Brian Kerns

Biography

SKILLS SUMMARYBoard Certified Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2008. Managing trial attorney with over twenty-five years of trial practice experience in Ohio; management of multiple attorneys and support staff and effective operation of trial counsel office;LEGAL EXPERIENCE:Bonezzi, Switzer, Polito and Hupp Nov. 2014 - PresentTrial Attorney/Shareholder  Handling complex injury litigation in Ohio in a variety of genres including general liability, products liability, workplace torts,  medical and professional malpractice, coverage and auto liabilty defense involving basic to catastrophic injury.Isaac Wiles Medina, Ohio  Sept, 2011 –Nov. 2014Building a Northern Ohio presence for a well established Columbus based litigation and full service firm.  All types of catastrophic injury litigation from dramshop, products liability, transportation, general and medical malpractice.Managing Attorney, Kerns & ProeCleveland, Ohio April 1993-September, 2011 Created the house counsel program for a $1 Billion insurer. 18 years of successful trial outcomes and favorable resolutions of litigation against insurer and its insureds. Dozens of jury trial results individually and as manager of other attorneys in the staff counsel office, with overwhelmingly favorable results to the insurer and its insureds. Co-ordination of staff attorneys and claims professionals to achieve extraordinary results for insurer and insured clients. Conduct training and support operations for local claims staff regarding negotiation and substantive legal and medical issues confronting them. Two time recipient of FRAUD ACE AWARD for thwarting fraudulent claims.Cronquist, Smith, Marshall & Weaver Nov. 1987-April 1993Cleveland, Ohio Trial Associate in boutique insurance defense trial office. Responsible for handling and trying lawsuits relating to a multitude of tort and contract litigation matters, including toxic tort, complex litigation, construction litigation and property and casualty litigation.Neipp and Wingart Nov. 1986– Nov. 1987Toledo, Ohio Managed and tried dozens of subrogation litigation matters Trial counsel in insurance defense litigation and some plaintiff’s personal injury litigation.Judge Melvin ResnickJudical Clerk Mar. 1983-Oct. 1986Toledo, Ohio Administered criminal and civil docket for Hon. Melvin L. Resnick, Chief Judge of Lucas County Court of Common Pleas. Research and writing of draft opinions, conducting pretrials and mediations and administering Visiting Judges docketEDUCATIONJuris Doctor University of Toledo/ College of Law 1986B.S. Journalism/ Public Relations, cum laude 1982Ohio University, Athens, OhioProfessional Memberships & AssociationsNational Board of Trial Advocacy Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate, 2008Ohio State Bar Association Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation, Inducted with Class of 2007 Delegate, Ohio State Bar Association Council of Delegates, 2001-Present Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee – 2000-2002 Staff Counsel Committee Chair of sub-committee to present Ethics seminar at OSBA Convention 2005 Speaker, “What’s In a Name- Ethics of Naming Staff Counsel Office” 2004 Member since inception of Committee in 2003 Negligence Committee– 2001-Present Chair, Negligence Law Committee 2010-2012 Insurance Law Committee 2001-Present Special Committee on Subrogation—2009 Special Committee To Review Model Rule 1.15—2008Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys Trustee, Board of Trustees, 2007- Present Chair, Personal Injury Defense Committee, 2007-2009 2008 Committee Chairperson of the Year Award 2009 OACTA Distinguished Service AwardCleveland Bar Association: Executive Council, Young Lawyers Section – 1988-1994 Liaison to Board of Trustees – 1993-1994 Chair, Young Lawyers Section – 1993-1994 Chair-Elect, Young Lawyers Section – 1992-1993 Secretary, Young Lawyers Section – 1991-1992 Chair, Practice & Procedure Clinic, Seminar on Ethics, Professional Discipline & Substance Abuse – 1990-1994 Chair , United States Supreme Court Admissions Tour – November, 1993 Member, Young Lawyers Committee Against Violent Crime – 1993-1994 Chair, Cleveland Young Lawyers Affiliate Outreach Project, Pre-ConferenceAmerican Bar Association ABA , Young Lawyers Division, Affiliate Outreach Projects, Miami Beach (1990), Marco Island , Fla (1992) ABA Young Lawyers Leadership Conference, Boston , MA (1992)

Education

No information available.

Admissions/Licenses

• Bar Admissions: OH, OH