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Dan H. Ball, Esq., is a mediator, arbitrator and neutral evaluator who draws on more than 47 years of experience litigating and resolving complex disputes. Throughout his distinguished career, he has represented major corporations, insurers and individuals in matters of every size and complexity, serving as lead counsel in thousands of cases in state and federal courts across the country. 

Mr. Ball's experience spans high-exposure product liability litigation, multidistrict litigation, class actions, mass torts, personal injury claims and complex business disputes. He also has significant experience in maritime and railroad litigation, as well as arbitration proceedings, where he has served as both an advocate and arbitrator.

At JAMS, Mr. Ball continues to draw on his decades of trial and appellate experience, where he has evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of thousands of cases across a wide range of substantive areas and jurisdictions, and has extensive experience assessing litigation and appellate risk. His experience as a litigator and trial attorney has helped him bring a practical approach to every settlement negotiation and mediation, and he has assisted in the resolution of even the most difficult litigations. As a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers for almost 30 years and ranked Band 1 by Chambers since 2005, he is widely and highly regarded for his judgment, balance and nationwide perspective. 

Representative Matters

ADR Experience and Qualifications

  • Worked with numerous court-appointed special masters in several cases involving discovery disputes, deposition issues and other complex pretrial matters, working closely with trial judges and counsel to resolve discovery issues, manage case proceedings and streamline trial presentations and the presentation of evidence
  • Involved in approximately 75 appeals as an advocate, including appellate briefing, written and oral argument and participation in mock oral arguments, providing deep insight into legal issues, risk assessment, and the strengths and weaknesses of litigation positions
  • In private practice, participated in more than 75 mediations involving a wide range of business, commercial, personal injury, mass tort, class action, and other civil disputes
  • In private practice, served as an arbitrator in commercial disputes, drawing on extensive trial experience to manage proceedings, evaluate complex legal and factual issues, and render well-reasoned awards
  • Evaluated more than 1,000 lawsuits and appeals to assess the strengths and weaknesses of legal claims and defenses in order to assist parties in developing informed strategies for resolution

Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts

  • Served as co-lead counsel in nationwide litigation involving claims that a contraceptive medical device caused blood clots, strokes, heart attacks and other injuries; assisted in successfully obtaining summary judgment in seven bellwether cases and over a period of several months and, through multiple mediation sessions, helped negotiate a global settlement resolving approximately 3,800 federal and state claims
  • Served as co-lead counsel for a major pharmaceutical manufacturer for mass tort litigation involving epileptic medication with allegations of birth defects; involved several jury trials and eventual settlement of hundreds of cases
  • Served as one of the lead counsel in blood thinner medication multidistrict litigation that ultimately resolved thousands of cases

Product Liability

  • Served for almost 20 years as national counsel for a major child car seat manufacturer, achieving resolution in numerous product liability and personal injury cases across the country through trials, negotiated settlements and mediations
  • Served as regional counsel for a major tire manufacturer and resolved dozens of cases in various states through trial, negotiated settlement or mediation
  • Served as a member of national and regional counsel teams for various companies, handling product liability disputes in a wide variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, child car seats, tires, automobiles, forklifts, power tools, children’s products, trucks and trailers, and railroad equipment

Class Action & Mass Tort

  • As lead counsel, represented a trucking company in a serious multivehicle accident involving multiple severe injuries; various lawsuits were resolved on the eve of the trial through extensive negotiations over a period of several months
  • As lead counsel, represented two major railroads over the course of almost 20 years in hundreds of personal injury cases that resolved through trial, mediation and/or settlement for individual negotiation
  • As lead counsel, reached a settlement against a trucking company on behalf of an individual who sustained serious lower extremity injuries in a motor vehicle accident
  • As lead counsel, obtained a trial verdict for a corporation in a case involving the death of a worker in an industrial accident

Business Commercial

  • As lead counsel, represented a national railway company in litigation involving allegations of commercial defamation and tortious interference; the case ended with judgment in favor of the railway company and was upheld through all appeals 
  • As lead counsel, represented individual minority shareholders in closely held corporations in two separate litigations, both resulting in settlements 
  • As co-lead counsel, helped reach a settlement for a small business owner in substantial litigation against a major corporation involving claims of breach of warranty and misrepresentation related to the sale of a defective large machine
  • Served as co-lead counsel on behalf of a financial institution and obtained a verdict in a case involving foreclosure and repossession of extensive farm machinery and livestock

Class Action

  • As lead counsel, represented a major motor vehicle manufacturer in a putative class action involving alleged warranty issues and a negotiated statewide settlement
  • As lead counsel, represented a large pharmaceutical company in an alleged consumer fraud class action litigation involving a pain medication and assisted in a statewide resolution

Mass Tort

  • Served as an important member of the national team that represented a major pharmaceutical company in one of the largest nationwide mass torts in history, including as a lead trial lawyer, with ultimate resolution of tens of thousands of cases
  • As lead counsel, represented a major manufacturer of personal care products in nationwide litigation in numerous venues and assisted in successful resolution through several mediation sessions and months of negotiations

Maritime Admiralty

  • Over a period of about 10 years as lead counsel and co-counsel, represented several barge line companies in numerous personal injury and property damage lawsuits, handling matters through trials and negotiated settlements

Sports

  • Served as co-lead counsel in a large number of sports arbitration cases over 19 years 

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 1997–2025
  • Emeritus Member, Product Liability Advisory Council, 2024–2025
    • Sustaining Member, 1992–2023
  • Member, Defense Research Institute, 1985–2025
  • Member, Lawyers for Civil Justice, 2022–2025

Selected Awards and Honors

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 1997–2026
  • Chambers USA – Band 1, 2005–2025
  • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Product Liability Defense, St. Louis, 2018, 2021, 2025
  • Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Personal Injury Defense, St. Louis, 2015, 2020, 2026
  • “Benchmark Litigation Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys,” Benchmark Litigation Star, 2022
  • “Benchmark Litigation Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys,” Local Litigation Star, Missouri, 2021
  • America’s Top 100 High-Stakes Litigators for Missouri, 2019

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois

Background and Education

  • Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, 2002–2025
  • Thompson Coburn, 1978–2002
  • J.D., University of Missouri School of Law, 1978
    • Order of the Coif
  • B.A., cum laude, Bradley University, 1974

Virtual & In-Person Locations

Home Office

  • St. Louis, MO

Virtual hearings available nationwide

News & Insights

Events

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