Tom Girardi Named President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

LOS ANGELES -- Celebrated trial attorney Thomas Girardi, best known as the lead counsel in the "Erin Brockovich" case, is the new president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers (IATL). Girardi was recently elected by a jury of his peers to head the legal world's most prestigious organization of trial lawyers. His selection coincides with the induction of 14 new members from across the country into the association.

Girardi is the founding partner of the high-powered Los Angeles-based firm Girardi & Keese. He is renowned for tackling difficult toxic tort cases, and his tenacity has garnered the respect of both plaintiff and defense attorneys. Girardi secured a $333 million judgment against Pacific Gas & Electric for contaminating water in Hinkley, Calif., as dramatized in the box office hit "Erin Brockovich."

"To serve as the president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is comprised of the finest lawyers in America, is an extraordinary honor," Girardi said.

The IATL promotes legal reform and the rule of law, facilitates the administration of justice and elevates integrity within the practice of law. This unique organization consists of members who participate in the civil and criminal trial practice on both the defendant and plaintiff's side of the counsel table. Girardi has been a member of the elite international organization since 1977.

"The organization stands for not only successful lawyering skills, but also civility and fairness in this advocacy environment," Girardi added.

Girardi has earned his spot as one of the best trial lawyers in America. Early in his career, he won California's first multi-million dollar verdict in a medical malpractice suit. He cites that case as the most important of his career.

In 1998, Girardi won a $785 million award for former employees of Lockheed Martin. The plaintiffs sued for their exposure to toxic chemicals manufactured by giants such as Exxon, Shell Oil, Ashland Inc., Unocal, and DuPont. In five related trials, Girardi won awards of $1.6 million, $10.6 million, $4.5 million and $20 million. There are more cases in the process of going to trial.

Through all his cases, Girardi has shown civility to his opponents and treated them with respect no matter what the case involves. According to Girardi, attorneys need to focus on the problem-solving aspect of their job, not make each case a personal vendetta.

"It has always been amazing to me that the most successful trial lawyers are those who deal with others in a gentle fashion and seek reasonable results for their clients," Girardi commented.

Born in Denver, Girardi hails from a close-knit family. His father Albert was an electrical engineer and his mother Jane a housekeeper. The family moved to California when Tom was a boy. Albert and Jane had two more sons: John, who is an attorney at Girardi & Keese, and Robert, a dentist. Girardi is very happily married to wife, Erika.

Girardi earned his undergraduate degree at California's Loyola Marymount University, where he also obtained his law degree in 1964. He received an advanced legal degree at New York University in 1965. He has since served as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School and in 2000 donated $2.4 million to the school for the creation of a new, state-of-the-art moot court building named in honor of his father.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: To interview Tom Girardi please contact Forrest Beanum or Robert Gard of Cerrell Associates at [phone].)