Biography: Product Liability Defence

Tom Sterchi is a founding member of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC and chairman of the firm's executive committee. He has a wide range of experience in state and federal courts across the United States and has successfully defended manufacturers of all types of products including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automobiles, trucks, wheels, tyres, heavy equipment and consumer products and appliances. He has served as national, regional and local trial counsel for numerous companies. He has served as national coordinating trial counsel in products litigation for several pharmaceutical and medical device companies, including presently serving as national coordinating and trial counsel for a leading sponsor of contrast agents as well as for a prominent company in its hormone therapy litigation. In addition, he has served as lead trial counsel in high-profile cases involving tampons (toxic shock syndrome), antibiotics and breast implants.

Tom has extensive experience defending class action lawsuits and has been notably successful in defeating class action attempts against the manufacturers of pharmaceutical and medical device products.

He is a member of the prestigious Product Liability Advisory Council, as well as a number of other professional organisations. He also writes and speaks on product liability law and trial practice.

Tom received his JD from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1972 following two years service in the US Army.