2017 Webinar: Class Warfare Against Building Products

The Product Liability & Complex Torts and Construction Practice Groups hosted a complimentary webinar: “Class Warfare Against Building Products” on November 3rd at Noon Central.

Click here to listen to the recording of the webinar.

About the Webinar:

Class action lawsuits are typically the most frustrating and expensive litigation faced by companies today. For several years now, the building products industry has been knee-deep in them. There have been some good outcomes, but often achieved at great expense. This panel will discuss current trends and strategies for defending construction products class actions.

The Panelists:

SHAWN M. MCGRAW is Vice President & General Counsel of Tremco Incorporated, a company that specializes in the design, manufacture and sale of weatherproofing products and services to construction markets world-wide.  Tremco’s product and service offerings include a full-line of built-up and fluid applied roofing systems and coatings;  sealant and waterproofing systems for commercial and residential building envelopes; along with general contracting capabilities through its service subsidiary, Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc.   As General Counsel,  Mr. McGraw advises senior management on a variety of legal and regulatory matters and is responsible for oversight of all company litigation.

TODD L. FULKS is Associate General Counsel for the Clayton Homes Companies in Maryville, Tennessee. Mr. Fulks has managed litigation for over twelve years for Clayton Homes, a large, multi-state housing company.  The Company’s litigation covers numerous substantive areas of law and levels of exposure. Prior to coming to Clayton, Mr. Fulks worked for three years in a large, private firm and spent one year in the Office of the General Counsel for the Tennessee Valley Authority in Knoxville, TN. The Clayton Home Companies together make up a vertically integrated, diverse builder offering traditional site built homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments.  At Clayton, we believe that everyone should have the chance to pursue homeownership.  By providing an opportunity to affordable homeownership, adopting green practices and giving back to our community, we continue to shape and lead the nation’s housing industry into the future.  Clayton currently consists of 352 company-owned home centers and 40 home building facilities located nationwide.  Clayton also sells homes through a diverse independent dealer network consisting of over 1,000 home centers.  In 2016 Clayton built over 42,000 homes.  There are currently 15,728 Clayton team members across the country.  In the last two years, Clayton has acquired site-built builders in Birmingham, Atlanta, Kansas City, Nashville, Denver, and Salt Lake City, making it one of the nation’s largest site built builders.  Through its financial services operations, Clayton Homes also finances more than 325,000 customers and insures 160,000 families. Clayton Homes also owns and operates 18 subdivisions. At Clayton, it is our mission to open doors to a better life and help families build happiness through homeownership. We have grown significantly since first opening our doors, but our timeless passion, vision and values have never been stronger. We strive to help hardworking families just like yours Have it made® by finding your own beautiful, affordable slice of the world to call home.  Since handing the first home key to our first customer in 1956, we have been proud of our dedication to innovation and providing affordable, quality built homes across America.  In 2003, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. acquired Clayton Homes.

ERIK NORTON is a partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP who practices in Columbia in the area of business litigation, with particular emphasis on consulting and litigation involving business systems such as franchises and distribution networks.

THOMAS RICHIE represents clients in procedurally complex civil litigation, both in trial and appellate courts throughout Alabama and across the country. He has litigated a broad range of cases, from class actions to municipal tax disputes to the Chapter 9 bankruptcy case of Jefferson County, Alabama. He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Alabama Super Lawyers, and has had success both asserting and defending claims. Thomas has litigated cases in Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee and has successfully prosecuted or defended appeals in the Alabama Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit, and the Fourth Circuit. Thomas has experience across every phase of civil litigation, from emergency injunctions at the outset of a case to high-stakes appeals after judgment. He has successfully litigated more than a dozen class actions to favorable judgments or settlements in state and federal courts. He has experience with class actions involving federal statutory claims, breach-of-contract, negligence, products liability, warranty, tax, data breach, and financial services issues. He represents clients across industries, including insurance, retail, defense, pharmaceutical, environmental, finance, wireless communication, and manufacturing. In addition to defending class actions, Thomas regularly litigates commercial disputes, whether involving breach of contract, competitive torts, or deceptive trade practices.