Steven G. Carlson

Steve is a Shareholder and Chair of the Fire & Explosion Litigation Section and Member of the Toxic Tort Section. Steve’s practice focuses on the investigation and litigation of fire and explosion loss claims and the defense of asbestos claims.

Steve is a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI-CFEI) and Fire Investigation Technician through the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI-FIT®). He has expertise in all aspects of investigating fire and explosion origin and cause including retention of appropriate experts, pre- and post-scene fact investigation, supervisor of experts at the scene and laboratory examinations, compliance with NFPA 921 guidelines and ASTM standards, recognizing spoliation issues, and developing origin, cause and flame spread theories. If litigation is unavoidable, Steve uses his expertise in aggressively defending and/or pursuing claims in this specialized area of law during all aspects of the case from fact and expert discovery, Daubert or Frye challenges, dispositive motion practice, trial to appeal.

Steve is also a member of the firm’s Toxic Tort Section that has represented clients locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in asbestos litigation. He has personally defended and/or managed over 1,000 asbestos lawsuits against product manufacturers in jurisdictions throughout the nation including “hotspots” such as Cook County, Madison County, NYCAL, City of St. Louis and California.

Steve has extensive experience in state and federal courts in Wisconsin, Illinois and many other states across the nation. He also works collaboratively with the firm’s deep bench of attorneys with expertise in insurance coverage, OSHA, environmental, labor and employment and government in their litigation matters.