Our Lawyers

Mr. Hack concentrates his practice in the areas of products liability, toxic tort, pharmaceutical, environmental and commercial litigation, with trial experience in each of these areas.  He also counsels mid-size companies on litigation avoidance and other commercial matters.

Commercial Litigation

Mr. Hack's commercial litigation experience encompasses the gamut of business and contract disputes including raw mineral disputes, petroleum franchise litigation, railroad freight collection litigation, and breaches of product manufacturing contracts.  He has both successfully prosecuted and defended such actions for his clients at trial and at arbitration hearings. 

Products Liability Litigation

Mr. Hack's experience in products liability litigation includes representation of insured and self-insured clients in various state and federal courts.  Mr. Hack defended cases involving welding rods, acrylic nail products, prescription pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electrical equipment, concrete saws, hand-held saws, bicycles, personal consumer products, exercise equipment, and various other products in which he has defended against both personal injury and wrongful death cases.  He successfully handled settlements of multi-million dollar drug products liability cases after mediation.  He has published articles in the Journal of the Missouri Bar and lectured on various issues in toxic tor litigation, including mold-related lawsuits and served as a reviewer on the Missouri CLE Evidence Handbook.

Toxic Tort Litigation

Mr. Hack has defended manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and landowners for over nearly twenty years in complex toxic tort cases involving such substances as asbestos, acrylic compounds, benzene, mold contamination, welding rods, lead paint, hazardous chemicals, and industrial furnace emissions.  He has acted as regional counsel for a Fortune 100 company for asbestos and other toxic tort cases.  He has successfully managed large document cases while working with recognized experts in a wide variety of fields to testify on behalf of clients.  He has also spoken on the topic of prevention of asbestos and other environmental hazards to trade groups.

Environmental Litigation

Mr. Hack acted as trial counsel both for and against landowners, adjoining neighbors and purchasers who have claimed damages because of pollution from various substances, such as mold, petroleum, agricultural chemicals, and asbestos.  Mr. Hack is admitted to practice before federal and state courts in both Missouri and Illinois.

Bar Admissions:

Missouri, 1981

Illinois, 1982

U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit

U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri

U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri

U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 1981 - Present
Member

The Missouri Bar, 1981 - Present
Member

American Bar Association, 1981 - Present
Member

Illinois State Bar Association, 1982 - Present
Member

Defense Research Institute
Member

Published Works:

"Circumstantial Evidence of Product Defect in Strict Liability Cases" Journal of the Missouri Bar, September - October, 1999

Legal Responsibilities for Asbestos and Asbestos Removal under AHERA, AHERA Short Courses, March, 1988

Education:

University of Missouri Columbia School of Law, Columbia, Missouri, 1981
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
Law Review: Missouri Law Review, 1979 - 1981

Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, 1978
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
Major:  History/Political Science

National Institute of Trial Advocacy
Graduate

Languages:

French
German