CaseyGerry attorney recognized by world’s largest trial bar

By Daily Transcript Staff Report

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) and the National College of Advocacy recently recognized San Diego attorney Thomas D. Penfield as a Diplomate of Trial Advocacy at its 2013 annual convention in San Francisco.

Penfield, a partner with Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, was honored for his commitment to improving practical knowledge of trial skills and substantive law, as well as for his dedication to teaching and pursuing advanced legal education.

In order to receive the designation, Penfield completed 400 hours of jury trial training with AAJ education programs, including the National College of Advocacy, the AAJ’s trial practice school.

Penfield is the only attorney in San Diego to attain this status and one of only nine attorneys in California. Fewer than 200 lawyers throughout the United States have earned this designation from AAJ, the largest organization of trial lawyers in the United States.

A member of the board of directors of the San Diego County Bar Association, Penfield also is the past-chair of the American Bar Association’s task force on plaintiffs’ policy of the tort, trial and insurance practice section (TIPS) and was named vice-chair of the TIPS’ trial techniques committee.

Penfield, who is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, concentrates his practice on personal injury, products liability and class actions. He also is an adjunct professor of law at the University of San Diego School of Law.