On Wednesday, April 20, 2005 Distinguished Advocate, Thomas V. Girardi will be speaking at the law school.  He will speak to faculty at a faculty forum at 12:00 noon, attend a reception for students and faculty in the Strong Common Room from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. and finally give a formal lecture, “Persuasion” from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Panelli Moot Court Room in Bergin Hall.

Thomas V. Girardi is a partner with the Los Angeles firm Girardi & Keese, where he practices in the areas of professional liability, toxic torts, business litigation and entertainment law litigation.  Noteworthy results include $1.7 billion against El Paso Natural Gas, $330 million against PG&E (“Erin Brockovich” case), $750 million jury verdict against Lockheed and $45 million jury verdict in the Karlsson vs. Ford case.  Since 1976, he has been an Associate Professor at Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles.  He was the 1999 National President of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Inner Circle of Advocates, as well as the Los Angeles County Bar, Orange County and American Bar Associations and the State Bar of California.  He is listed in the Best Lawyers of America.

Mr. Girardi was born in Denver, Colorado.  He received his Bachelor of Science (1961) and LL.B. (1964) degrees from Loyola University of Los Angeles.  He received his LL.M (1965) and S.J.D. (1965) from New York University.