Thomas P. Bernier
Shareholder410.864.1201
410.779.3967 (fax)
tbernier@smsm.com
One North Charles Street, Suite 2500
Baltimore, MD 21201
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Print PDFThomas P. Bernier, a lifelong Maryland resident, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the University of Notre Dame in 1980. That same year, he returned to Baltimore and attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1983. He joined Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney in April of 2003 as an associate and is now a shareholder and senior attorney-in-residence at the firm’s Baltimore office.
Mr. Bernier concentrates his practice in the areas of insurance defense, personal injury, products liability, workers' compensation and criminal defense in the state and federal courts throughout the State of Maryland and Washington, D.C. He has maintained an active criminal defense practice for almost 25 years, litigating hundreds of serious criminal cases, including a capital case. He has argued before the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, the Court of Appeals of Maryland and The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
He is a co-author and co-presenter of "Preparation and Trial of a Personal Injury Case," a seminar created and presented numerous times for the Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL). This seminar has been chosen as a "Best of MICPEL" seminar. He is also a co-author and co-presenter of "Slip and Fall: Basic Premises Liability," another seminar created and presented numerous times for the Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL). This seminar has also been chosen as a "Best of MICPEL" seminar. Mr. Bernier is also the sole author of "Defending Allegations of Sexual Child Abuse in Maryland," an original treatise on the subject and a subspecialty of his criminal practice. This book was released in March of 2004. Portions of this publication are used by The District Court of Maryland in the training of District Court Commissioners.
Mr. Bernier serves as a Hearing Officer for the Baltimore Department of Human Resources, Civil Service Commission. He was appointed to this position by the Mayor of Baltimore and has served in this capacity since August of 2002. In 2007, he was elevated to the position of Chief Hearing Officer. Recently, he was reappointed by the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland to serve a third term as a member of the Peer Review Committee.
Mr. Bernier is admitted to practice before the State Bars of Maryland and Washington, D.C., the United States District Courts for the Districts of Maryland and Washington, D.C. and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is a member of the American, Maryland, and Baltimore County Bar Associations, the Defense Research Institute, Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc., The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association.
Mr. Bernier, his wife and three children reside in Parkton, Maryland.
SIGNIFICANT RECENT ENGAGEMENTS
- October, 2009 - Successfully argued for compulsory nonsuit, following 2 weeks of trial, in favor of a manufacturer of asbestos-containing gaskets in a products liability wrongful death lawsuit alleging asbestos-induced mesothelioma, tried in the Court of Common Pleas for Philadelphia County.
- September 2008 - Obtained defense verdict in favor of manufacturer of maritime deisel engines in a products liability case alleging asbestos-induced lung cancer, tried in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County.
- January 2008 - Obtained defense verdict in favor of a manufacturer of asbestos-containing gaskets in a products liability case alleging asbestos-induced mesothelioma, tried in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division.
- December 2006 - Obtained mistrial, following hung jury on behalf of client charged in federal conspiracy to harbor unlawful aliens and money laundering, tried in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division. Client was only defendant not convicted following trial.
- November 2006 - Obtained mistrial, following hung jury on behalf of boiler manufacturer in products liability case alleging asbestos-induced mesothelioma, tried in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County.
- Successfully argued for the reversal of a $1.3 million dollar verdict against asbestos-containing gasket manufacturer before the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland in an asbestos products liability case. Filed May 25, 2004.
- Co-tried successful defense in Death Penalty Case.
- Asked to testify before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees of the Maryland General Assembly on matters of criminal law and evidence.
EDUCATION
University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1980
University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1983
BAR ADMISSIONS
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, 2002
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 1986
U.S. District Court, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1988
U.S. District Court, Maryland, 1984
U.S. District Court, Maryland Court of Appeals, 1983
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC AFFILIATIONS
American Bar Association
Baltimore County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
District of Columbia Bar Association
Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc.
Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association
Maryland State Bar Association
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Committee member for Boy Scouts of America Troop 750
League Commissioner and Coach for Baltimore County Parks and Recreation Baseball and Soccer
Member of Parish Counsel, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Towson, Maryland
SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS
Author
- "Defending Allegations of Sexual Child Abuse in Maryland" (280 page Treatise).
Co-Author/Speaker
- Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL), Materials and Presenter of Seminar: "Preparing and Trying a Basic Personal Injury Case" (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006). Chosen "Best of MICPEL."
- Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL), Materials and Presenter of Seminar: "Slip and Fall: Basic Premises Liability" (1998). Chosen "Best of MICPEL."
Speaker
- Maryland State Bar Association's (MSBA) Annual Meeting, Ocean City, MD, "When Your Custody Case Becomes Criminal" (June 15, 2007).
- Joint meeting of the Criminal and Family Law Sections of the Baltimore County Bar Association, "When Your Custody Case Becomes Criminal" (October 2006).
- Panelist: Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney 2006 "Extended" Warranty Seminar, Chicago, IL, "A-Z Practices: Handling Warranty Case Filing to Disposition" (September 22, 2006).
OTHER HONORS
Appointed by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to sit as a Hearing Officer for the Department of Human Resources, Civil Service Commission.
Appointed by the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland to serve as a member of the Peer Review Committee.
Practice Areas
Recent News, Articles & Publications
The implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, an increase in securities class action filings, and the recent Enron/WorldCom scandals have increasingly challenged the professional liability markets.