichloroethane, polytetrafluoroethane, epichlorhydrin, polysulfide sealants and zinc chromate, among other materials. The case was settled for a nominal sum.
  
  And, he defended a kitchen equipment manufacturer in a Superfund cleanup action in Southern California involving trichloroethane (TCA). We were able to successfully extricate our client, who allegedly caused toxic contamination to various properties following alleged improper toxic disposal, by means of a Motion for Summary Judgment.
  
  Mr. Carlson formed and represented a joint defense group consisting of four corporations in the L-tryptophan litigation, involving death and profound neurological damages as a result of EMS after ingesting L-tryptophan nutritional food supplement. Jeffery Carlson served as National Coordinating Counsel for these four corporations.
  
  Recently, he defended a mirror manufacturer in a lead case. The contention was that a child suffered brain damage, mental deficit, birth defects, as a result of lead exposure from the manufacturing process of a mirror. The matter was resolved to the satisfaction of our client and our carrier.
  
  Also, he recently handled a methyl bromide case alleging catastrophic neurological injuries in which we successfully obtained a dismissal for a waiver of costs during trial and subsequently obtained a free dismissal from a recalcitrant co-defendant's cross-complaint.
  
  Mr. Carlson successfully defended a case involving a railroad worker who was exposed to a large cloud of chlorine gas and subsequently developed restrictive airway disease (RADs). He was able to negotiate an extremely favorable settlement in this case.
  
  He also defended a manufacturer in a case in which plaintiff alleged she developed interstitial lung disease as a result of exposure to carbon dust and other workplace contaminants. And, he recently handled a personal injury and property damage case in which our client performed an inspection of a house prior to its purchase by plaintiffs and plaintiffs allege the inspection failed to detect and/or disclose several areas of water intrusion which allegedly resulted in the growth of various molds, which was claimed to have caused developmental delays in a set of 3 year old twins residing in the house.
  
  Mr. Carlson has also assisted clients in fling Amicus Briefs in California Appellate Courts and the California Supreme Court in toxic tort litigation issues. Our firm is a member of the Joint Neutral Defense Initiative (JNDI), a group of approximately 20 insurance carriers interested in the joint defense of toxic tort cases.
  
  Mr. Carlson has tried cases against leading mass litigation plaintiff's lawyers throughout the United States and has appeared and tried cases before many different federal and state judges nationwide in our various coordination roles for various clients.
  
  During the late 1970's, Mr. Carlson was involved in the defense of hundreds of Dalkon Shield cases in which the plaintiffs contended many reproductive system latent injuries. He has defended DPT vaccines, many pesticide cases, food contamination cases and, more recently, we formed and represented a joint defense group consisting of four corporations in the L-tryptophan litigation. Jeffery Carlson served as National Coordinating Counsel for these four corporations.
  
  He routinely speaks at seminars for lawyers, medical professionals and trade personnel on various topics involving personal injury and negligence matters. Mr. Carlson has defended the integrity of such diverse products as automobiles, automobile component parts, medical diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, heart valves, electrical transformers, high pressure steam pipes, aircraft parts, plywood paneling, air compressors, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, household appliances, and sporting goods.
  
  
• Pharmaceutical
  
  Mr. Carlson has been retained by many clients to supervise pharmaceutical and/or medical device litigation on a national or regional basis. For example, in the past, he served as national coordinating counsel for E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc. in the diethylstilbestrol (DES) litigation. Jeffery Carlson was national coordinating counsel in the L-tryptophan litigation on behalf of Nutrilite, a subsidiary of Amway Corporation, Amcon, James Pharmaceutical and Walmart. The L-tryptophan litigation dealt with many cutting-edge bio-technical issues involving complex medical and scientific issues. For example, it was contended that a genetically-engineered substance was a contributory factor in introducing the contaminant into the nutritional food supplement. He has served as regional counsel for Hoeschst Marion Roussel, Inc. (now Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) in the Bendectin birth defect litigation, in which he tried several of these very challenging birth defect cases to defense victories and assisted in establishing a new rule concerning the admissibility of expert testimony in federal court actions as announced by the United States Supreme Court in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 113 S.Ct. 2786 (1993).
  
  In addition to serving our pharmaceutical and medical device clients in various coordinating roles, he also serves as local counsel. For example, he recently defended a client in the Fen-Phen cases in the California coordinated proceedings known as In Re: Diet Drug Litigation.
  
  
• Business, Breach of Contract Litigation and Intentional Torts
  
  Mr. Carlson has successfully defended complex, protracted jury trials in business-related intentional torts, including the defense of lawyer Paul Morantz in his highly publicized California litigation with the Synanon organization, in an action brought against Mr. Morantz for abuse of process and malicious prosecution. This case was highly publicized because of the notorious attack on Mr. Morantz, in which a rattlesnake (shorn of its rattle) was placed in Mr. Morantz's mailbox, allegedly by members of the "Imperial Marines" of the Synanon Foundation, at the direction of its leader, Charles Dederich. Mr. Carlson guided this case to a very successful resolution for the defense.
  
  Jeffery Carlson tried an intentional interference with prospective business advantage and fraud case in which he represented a corporate officer and company. Plaintiffs were a closely held corporation, and the principals of that corporation (i.e. a husband and wife) claimed that the defendants engaged in unlawful, usurious and fraudulent lending practices in connection with accounts receivable financing of the garment business. The trial presented a number of interesting legal issues, one of which was a matter of first impression in California, as well as some unusual developments during the process of the defense and trial of the case. These developments included the principals divorcing, claiming the divorce was a result of the financial pressure and lending practices of our clients, the husband plaintiff dying in the middle of trial and their estranged son offering to present evidence damaging to the plaintiff principals' (i.e. his parents) case in exchange for a payment of money. Mr. Carlson won this case on behalf of our clients and the matter was upheld by the California Court of Appeal. In addition, he defended cases involving retaliatory cross-complaints in foreclosure actions, fraud actions against lenders, receivership issues, fraudulent and unethical leading practices, improper payment on checks as well as many others.
  

BAR/COURT ADMISSIONS

California
U.S. District Courts (multiple)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/COMMITTEES

AIDA (Association Internationale de Droit des Assurances), International Association of Insurance Law, member.

Member of Advisory Committee to the ASPL President.
Nominating Committee member, 1987-90.

Defense Research and Trial Lawyers Association (formerly Defense Research Institute), member:

Editorial Board Member, "Rx for the Defense," Newsletter of the DRI Drug and Medical Device Committee member.
Vice-Chair of the Drug and Medical Device Committee.
Steering Committee member of the Drug and Device Committee.
Medical Device Subcommittee member of the Drug and Medical Device Litigation Committee.
Steering Committee member of the Industrywide Litigation Committee.
Chair of the Discovery Subcommittee member of the Drug and Medical Device Litigation Committee.
Warnings Subcommittee member of the Drug and Medical Device Litigation Committee.
Governmental Liability Committee
Industrywide Litigation and Drug & Device Committee

Meeting Sites Committee Member, 1995-1997.
Chairperson of Pharmaceutical Litigation Section, 1995-1996, 1996-1997.
Vice-Chair, Drug Committee, Pharmaceutical Litigation Section, 1993-1995.
Member of Pharmaceutical Litigation Section, 1993 to present.
Former Member of the Litigation Management College Committee.
Member of Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Section, 1993 to present.
Former Member of the International Claims College Committee.
Member of Property Insurance Section 1994 to present.
Member of the Publications Committee, 1994-1995.
Member of Premises Liability Section 1999 to present.
Member of Products Liability Section 1999 to present.
Member of Litigation Management College Administrative Committee 1999 to present.
Former Member of the International Insurance Law Section.
Former Member of the Industry-wide Litigation Section.

Member of Toxic Tort Advisory Council - 2002-2003
Member of Pharmaceutical Defense Advisory Council - 2003

National School Board Association (NSBA) Council of School Attorneys

Member of Mass Torts Action Group, 1995 to present.
Member of Rules of Civil Procedure Action Group, 1995 to present.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

October 25-26, 1991, Co-Chair of the 1991 National Conference on Toxic
          Tort Law, Chicago, Illinois.
1981-82, Judge Pro-Tem, West Los Angeles Judicial District.
1977-78, Lecturer, Business Law, California State University at Northridge.
          Taught Fall semester Business Law class.

FORMER PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

1988-97: Partner with the law firm of Dickson, Carlson & Campillo
1981-88: Partner with the law firm of Haight, Dickson, Brown & Bonesteel

BIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Who's Who in America, 49th ed.
Who's Who in American Law, 4th - 9th ed.
Who's Who in America's Emerging Leaders, 1st ed.
Who's Who in The World, 8th & 9th ed.