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Sandra Giannone Ezell 
Richmond, Virginia
Managing Partner
phone 804.819.1156
fax 804.649.1762
email sandra.ezell@bowmanandbrooke.com

Sandra Giannone Ezell is a trial lawyer who devotes her seemingly boundless energy to representing corporations in courtrooms all over the country, often in her role as national trial counsel.  She primarily focuses on product liability defense as well as handling commercial matters of all sizes.

 

Sandra routinely defends wrongful death and catastrophic injury product liability cases.  In more than 20 years of managing and trying cases she has handled product matters in various arenas including automotive, general transportation, construction, tobacco, child products, medical device, trucking, toxic tort, recreational products, food products, household products and power tools.  She has leveraged her work in child injury cases into forming the firm's Children and Product Liability Group.  She also handles the litigation aspects of various commercial disputes including contract disputes, class actions, franchisor representation, dealer/vendor termination and other commercial matters. 

 

She takes on cases irrespective of their size or exposure from filing through verdict, or just on the eve of trial, and represents her clients in one-time or pattern litigation, with cost-effective result-oriented strategies.  Her energy and enthusiasm for getting the job done drives the results clients seek.

 

Sandra is a trial lawyer who manages both an office and a demanding trial practice.  She also works to improve the legal profession through her local and national commitment to diversity in the legal profession.  Through her efforts, and in partnership with local corporate counsel, Sandra created "Diversity in the River City."  This program is designed to enrich Richmond's legal professionals.  She also writes a frequent column exploring and celebrating the efforts of in-house counsel to create and execute diversity initiatives within their legal provider programs.  She has been retained by companies as a consultant on matters of diversity and inclusion.

Areas of Practice:
Automotive
Business, Commercial and Financial Litigation
Children and Product Liability Litigation
Class Action Defense
Construction and Power Tools Litigation
Dealer and Franchise Litigation
Drug and Medical Device Litigation
Food Safety
Product Liability
Product Recall and Defects
Tobacco Litigation
Trucking and Bus Company Litigation
Litigation Percentage:
99% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
Virginia, 1998
Illinois, 1990
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia, 2001
U.S. District Court Western District of Virginia, 2006
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 2005
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1990
U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, 2006
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1991
U.S. Supreme Court, 2006
Education:
The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1990
J.D.


University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1987
Honors: With High Honors


Published Works:
"Diversity Turns the Key for Success at Toyota", In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter, 2010


"Product Liability Litigation: Current Law, Strategies and Best Practices (Stephanie A. Scharf et al.), Chapter: Game-Changers: Defending Products Cases with Child Plaintiffs" (with David E. Gluckman), Practicing Law Institute, 2009


"Storytelling - The Art of Trial By Jury", Trials and Tribulations, Winter, 2009


"The Light is Shining on Capital One: In-House Counsel Spotlight on Diversity Initiatives", In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter, 2009


Like It, Love It, Gotta Have It -- Kahala's Customized Approach to Diversity, In-House Defense Quarterly, Fall 2009


"Voir Dire in Cases with Child Plaintiffs", For The Defense, April, 2009


"A Close-up Look at Steelcase Inc.'s Commitment to Diversity", In-House Defense Quarterly, Spring, 2009


"Diversity for Success Seminar Shatters Records and Raises the Bar", DRI For the Defense, August, 2008


"In-House Counsel Spotlight on Diversity Initiatives", In-House Defense Quarterly, Summer, 2008


Featured in ABA Article, "Rising to the Top,", Law Practice Magazine, September, 2007


"Round up the Usual Suspects: Traditional Methods of Selecting First-Chair Trial Counsel Exclude Women", Product Liability Law & Strategy, February, 2007


"Cross Examination of Plaintiff", Defense Research Institute - Trials and Tribulations, Summer, 2006


"Recent Developments in Automobile Law", Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Winter, 2006


"Recent Developments in Automobile Law (Sept. 1, 2004 - Feb. 28, 2005)", Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Automobile Committee Newsletter, Spring, 2005


