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Darrell M. Grams is a trial lawyer and litigator with diverse experience in civil litigation. He has tried cases to verdict in commercial, employment and tort cases, in Texas, Florida and Michigan. His litigation experience also includes intellectual property and bankruptcy jurisdictional disputes.
Mr. Grams has experience in all aspects of mass tort litigation, including trial experience. Currently, his clients include several automobile manufacturers in asbestos litigation. This representation is national in scope.
Mr. Grams was a member of Ford Motor Company’s General Counsel's staff from 2001-2003 and had responsibility for organizing the Company's defense in the asbestos litigation. This involved over-seeing the development of a science defense, the retention of experts, training trial counsel and over-seeing Daubert and other specialty motions. Mr. Grams also managed the nation-wide removal of thirteen thousand cases to federal bankruptcy court, using the related to doctrine as a basis for the removal. Although eventually unsuccessful, this strategy was widely praised by the business community. Additionally, Mr. Grams was the Company's lead counsel in the business community's effort to pass asbestos and other tort reform legislation in Congress, Texas, Ohio, Mississippi and several other states. Mr. Grams left the General Counsel's staff to re-enter private practice in 2003.
Prior to assuming his asbestos responsibilities, Mr. Grams served as one of the national trial counsel in the silicone breast implant litigation. His responsibilities included developing a science and state-of-the art defense for his client and he was co-trial counsel in the first case (with two separate Plaintiffs) tried against the client. After a five month trial in Houston, the jury found for the client in one of the cases but found for the Plaintiff in the second case. The Court granted a JNOV, resulting in a complete victory. Plaintiffs did not appeal the defense verdicts.
In addition to his civil trial and litigation experience, Mr. Grams has tried criminal cases to verdict.
PROFESSIONAL / CIVIC AFFILIATIONS
Member:
State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Michigan | 