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Michael B. Terry named a finalist for Public Justice’s 2023 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award

The Bondurant partner was part of the legal team that obtained a $1.7 billion verdict in Hill v. Ford Motor Co.

July 6, 2023

Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP is pleased to announce Mike Terry has been selected as a finalist for Public Justice’s 2023 Trial Lawyer of the Year (TLOY) Award for his work in Hill v. Ford Motor Co. 

The TLOY Award recognizes the accomplishments of an attorney or team of attorneys working on behalf of individuals and groups that have faced significant injustice.  This is a joint nomination for the attorneys on the team representing the plaintiffs in the case.

In Hill v. Ford Motor Co., which resulted in the largest verdict in Georgia’s history, the jury ruled in favor of two brothers who lost their parents when the roof of their Ford F250 Super Duty truck collapsed during a rollover accident. The plaintiffs presented evidence that the automobile manufacturer had  sold over five million Super Duty pickups with dangerously weak roofs.

“This verdict sends a message that companies cannot disregard safety defects, and consumer safety takes precedence over corporate profit,” says Terry. "I’m immensely proud to be part of the legal team that achieved this landmark ruling on behalf of our clients."

In addition to Terry, James E. Butler, Jr., and Daniel B. Philyaw of Butler Prather, and Gerald Davidson, Jr., of Mahaffey Pickens Tucker were nominated for their work on the case.

Each year, Public Justice, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization, presents its TLOY Award to the attorney(s) who made the greatest contribution to the public interest by trying or settling a precedent-setting, socially significant case.

This year’s award winner will be announced during Public Justice’s Annual Gala and Awards Presentation in Philadelphia on Monday, July 17.

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