Name: Joseph P. Dawson   Joined the firm: 2009 Education: The Ohio State University, B.A. received, 1977 University of Toledo College of Law, J.D. received, May 1981

Mr. Dawson has extensive trial and appellate experience at both the federal and state court levels.  He has acted as lead trial counsel for more than twenty years and is AV rated.

His experience includes the defense of corporate and individual clients in tort litigation including personal injury / wrongful death cases arising in product liability, toxic tort liability including multi-state asbestos litigation, premises liability litigation for one of the largest amusement parks in the Great Lakes area, intentional tort actions by employees, and motor vehicle accident litigation including commercial trucking operations. Other experience includes the defense and prosecution of declaratory judgment actions regarding insurance coverage, as well as subrogation enforcement for a health maintenance organization, and the defense of nursing home operations. His trial experience also includes the presentation of plaintiffs’ injury claims and subrogated fire losses.

Mr. Dawson is board certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, an organization accredited by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialist.

His trial experience has translated well to the growing area of alternative dispute resolution. He has chaired arbitration panels and successfully concluded numerous mediation.

Mr. Dawson is a member of the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, and the Defense Research Institute.  He is also a member of the Ohio, Michigan and Toledo Bar Associations.  His pro bono experience includes acting as counsel for the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, as a board member for Hospice of Northwest Ohio, and as a member of the Toledo Bar Association Grievance Committee and Pro Bono panel.

He received a B.A. degree from The Ohio State University (1977) and a J.D. degree from The University of Toledo College of Law (1981).  He is admitted to the bars of the State of Ohio (1981), the State of Michigan (1995), the United States Supreme Court (1988), the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (1986), the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (1982), and United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (1996).