Skip to Main Content
Overview

Bryan focuses his practice on toxic tort, product liability and business litigation.

Bryan defends chemical and petrochemical manufacturers and is extensively involved in single plaintiff, mass tort, multidistrict and class action litigation alleging personal injury from exposure to asbestos, benzene and various solvents. He plays a leading role in managing large joint defense groups comprising a variety of national corporations. Bryan also handles product liability matters for clients in the construction materials industry.

Bryan represents several Fortune 500 corporations and has defended clients in some of the most plaintiff-friendly venues in the country, including the City of St. Louis and Jackson County, Mo., Madison County and Cook County, Ill., as well as in California, Washington, Maryland and Iowa. Bryan’s industry experience includes: 

  • Served as lead trial counsel in trademark and patent infringement case tried in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri that resulted in a verdict of more than $10 million in his client’s favor. 
  • Represented a chemical company when relative of decedent, a maintenance contractor, alleged that decedent’s exposure to various chemicals manufactured at one of the company’s facilities caused his colon cancer and death. All of plaintiff’s product liability claims were dismissed and remainder of the case was dismissed on summary judgment on the basis of the statutory employee defense.

Bryan served as the Chief Prosecutor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (South Carolina) in 1999. He was also on the Marine trial team that prosecuted two Marine aviators involved in an Italian cable car strike. In November 2001, Bryan was mobilized by the Marine Corps for service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During his eight-month mobilization, he worked on numerous legal issues, including the status of detainees captured in Afghanistan, procedures for military tribunals and the Walker Lindh investigation.

Industries

Services

Recognition

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
    • Order of the Coif
    • American Jurisprudence Award, Constitution Law
  • B.S., University of Central Missouri

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar


*Contact Bryan to set up an in-person consultation by appointment in the St. Louis office.
Experience
  • Lead attorney in trial in U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, that resulted in a verdict of more than $10 million in the client’s favor.
  • Represented a chemical company when relative of decedent, a maintenance contractor, alleged that decedent’s exposure to various chemicals manufactured at one of the company’s facilities caused his colon cancer and death. All of plaintiff’s product liability claims were dismissed on the basis that such claims are not cognizable when exposure occurs to a product in the manufacturing process and the product has not yet left the manufacturing facility. The remainder of the case was dismissed on summary judgment, on the basis of the statutory employee defense.
  • Defended client against benzene exposure allegations in the State of Washington.
  • Managed large joint defense groups in benzene exposure cases in numerous jurisdictions resulting in favorable resolution for clients. These cases were defended in some of the toughest and most plaintiff-friendly venues in the country, including “judicial hellholes” (as identified by the American Tort Reform Association) in Missouri and Illinois.
  • Bryan has participated in the following reported opinions:
    • Whitehead, et al. v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., et al., 2009 WL 3488680 (E.D.Mo. 2009)
    • Whitehead, et al. v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., et al., 2009 WL 2461801 (E.D.Mo. 2009)
    • Donald E. Stahl and Lori Stahl v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., et al., 2008 WL 4488937 (E.D.Mo. 2008)
    • Leonard v. BASF Corp., 2007 WL 2226031 (E.D.Mo. 2007)
    • Leonard v. BASF Corp., 2006 WL 3702700 (E.D.Mo. 2006)
    • Kinney v. Stevens Appliance Truck Co., Movers Supply House Inc., Magline Inc., W.W. Grainger Inc. and Monsanto Co., 2006 WL 1026914 (E.D.Mo. 2006)
    • Monsanto Co. and Monsanto Technology LLC v. S.B.D. Inc., 2004 WL 4965468 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Mo. 2004)
News Releases | May 28, 2020
Husch Blackwell Named CLOC's Inaugural Legal Innovation in Operations Project Award Winner

Husch Blackwell is believed to be the only law firm to date to be recognized by both the CLOC LIO Project and ACC Value Champion award series for its ability to implement legal solutions that cut spending, improve predictability and achieve better outcomes.

Community Leadership
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars