Hanson Horn is a trial attorney with The Cook Group and Managing Partner of the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office where his practice focuses on product liability, toxic tort, environmental claims, premises liability, property and casualty, and commercial litigation. Hanson also serves in an advisory capacity for a growing list of companies, large and small, on a variety of employment related matters. He contributes significantly to the firm’s New York practice and is also licensed in Louisiana and Mississippi. Hanson has served as lead trial counsel and tried cases to verdict in New York, Florida, and Mississippi including at both the state and federal level. He has also successfully briefed and argued appellate matters involving premises liability, construction defect, and products liability before the appellate courts of Mississippi, Florida, and New York.
Prior to joining The Cook Group, Hanson worked at a prominent defense firm in New York City and south Florida and was a partner with a well-renowned defense firm based in New Orleans and the Mississippi gulf coast where he defended companies in federal and state court in a variety of matters including product liability, toxic tort, workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, municipal and governmental liability, employment, and commercial litigation.
Hanson is currently a member of the premier organization for defense lawyers, the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, the New York City Bar Products Liability Committee, and a past president of the Jackson County Bar Association, United Way Campaign Cabinet Member, Kiwanis Club Board Member, and City of Pascagoula Strategic Planning Steering Committee Member.
Other noteworthy representative matters include:
- Secured a dismissal for his client, an out of state product manufacturer in the maritime industry, after full briefing and oral argument before the New York First Department Appellate Division. The trial court denied their motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction, as well as the subsequent motion to reargue. After full briefing and live in-person oral arguments, plaintiffs offered a voluntary dismissal (Lead Counsel and Lead Appellate Counsel). Mary E. Alford, as Executrix for the Estate of Mark P. Alford v. Amchem Products, Inc., et al., Case No. 2022-00064 (1st Dep’t 2022).
- Obtained a complete defense verdict after a three-day jury trial on behalf of his client, a home property insurance carrier, in a first-person property dispute over coverage. (Lead Counsel and First Chair Trial Counsel). Patricia Jurado, et al. v. Citizens Property Insurance Company, CACE 17-001062 (Fla. 17th Cir. Ct. Nov. 14, 2019).
- Successfully represented a sub-contractor defendant serving as lead counsel in appeal of trial court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s nuisance claim in a complex lawsuit arising out of construction defect and alleging multiple other causes of action versus multiple defendants in a highly publicized matter involving an explosion at a high-end Miami condominium. (Lead Appellate Counsel). ARER Investments v. Chateau Beach, LLC, et al., 2018 WL 6119200 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018).
- Part of trial team and attorney of record that negotiated a $130,000,000 settlement on behalf of county owned hospital system as well as their CEO and Directors in their individual capacity in a complex class action filed by employees, specifically members of the pension program, alleging claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligence, breach of contract under ERISA and violation of state fiduciary laws. Jones v. Singing River Health Servs. Found., No. 1:14CV447-LG-RHW, 2016 WL 3580778 (S.D. Miss. June 28, 2016)
- Obtained complete defense verdict after bench trial on behalf of employer and carrier in workers’ compensation claim seeking damages as a result of an alleged on the job injury. (Lead Co-Counsel and Co-First Chair Trial Counsel) Anthony Mosley v. Express Services, Inc. and New Hampshire Insurance Company, 15 0841-M-9435-E-33 (M.W.C.C. June 2016)
- Obtained verdict in favor of the plaintiff, a condominium association, in three-day bench trial against numerous investors/owners of a substantial number of units seeking multiple years’ worth of past due condo association dues, fees and damages; matter included a counter claim against third party defendants, local real estate agents and developers, for negligence, breach of fiduciary duties, and fraudulent misrepresentation. (Lead Counsel and First Chair Trial Counsel). Focus Ocean Springs, LLC and Harbor Landing Condominium Homeowners Association, Inc. v. Howard and Martha Kaloogian, et al., 2009-1244-JB (Miss. Chancery Ct. Jan. 5, 2015).
- Successfully briefed and argued against plaintiff’s appeal of summary judgment to Mississippi Court of Appeals, arising out of original premises liability cause of action. (Lead Appellate Counsel). Buckley v. Singing River Hosp., 146 So. 3d 365 (Miss. Ct. App. 2013)
- Secured final summary judgment, on behalf of local municipality in federal court action, and dismissal of all other causes of action, in a matter alleging multiple claims related to plaintiff’s arrest including a federal claim for false arrest under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and state law claims of wrongful arrest/false imprisonment,defamation, negligence and/or gross negligence, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, outrage, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process. (Lead Counsel) Maas v. City of Ocean Springs, Miss., No. 1:11CV287LG-RHW, 2012 WL 2603620 (S.D. Miss. 2012).
- Obtained a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, the FDIC, in a four-day federal jury trial for breach of fiduciary duty where appraiser over appraised homes and the lender suffered damages due to the inflated appraisals and loans as a result of foreclosure. (Second Chair Trial Counsel – conducted direct examination of plaintiff fact witnesses and cross examination of defense fact witnesses at trial). FDIC, as Receiver for Superior Bank v. Dennis W. Moffett, individually and d/b/a Moffett Appraisals, No.1:10-cv-00212-LG-RHW (S.D. Miss. 2011)
- First or second chaired numerous trials in the Florida asbestos litigation – all favorably resolved on the eve of or during trial – in addition to numerous asbestos trials in other jurisdictions including NYCAL.
- First or second chaired at least 20 bench trials on behalf of employer and carrier in workers’ compensation actions – all favorably resolved at or during trial – in front of the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission.