Profile: Thomas A Packer

Product Liability

Biography: Product Liability

Mr Packer has defended cases involving drugs, toxic torts, silica and asbestos, and food-related litigation, with lead roles in jury trials. He has been national coordinating counsel in pharmaceuticals, food contamination and dietary supplement litigation. Mr Packer is the sole appointed California representative on the defence steering committee for the Federal Asbestos Multi-District Litigation, MDL 875.

Mr Packer is licensed to practice law in California and Oregon. He graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1982 and earned his BA degree from UCLA.

He served on the Defense Research Institute's national board of directors, was chair of DRI's 2006 annual meeting and was awarded Outstanding Chair of the Year Award. He has also served on the board of directors of the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and is a member of the Food and Drug Law Institute, the American Agricultural Law Association and the International Association of Defense Counsel.

Mr Packer is one of only 31 California product liability lawyers selected for the present publication, as a result of a selection process including comprehensive survey interviews with general counsel and leading product liability lawyers. For three consecutive years, Mr Packer has been named a Northern California 'Super Lawyer'. These top 5 per cent of lawyers are selected by their peers in polling conducted by Law & Politics magazine.

Mr Packer is General Counsel to Gordon & Rees and in charge of the firm's risk management programme. He is also president of the board of governors for the Tiburon Peninsula Club.