"CAUTION: Warning Labels Don't Work on Kids", TDmonthly, October, 2005


"Using Biomedical Testimony in Virginia Product Liability Cases", The Virginia Bar Association News Journal, 2004


Classes/Seminars Taught:
Yikes! My First Second Chair Trial Experience Is Approaching: What Should I Expect and What Does the First Chair Trial Attorney Expect From Me?, DRI Young Lawyers Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada (Speaker), June 2009


Voir Dire Panel, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, October 31, 2008


TIPS Automobile Law Committee's Women Drive Results in Transportation Law National Program - "The Child Plaintiff - How to Handle a Child Plaintiff Transportation Case", American Bar Association, June 4, 2008


Selling Litigation: Three Successful Litigation Rainmakers Share Their Secrets, The Hildebrandt Institute, May 21, 2008


Mars v. Venus: The Woman's Role as a First-Chair Trial Lawyer, Case-Handler and Expert Witness; With Perspectives from the Other Side of the Table, American Bar Association Emerging Issues in Motor Vehicle Production Liability Litigation, April 10, 2008


American Bar Association, Law Student Division: Coffee with Experience, University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law, February 2008


Finding Your Niche in the Legal Profession, University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law, February 2008


Wake Up and Smell the Science - Expert Testimony Equating Sleep Debt to Blood Alcohol Content May Affect Your Driver Fatigue Cases, DRI Annual Meeting, October 2007


Look Good and Save Money - Tips for In-House Counsel, Bowman and Brooke Hot Topics, September 2007


Child Injury in Automotive Litigation, DRI Strictly Automotive Seminar, September 2007


Program Moderator & Co-Chair, ABA Women in Transportation Law and the "Women Drive Results in Transportation Law Program", June 2007


Failure to Warn in Virginia: Where We are and a Path to Consider Taking Together, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, October 2006


Workshop: Lawyers: How to Help them Succeed, LSSO Conference, June 2006


Advantages in Managing Cases Involving Children Differently, Bowman and Brooke Hot Topics Client Seminar, September 2005


Cross Examination of Named Plaintiff in a Catastrophic Injury Case, Trial Advocacy In-House Seminar, September 2005


Women's Initiatives: A Unique Method to Retain Top Talent and Top Clients, ABA Annual Meeting, August 2005


Taking Depositions: An Advocates Primer, In-House Seminar, June 2005


Admissibility of Expert Testimony in Product Liability Cases in Virginia, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, 2005


Expert Preclusion: Slamming the Door Shut, In-House Seminar, 2005


Defense of Rollover Cases with a Focus on Child Restraints, Meeting of national automotive trial counsel, 2004


Multi-Focus Marketing: Understanding your Audiences, ABA Law Practice Management, 2004


A Practical Refresher on Litigating the Virginia Auto Injury Case, National Business Institute Seminar, 2004


Defense of Child Belt Geometry Cases, Meeting of national automotive trial counsel, 2003


Case presentation regarding reclined seat cases, Meeting of national automotive trial counsel, 2003


Defense Strategy in Seat Cases, Meeting of national automotive trial counsel, 2000


Honors and Awards:
Named in the Legal 500 United States, 2008 - 2009


Recipient of The Burton Award for Legal Achievement, Distinguished Legal Writing Award, 2008


Women at the Top Award, Virginia American Business Women's Association, 2010


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Product Liability Advisory Council, 2008


American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section
Women Rainmakers' Committee, Executive Board Member


Defense Research Institute
Diversity and Steering Committees; Publications Sub-Committee - Chair


Defense Research Institute
Women in Courtroom Committee, Appointee 2008-2009


Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys


National Association of Women Lawyers


Virginia Bar Association


Metropolitan Richmond Womens Bar Association


Richmond Bar Association


Virginia Manufacturers Association


Virginia Women Attorneys Association


International Franchise Association


Birth Information:
1964, Jefferson City, Missouri

From boardroom to courtroom