Source: http://hassard.com/PSW.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 08:32:35+00:00

Document:
Prior to joining Hassard Bonnington LLP, Mr. Ward spent 14 years in the San Francisco City Attorney's Office. He served as the Chief Trial Deputy, Chief Deputy City Attorney and Acting City Attorney. Mr. Ward represented all city departments and had extensive background in complex civil service, civil rights and employment discrimination litigation.
Since joining the firm, Mr. Ward has handled numerous toxic tort, professional negligence, product liability and civil rights/employment discrimination lawsuits.
Mr. Ward has successfully tried more than 20 cases to defense jury verdicts during his career. He has extensive experience managing the presentation of and challenge to expert witness testimony involving science and medicine, professional liability, manufacturing processes and state of the art defenses. His trials have included issues of standard of care, state of the art, carcinogenesis of materials, risk of cancer, causation and epidemiology.
Mr. Ward and the firm’s personal injury litigation team also represent individuals seeking compensation for injuries suffered as a result of defective products, motor vehicle and other accidents. Recently, the team was successful in obtaining a seven-figure recovery for a client who incurred a traumatic brain injury in an auto accident. Of course, it remains that the result in this case does not constitute a guarantee of a particular result in a future matter.
Mr. Ward also has extensive experience over the last twenty-five years defending and prosecuting professional liability actions involving attorneys and insurance brokers.
Charles Flanery v. Kaiser Gypsum Co.,Inc., San Francisco, California, 2008. A living mesothelioma case by a plumber who claimed that exposure to asbestos-containing drywall products contributed to the causation of his cancer. The jury returned a defense verdict on causation.
AMCA Int. Finance Corp. v. Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, San Francisco, California, 1995. The plaintiff retained the defendant's services in underlying litigation. Thereafter, Mr. Ward was retained to prosecute a legal malpractice action against the defendant law firm securing a jury verdict in excess of $1 million in the plaintiff's favor.
Gallagher & Burk v. Willis Corroon, Alameda County, California, 1995. The plaintiff accused its former insurance brokers of malpractice. Representing the defendant broker, Mr. Ward obtained a defense verdict on issues of causation.
Gonzales v. Foster-Wheeler Corp., Alameda County, California, 1990s. Plaintiff claimed that his mesothelioma was caused by occupational exposure to asbestos. The jury returned a defense verdict based upon a disputed issue of causation.
Nemesio Fontanilla v. Fibreboard Corp., San Francisco, California, 1989. The plaintiff was a career pipefitter in San Francisco Bay Area naval shipyards. He alleged that he had contracted asbestosis as a result of occupational exposure. The jury returned a defense verdict on issue of medical causation.
Frances Harrison v. ACF Defendants, San Francisco, California, 1988. The plaintiff, a World War II welder, alleged that she had contracted asbestosis due to inhaling asbestos fibers. The jury returned a verdict for all defendants.
Walter Cooley v. Abex, Alameda County, California, 1987. The plaintiff claimed to have developed asbestosis based on occupational exposure to asbestos-containing products. The jury returned a unanimous defense verdict.
Mr. Ward has also represented clients in over thirty appellate matters, twice appearing before the California Supreme Court. See Van Atta v. Scott, 27 Cal.3d 424 (1980) and San Francisco v. United Association, 42 Cal.3d 810 (1986). He successfully defended the applicability of Proposition 51 to strict liability cases, Wilson v. John Crane Inc., 81 Cal.App.4th 847 (2000), and secured appellate approval for including the U.S. Navy on the verdict form in asbestos cases, Taylor v. John Crane Inc,, 113 Cal.App.4th 1063 (2003).

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