Shook, Hardy & Bacon Partner Harvey Kaplan has been honored as one of the nation's top defense attorneys in the 2012 edition of
Lawdragon: The 500 Leading Lawyers in America, which recognizes his unique "expertise in bet-the-company litigation."
Additionally, the 2012 edition of
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business named Kaplan as one of the nation's "Leading Individuals" in Nationwide Product Liability and Mass Torts and one of eight national pharmaceutical litigation "Stars."
Chambers USA referred to Kaplan as a "legend" who is known as "a leading lawyer and an excellent strategist." Kaplan was also named a "National Litigation Star" in the 2013 edition of
Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys.
Known as a pioneer in the field of product liability litigation, Kaplan is Chair Emeritus of Shook, Hardy & Bacon's Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation Division and represents many multinational companies in significant product liability and business litigation.
Lawdragon, Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation are among a group of prestigious national and international publishers that have consistently recognized Kaplan as a leader in his field. Other recent honors include:
- The Legal 500 US ranked Kaplan as "one of the top pharma-lawyers in the country" and one of only eleven "Leading Lawyers" in the area of Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices litigation;
- Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers listed him as one of the ten most highly regarded lawyers internationally, saying he is "a 'dean of the bar,' his pharmaceutical expertise is 'second to none;'"
- Legal Media Group selected Kaplan for The Best of the Best 2012, and honored him in the inaugural issue of Life Sciences: The Definitive Guide to the Leading Firms and Attorneys in US Life Sciences as "one of the most well recognized and highly regarded names throughout the industry;"
- The Best Lawyers in America elected Kaplan "Lawyer of the Year" for Product Liability Defense in Kansas City; and
- Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers honored him as one of the Top 50 in Kansas City.
Kaplan's skill and ability in the courtroom is attested to by his election as a Fellow in two prestigious trial lawyer organizations, The International Academy of Trial Lawyers and The International Society of Barristers. He is a long-time leader of the defense bar, having served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Defense Counsel and as Director of its Defense Counsel Trial Academy. Kaplan also served on the DRI Board of Directors, chaired its Drug and Medical Device Litigation Committee and was instrumental in launching DRI Europe.
Kaplan also has been active in the Kansas City Jewish Community, having served on the Menorah Medical Center Board, as President of Jewish Family Services and as Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee (JCRB/AJC).