Leading Rapid-Response Catastrophic Loss Trials for Excess Carriers

Kevin is a first-chair trial lawyer in Willcox Savage’s Catastrophic Loss & Tort Defense Practice Group. He monitors high-risk exposures for excess carriers and is regularly “dropped in” on minimal notice to monitor or try catastrophic matters across the United States. Kevin has tried over 50 jury trials, almost all as first chair. He has monitored the trial of many more. His practice spans products liability, deaths, transportation, fire loss, construction, traumatic brain injury, and insurance coverage litigation.

Notable Work & Achievements

Large-scale fire losses with national visibility

Kevin represented primary target defendants in three landmark matters: the largest fire loss in Richmond since the Civil War, Maryland’s largest residential arson loss, the Georgetown Library fire in Washington, D.C. He also handled similar scale fire losses in Washington, D.C., Arlington, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, in which entire city blocks were destroyed.  Each drew national attention and involved alleged losses exceeding $30 million, requiring coordinated strategy, technical workup, and disciplined claims management.

Construction liability

Kevin has handled many large loss construction cases, including a claimed $100 million plus commercial loss arising out of the collapse of the parking garage at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. and a scaffolding collapse in North Carolina that resulted in multiple deaths.

National coordinating counsel, OTC medicine MDL

Kevin served as national coordinating counsel for product defect claims against an over-the-counter medicine provider, overseeing over 500 cases in multidistrict litigation. Acting as first chair, he led numerous arbitrations and settlements, skillfully navigating the complexities of large-scale litigation. Under his leadership, all cases were successfully resolved, showcasing his ability to manage high-stakes legal challenges with precision and effectiveness.

Products liability and drowning safety

Kevin defended a pool-pump manufacturer in a wrongful death case that drew national attention and helped spur broader public-safety reforms. The matter turned on complex product-design, warnings, and causation issues involving entrapment hazards and municipal code compliance. Coordinating expert strategy and claims management, he navigated intense media scrutiny and parallel stakeholder interests. The case is linked to the enactment of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (15 U.S.C. § 8001 et seq.).

Pet-food ingredient litigation

Acted as national coordinating counsel in product-liability litigation involving allegedly poisonous pet-food ingredients, which led to claimed 7-8 figure business losses for multiple corporations and the loss of many pets’ lives. Kevin directed defense strategy and achieved resolution of all cases.

Explosion and severe-burn claims

Led the defense of an industrial-equipment manufacturer in a catastrophic explosion and fire case involving one death and three severe burn injuries, and approximately $500 million in boarded special damages. The matter was favorably resolved. He has handled similar explosions or combustion events in multiple states to conclusion.

Traumatic brain injury litigation

Kevin has tried numerous TBI cases to verdict and is frequently deployed nationwide for TBI matters to master complex medical and expert issues, recalibrate defense posture, engineer beneficial settlements, and, when needed, take the case to a jury.

Catastrophic injury

Kevin has handled hundreds of wrongful death cases, and dozens of paraplegic and quadriplegic cases, and has a special expertise in securing the most effective expert testimony and presenting an effective and compassionate defense.

Results across jurisdictions

Kevin has been “dropped in” to cases on behalf of excess carriers in multiple jurisdictions, including: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.