As a Member of the firm, Tom Seigfreid is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice focuses exclusively on the defense of product manufacturers.  Tom has defended automotive, agricultural, heavy truck, power tool and marine product manufacturers for more than 30 years.  He has tried significant product liability cases for a variety of Fortune 100 companies.  Chambers USA has recognized Tom for his work in products litigation and “savvy in the courtroom.”  Tom serves as National Coordinating Counsel supervising repetitive and multi-district product liability and toxic tort matters throughout the country.  He is active in defense organizations, including the International Association of Defense Counsel, and in the presentation of continuing legal education.  Tom regularly delivers litigation-related lectures to both in-house counsel and national CLE conferees.

Memberships & Activities

• Defense Research Institute
• Federal Bar Association
• International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Faculty Member:  2018 International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Trial Academy, Stanford Law School, Palo Alto, California
  • Member: Product Liability and Toxic Tort Committees
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Missouri Bar
• Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers

Publications

• Co-Author of "Jury Panel Investigation in Missouri." IADC Trial Techniques and Tactics Committee Newsletter, July 2014.
• Co-author of "Missouri Led Way on Jury Investigation Rules." Missouri Lawyers Weekly, September 2, 2013.

Presentations

• IADC Trial Academy, Palo Alto, California, 2018.
• "Operator's Manual for a Witness Chair," Association of Corporate Counsel - MidAmerica Chapter, 2008.
• "Intricacies of the Attorney-Client Privilege to In-House Counsel Communications," Association of Corporate Counsel - MidAmerica Chapter, 2007.
• "Successful Dispute Resolution Strategies - Mediation vs. Arbitration," Association of Corporate Counsel- MidAmerica Chapter, 2006.
• "Battling Baffling Bankruptcy: Defending Reorganizing Entities in Product Litigation," International Association of Defense Counsel Annual Conference, Maui, Hawaii, July 2003.
• Pre-Trial Motion Practice and the Changing Rules of Civil Procedure, Wal- Mart Corporate Legal Conference, 2001.
• "Spoliation of Evidence," General Motors Corporation, ESIS Corporation, Detroit Michigan, 1996 and 1997.
• "Preparation of the Client for Deposition," Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Litigation Management College, 1996.
• "Deposition Preparation of the Defense Witness," Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Litigation Management College, 1995.
• "'Mary Carter' Alive and Well in Missouri," ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, 1994.
• "Rule 26 and the New Disclosure Requirements," Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, 1993.

Awards & Recognition

• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated
• Best Lawyers® in America, Kansas City Metropolitan Area
  • Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants (2014-present)
• Chambers USA, 2008-2018
• Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers®, 2008-2011

News & Events

Twenty Baker Sterchi Lawyers Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2021

08.20.20 | Twenty Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers are recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 across numerous practice areas.

Baker Sterchi Recognized in 2020 U.S. News Best Law Firms

11.01.19 | Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice has been recognized with national and metropolitan rankings in U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms 2020. Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, and peer review from leading attorneys in their field. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, professionalism and integrity.

The Best Lawyers in America (2020 Edition) Recognizes Fourteen Baker Sterchi Lawyers

08.20.19 | Fourteen Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers have been recognized in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© across numerous practice areas.

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice Lawyers Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019

08.15.18 | Fourteen Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers have been recognized in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® across numerous practice areas.

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice Lawyers Recognized in 2018 Edition of Best Lawyers

08.16.17 | Seven Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers have been recognized in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®...

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and Attorneys Recognized as Leaders in General Commercial Litigation by Chambers USA

06.07.17 | The 2017 edition of Chambers USA has recognized Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and firm attorneys as leaders in the category of Litigation: General Commercial – Kansas City & Surrounds.

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice Attorneys Included in 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America

08.15.16 | Six Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers are included in the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America...

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice and Attorneys Recognized in Chambers USA 2016

06.03.16 | Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice has been recognized by Chambers & Partners in Chambers USA 2016 (Litigation: General Commercial – Kansas City & Surrounds) for its good reputation in defending insurance, product liability and class action matters, as well as for

Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America

08.17.15 | Four Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice lawyers are recognized in the 2016 edition of Best Lawyers in America...

Four Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice Attorneys Named to 2015 Best Lawyers® in America List

08.18.14 | Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC is pleased to announce that four lawyers have been named to the 2015 Edition of Best Lawyers in America.

Seigfreid Selected for Inclusion in 2014 Edition of Best Lawyers in America

08.15.13 | Tom Seigfreid has been selected for inclusion in the 2014 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion in the publication based solely on the vote of their peers. Seigfreid was selected for inclusion in the practice area of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants.

Cowden and Seigfreid Recognized by Chambers USA

07.15.13 | John Cowden and James T. Seigfreid have been recognized in the 2013 edition of Chambers and Partners USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business Guide for their work in general commercial litigation in the Kansas City and surrounding areas. . .

BSCR Recognized as one of the 2013 Top Ranked Law Firms in the United States

12.17.12 | BSCR has been recognized as one of the 2013 Top Ranked Law Firms in the United States for having at least one-third of all firm attorneys rated AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ are an evaluation of a lawyer's ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States and Canada. . .

Cowden and Seigfreid Recognized by Chambers and Partners USA

06.25.12 | John Cowden and James T. Seigfreid have been recognized in the 2012 edition of Chambers and Partners USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business Guide. Chambers USA ranks leading firms and lawyers in numerous practice areas throughout the United States, utilizing a team of 100 highly qualified full-time researchers to conduct thousands of interviews with lawyers and their clients worldwide. . .

Cowden and Seigfreid Recognized in Chambers USA

07.13.10 | John Cowden and Tom Seigfreid are included in the 2010 edition of Chambers USA. The publication praises John as a "very smart and effective practitioner" and Tom as a "much admired expert" on complex products liability and warranty litigation. . .

Blog Posts

Dangerous Advertising: Violations of a fair trade practices statute creates new liability for firearm manufacturers and sellers

04.04.19 | Connecticut Supreme Court rules that the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act does not bar a lawsuit brought by shooting victims' families against a manufacturer, under the state's fair trade practices act, challenging sales practices surrounding the sale of semi-automatic weapons.

Jury Panel Investigation in Missouri Revisited: Waiver of the Issue of Juror Non-Disclosure Remains Limited to the Litigation History

03.06.17 | With the constant evolution of technology, the Missouri Constitution's guarantee of the right to a fair and impartial jury of 12 has simultaneously become easier and more difficult to attain. As internet outlets and social media platforms rapidly multiply, prospective jurors have more opportunities to express or "post" beliefs and reveal biases on topics involved in litigation.

Changes to the Discovery Process in Federal Court

11.13.15 | For attorneys and clients alike, the discovery process can be a daunting aspect of litigation. Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure generally governs the discovery process. Effective December 1, 2015, and absent congressional intervention, proposed amendments to Rule 26 take effect.

Jury Panel Investigation in Missouri

07.09.13 | The Digital Age presents several issues when it comes to an attorney's investigation of a jury panel. Jurors today are likely to have some sort of internet presence, leaving their views, beliefs, and previous activity at the fingertips of trial counsel. Internet research of jurors has become an accepted practice, but with no specific guidance from the courts or the law, trial counsel must be wary of ethical considerations and other obligations when conducting research on potential or sitting jurors.