Trial lawyer and appellate advocate Joel Dewey has joined Baker Donelson as a shareholder in the Firm's Complex Torts Group.
Mr. Dewey is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He focuses his practice on the preparation, trial, and appeal of complex product liability and class action cases, many of which involve complicated technological issues. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Mr. Dewey has appeared as lead trial counsel in major jury trials in numerous state and federal courts nationwide and has argued appeals in various federal circuits and state appellate courts. He has also appeared as lead counsel for manufacturers in nationwide class actions in state and federal courts. Mr. Dewey represents numerous Fortune 500 and international corporations and has been selected as national and regional trial counsel for many of these clients. His practice also includes counseling technology companies and product manufacturers in risk management, analysis, and prevention.
"Joel is a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer with significant multi-district litigation experience," said Jennifer G. Cooper, chair of Baker Donelson's Complex Torts Group. "He is a strong complement to our growing practice in consumer class actions, and his substantive background in handling complex litigation matters for product manufacturers, particularly in the automotive industry, further deepens our bench in product liability and mass tort representation."
Mr. Dewey is certified as a mediator by the Harvard School Program of Instruction for Lawyers. He has also served as a mediator for the Baltimore City Mediation Program.
Mr. Dewey is the second new shareholder to join Baker Donelson's Complex Torts Group in recent months. Jeffrey M. Yeatman, a litigator with extensive experience involving automotive and pharmaceutical products, joined Baker Donelson's Baltimore office in August. Both Mr. Dewey and Mr. Yeatman were previously partners at DLA Piper.
Mr. Dewey is also the latest attorney to join Baker Donelson in Baltimore, where the Firm has focused on aggressive growth. In addition to Mr. Dewey and Mr. Yeatman, over the last year, the Firm has added nearly 20 attorneys across numerous practice areas.
Jennifer L. Curry, managing shareholder of the Firm's Baltimore office, said, "We're proud to continue to attract elite legal professionals such as Joel, particularly at a time in our industry when the competition for talent is so intense. With the addition of both Joel and Jeff, we have established a preeminent Baltimore tort defense practice, and we look forward to building on that solid foundation."