John LaBoon

Since 1993, I have focused my trial practice on tort defense involving personal injury, products liability, contractor liability and premises liability claims. Early in my career, my practice primarily focused on asbestos, benzene, silica and other products liability litigation. For 23 years, I developed substantial experience in the state-of-the-art defense, medical causation and epidemiology related to toxic tort cases. During this time, I represented numerous manufacturers, premises owners and construction contractors in asbestos, benzene and silica cases. I also served as National Coordinating Counsel for a respirator manufacturer in asbestos and silica cases across the country. I was also part of the national trial team for a Fortune 500 medical device company involved in MDL Litigation. Finally, I served as state trial counsel for multiple asbestos defendants and was a member of the national trial team for two major asbestos manufacturers.

As lead and co-counsel, I have obtained defense verdicts in numerous asbestos personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as general personal injury and products liability cases across Texas.

Since joining MDJW in October 2016, I have been focusing my career on a broader variety of cases involving automobiles, trucking, dram shop, construction and many other types of personal injury cases. I also handle construction defect and professional liability cases.

Over my career, I have had the pleasure of representing clients in many other types of litigation including: pesticides, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, Jones Act and maritime personal injury and death, clinical drug trials, medical malpractice, employment discrimination cases. I have defended manufacturers of stoves, washing machines, oxygen concentrators and other products in fire-cause-and-origin cases. I have served as Texas trial counsel for a Fortune 100 multi-national company in products liability lawsuits for claims involving personal injury, wrongful death and property damage related to household appliances, commercial equipment and medical devices. Additionally, I have defended insureds and self-insured companies in employment cases involving claims of wrongful termination and employment discrimination.

Finally, I have had the pleasure of handling appellate work at both the state and federal level including a victory in the US Supreme Court.

During the 2009 Texas legislative session I was asked to consult with State Representatives, Senators and medical experts to oppose S.B. 1123 which attempted to lower the causation standard in mesothelioma cases filed in Texas.  During the 2013 legislative session I served as the defense liaison counsel for State Representatives Tyron Lewis (Chairman of the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee), Doug Miller and Travis Clardy against the Texas Trial Lawyers Association to enact H.B. 1325 which provided for the dismissal of thousands of asbestos and silica cases.  The bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry on May 24, 2013. During the 2013 legislative session I was again asked to serve as the defense liaison counsel for State Representatives Doug Miller and Travis Clardy (House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee) against the Texas Trial Lawyers Association to enact H.B. 1492 which required plaintiffs in asbestos and silica cases to be transparent in their filings of claims against asbestos and silica bankruptcy trusts.  The bill was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 11, 2015.

Awarded an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ from Martindale-Hubbell®

Member of Texas State Bar College

Clients

Civic

Member, Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas, 2004 – present

Texas Industries for the Blind and Handicapped, Board of Directors, 2012 – present

Westlake Youth Soccer Association, Head volunteer soccer coach U4/U5/U6, 2009 – 2011

President of the Overlook at Treemont HOA, 2005 – present

Lighthouse for the Blind of Houston, Board of Directors, 1998 – 2004

Children’s Fund of Houston, 2001 – 2004

Professional

State Bar of Texas

State Bar of New York

American Bar Association, 1993 - Present

American Association for Justice, 1993 - Present

Austin Bar Association, 2004 - Present

Defense Research Institute, 1993 - Present

Houston Bar Association, 1993 - Present

New York Bar Association, 2015 - Present

Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 1993 - Present

Texas Bar Association, 1993 - Present

Professional Presentations:

• DRI – Asbestos Medicine Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, “Where’s There’s Smoke, There’s Fire: Hot New Issues in the Lung Cancer Debate” (November 5-6, 2015)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, San Francisco, CA, “Lung Cancer Experts and Medical Articles”
(November 5, 2014)

• Resolute Management and Liberty Mutual National Counsel Seminar, Boston, MA, “Lung Cancer, Asbestosis and Smoking: Expert Cross-Examination and Medical Literature” (September 25, 2014)

• Perrin Conferences, Asbestos Mock Trial: Travelers Special Liability Group, Dallas, TX (January 8, 2014)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, New Orleans, LA, “New Plaintiffs’ and How to Handle Their First/Early
Deposition(s)” (November 6, 2013)

• Perrin Conferences, Benzene Mock Trial: Travelers Special Liability Group, Houston, TX (February 28, 2013)

• “Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts and Tort Compensation” by Lloyd Dixon and Geoffrey McGovern, RAND Corporation (2011) (Contributor)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, Las Vegas, NV, “Asbestos Risk Assessment: Epidemiology and Health Effects” (November 9, 2011)

• National Counsel Presentation: I-Flow Pain Pump Litigation, Chicago, IL, “I-Flow Medical and Regulatory Experts” (May 5, 2011)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, San Diego, CA, “Update on New and Old Plaintiffs’ Medical Experts”
(November 10, 2010)

• National Counsel Presentation: I-Flow Pain Pump Litigation, San Francisco, CA “Epidemiology, General Causation & Daubert” (May 20, 2010)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, Miami Beach, FL, “Plaintiffs’ Low Dose and Industrial Hygiene Experts and Literature” (November 11, 2009)

• CNA National Counsel Presentation, Chicago, IL, “The Role of Expert Testimony in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Cases” (January 29, 2009)

• Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, Las Vegas, NV, “Update on New and Old Plaintiffs’ Medical Experts”
(November 10, 2008)

• DRI – Asbestos Medicine Seminar, San Diego, CA, “The Epidemiology of the Other Cancers: A Review of the IOM/NIH Study” (November 8 – 9, 2007)

• Mealey’s – National Asbestos Superconference, Scottsdale, AZ, “Mock Trial: Duty to Warn for External Insulation” (September 26 – 28, 2007)

• Harris Martin’s – Texas Asbestos & Silica Litigation Conference, Houston, TX, “Ramifications of Bankruptcy Trust Submissions” (March 28, 2007)

• Mealey's – The New Face of Asbestos Litigation Conference, Washington D.C., "Dynamic Trial & Settlement Techniques" (February 8 – 9, 2007)