Erick VanDorn is a litigation partner in the tort, railroad and products liability practice groups and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee.
For 25 years, Erick has defended product liability, toxic tort, trucking litigation and railroad injury cases in some of the most difficult jurisdictions in the country. His clients include agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, power sports equipment manufacturers, trucking companies and railroads.
As a lead partner in Thompson Coburn’s asbestos practice, Erick has served as lead counsel in thousands of asbestos cases and helped pioneer defense strategies that have empowered companies to break out of a taxing pattern of expensive settlements. Erick also has been at the forefront of efforts to remove these cases from perceived plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions such as Madison County, St. Clair County, and Cook County, Illinois, and the City of St. Louis. He represents toxic tort defendants in Southern California, New York, and other high-risk jurisdictions across the country.
Erick also has significant experience in employment law, business litigation, and biometric information privacy litigation and has advocated for clients at the appellate court level.
Erick is a Management Committee member of the firm’s AI Task Force.
experience
- Representing manufacturers of automobiles, power sports equipment, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and printing equipment in toxic tort litigation throughout the US
- Representing Class 1 railroads in FELA, crossing accident, and derailment litigation throughout the Midwest
- Obtained favorable appellate court decisions for railroads and other manufacturers on issues of personal jurisdiction, forum non conveniens, and statutory claims, including affirmance by the US Supreme Court on summary judgment for a railroad client
- Illinois Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- St. Clair County Bar Association
- East St. Louis Bar Association
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2025, Railroad Law
I am the father of three amazing daughters. I would not describe myself as a runner, yet recently I ran a marathon in Vancouver with one of my daughters. In my spare time, I enjoy reading books and listening to podcasts about physics, philosophy, and meditation. I am a huge University of Illinois athletics and Pittsburgh Steelers fan.