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trobertson@tktrial.com
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Thomas D. Robertson

President/Partner

Tom Robertson is a seasoned trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience focused in the areas of product liability, personal injury and commercial litigation. He has developed a well-earned reputation and impressive track record serving as national, regional and local counsel for businesses in a variety of industries, returning numerous successful jury verdicts as lead counsel in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Although Mr. Robertson typically defends large corporate clients, he has also tried cases on behalf of individual plaintiffs, with several verdict and settlement awards in excess of $1 million.

Mr. Robertson is a founding partner of Tanenbaum Keale LLP. He was previously a partner with Sedgwick LLP from 2004-2017 and before that an associate and partner with McCarter & English LLP from 1990-2004.

Bar Admissions
• New Jersey

Court Admissions
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

  • Represented a custom homebuilder and developer (plaintiff) as lead trial counsel in commercial litigation involving allegations of breach of contract, tortious interference and theft of trade secrets. This matter was successfully resolved and settled on confidential financial terms after three trial days in the Chester County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas.
  • Represented a large manufacturing company in commercial litigation involving a defense of indemnity claim pursuant to an asset purchase agreement and obtained trial verdict in favor of client, rejecting multi-million-dollar indemnity claim and awarding his client return of seven figure counsel fees. Bucks County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas.
  • Represented a large manufacturer of construction equipment as defendant in a product liability action involving claims of design and warning defects resulting in a catastrophic injury to a 24-year-old laborer and obtained favorable resolution after completion of trial and several days of jury deliberation in the Philadelphia County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas.
  • Represented large manufacturer of construction equipment as defendant in a product liability matter involving design and warning defect allegations resulting in traumatic leg amputations and multiple internal injuries and obtained a favorable resolution during jury trial in the New York Supreme Court, Queens Division.
  • Represented a large manufacturer of construction equipment as defendant in a product liability matter involving design and warning defect allegations resulting in traumatic leg amputation and other injuries to a laborer and obtained a unanimous defense jury verdict after multiweek trial in the New York Supreme Court, Albany Division.
  • Represented a large manufacturer of construction equipment as defendant in a breach of contract and breach of warranty action arising out of an allegedly defective engine and obtained favorable resolution during jury trial in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Ocean County Division.
  • Represented a large transportation company as defendant in a serious motor vehicle accident caused by an alleged defective tire on a passenger bus and obtained a unanimous defense jury verdict during multiweek trial in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County Division.
  • Represented large transportation company as defendant on significant punitive damage claim arising out of a multiple-fatality bus accident and obtained a full dismissal of punitive damage allegation after several days of jury trial in Livingston County (New York) Court.
  • Represented plaintiff in wrongful death action arising out of fatal truck accident resulting in death of 24-year-old female and obtained a multimillion-dollar recovery for the client during a jury trial in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Passaic County Division.
  • Represented plaintiff in action against a commercial property owner for defective condition on property causing fall and significant injuries and obtained unanimous jury verdict in favor of the client, awarding $1.1 million in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County.
  • Represented a large transportation company as defendant in a serious multivehicle collision resulting in catastrophic injuries to a 23-year-old female driver and obtained a favorable jury verdict in the Philadelphia County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas.
  • Represented a large transportation company as defendant in a wrongful death action involving a 21-year-old female whose vehicle was struck by the defendant tractor-trailer driver. After a multiweek trial, the jury in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County Division returned a verdict of only $110,000 against the defendant client despite a multimillion-dollar demand.
  • Represented a large bus company as defendant in a serious accident with a motor vehicle in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and obtained a defense jury verdict for the client in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic County Division.
  • Represented a municipality as the defendant in a discrimination suit involving claims of wrongful termination, discrimination and hostile work environment and obtained a unanimous defense jury verdict in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County Division.
  • Represented a venture capital firm as the defendant in a AAA commercial litigation arbitration proceeding involving alleged breach of contract action by a former partner in an investment fund involving multimillion-dollar damage claim and obtained a full defense ruling from arbitrator.
  • Represented a large corporate conglomerate as the defendant in commercial litigation involving disputed ownership of significant commercial real estate and obtained a full defense trial verdict in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County Division.
  • Represented a municipality as the defendant in a matter involving allegations of significant civil rights violations and other tortious conduct and obtained a unanimous defense jury verdict in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County Division.
  • Represented a commercial landowner as the defendant in a matter involving serious injuries sustained by a business invitee and obtained a favorable resolution after the matter was tried to conclusion in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Mercer County Division.

  • New Jersey Bar Association
  • Essex County (New Jersey) Bar Association
  • Trial Attorneys of New Jersey (TANJ)
    • Past President and Trustee
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Northern New Jersey Chapter

  • New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Civil Trial Attorney
  • National Board of Trial Advocacy Certified Civil Trial Advocate
  • Best Lawyers in America, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, 2013-present
  • Best Lawyers in America, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2013-present
  • New Jersey Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2006-2011; 2013-present

  • “Defending a Visibility Case Against a Manufacturer of Heavy Equipment,” Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ virtual Product Liability Seminar, August 2021

  • J.D., Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law (1990)
  • B.A., Middlebury College (1986)