Tom Girardi needed no introduction when stepping into a courtroom.

Founding attorney of Los Angeles-based Girardi Keese, he made his name working on the environmental contamination case made famous from the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich” and took lead roles in numerous mass torts. He handled large numbers of cases over pharmaceutical drugs and for NFL players claiming concussion injuries. He has innumerable accolades for his professional successes: The National Law Journal’s annual Elite Trial Lawyers, president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the State Bar of California’s Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame.