Francis H. Morrison III

Partner

Francis Morrison’s practice includes the trial of intellectual property, products liability and other complex litigation matters, particularly those involving technical subjects.  He has tried more than 50 cases to verdict and judgment in state and federal courts. He has represented institutional and corporate clients in connection with claims concerning  patent and trade secret misappropriation, pharmaceuticals, aviation, tobacco, medical devices, insurance and manufacturing in high stakes litigation throughout the United States.

Mr. Morrison is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (since 1993), a charter member of the American Board of Trial Advocates in Connecticut (since 1984), certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (since 1986) and listed in Chambers USA, 2006 for Litigation.  Representative matters include:

• Obtained summary judgment of validity and infringement for a patentee in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in a bet-the-company case involving electronic temperature monitors, and argued the ensuing appeal at the Federal Circuit.

• Successfully co-tried to judgment  Clearwater v. Evapco et al., a matter involving claims of trade secret misappropriation in the field of electromagnetic water treatment.

• Handled Markman hearing in a case involving patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation claims against a hand tool manufacturer, resulting in dismissal with prejudice of all claims against the client.

• Defended to verdict patent infringement and invalidity claims on behalf of Nidec Corporation, involving direct current brushless fans used to cool electronic devices.

• Defended to judgment claims of trade secret misappropriation involving Bristol Myers Squibb and Purdue Pharma concerning the launch of Oxycontin.

• Obtained verdict for Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company in wrongful death claims related to the use of tobacco products.

• Defended technical product defect claims against manufacturer of an aircraft propeller system in MDL matter in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

• Defended claims against jet engine manufacturer arising out of 2003 crash of a 737-200 aircraft in Algeria.

• Defended claims against jet engine manufacturer arising out of an aviation accident in Cameroon.

• Obtained Judgment of Dismissal for Purdue Pharma with respect to addiction claims related to use of Oxycontin.

• Defended claims of addiction against GlaxoSmithKline arising out of use of Paxil.

Prior to joining Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, Mr. Morrison practiced for more than 30 years with the law firms of Day Pitney LLP and Day, Berry & Howard LLP, and served as the Chair of the Executive and Partnership Compensation Committees at Day, Berry & Howard LLP.

Noteworthy

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America 1993 through 2007.
• Corporation Counsel, Town of West Hartford, CT (1983-1985).
• Line Officer, U.S. Navy 1969-1972; USS Grand Canyon (AD-28).

Bar & Court Admissions

• State of Connecticut
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• United States Tax Court

Education

• Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina, 1975 J.D. (with distinction). Law Journal: Note and Comment Editor, Duke Law Journal, 1974-75.
• College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1969 A.B.

Publications

• Power Attorneys: Business Battlefields, Corporate Connecticut Magazine, 2004.
  
• Cross Examination in the Psychology Case.  This chapter was prepared in connection with the ABA’s publication entitled, Psychological Injuries at Trial.

Seminars & Classes

• “Laboratory Corp. of America v. Chiron Corp. Past Injunction Procedure –Appeal of Injunction,” The Twenty-Second Annual Joint Patent Practice Seminar, New York, NY, May 2006.
• Price Waterhouse Coopers Intellectual Property Seminar, held at Palm Springs, California, February 2005. Panelist and Speaker, “Critical Habits of Successful Trial Lawyers.”

Professional Activities

• Intellectual Property Owners’ Association
• Defense Research Institute, Member
• American Bar Association, Litigation Section
• Connecticut Bar Association, Litigation Section