Image of Frank J. Ciano
Frank J. Ciano
Partner

Biography

Frank defends intricate product liability, commercial, corporate, regulatory, and intellectual property matters. As Chair of the firm’s Product Liability, Fire and Life Science practice, he ensures the firm’s catastrophic injury team is accessible 24/7 to clients, local counsel and experts. His skills are unique in preparing witnesses to tell company history and explain juror-friendly interactive demonstrative exhibits. Frank is able to place himself in the client’s shoes. This comes from real-life experience as an engineer in the aerospace industry, designing air and spacecraft. In this regard, Frank received a bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in computer science. He was also previously a registered patent attorney.

Frank’s counsel is sought on matters throughout the United States and Europe. To facilitate his role as national coordinating counsel, for clients from all over the world, Frank has developed a network of highly-skilled regional trial counsel, as well as an extensive network of proven product liability attorneys throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. He maintains close working relationships with the “Five-Star” regional, national and international experts.

Frank implements cost-effective e-technologies to manage company documents, client discovery, expert transcripts, local counsel training, national motions and demonstrative exhibits. He has successfully tackled hundreds of catastrophic cases. These run the gambit from aircraft, children’s products, industrial machinery, vehicles of all types, consumer goods, household appliances,sports equipment, medical devices, food products, outdoor power equipment and gas grills.

Frank’s practice also focuses on complex commercial litigation. He is co-chair of the firm’s Commercial and Corporate Practice Group. He leads a team devoted to “bet the company” commercial lawsuits involving: breach of contract; breach of warranty; violation of various state consumer protection statutes, construction disputes and intellectual property matters. He counsels clients in the preparation of sales agreements, purchase agreements, distributor agreements and joint venture agreements to minimize their exposure to commercial disputes.

Frank goes beyond merely representing clients in litigation. He leads the firm’s sub-group on Risk and Litigation Avoidance Strategies. His passion for assisting clients in avoiding risk and avoiding the costs of litigation allows them to remain focused on the growth and prosperity of their business. This “risk avoidance” counseling avoids unnecessary attorneys’ fees, costs, expenses, and delays that negatively impact a company’s bottom line. His risk-avoidance counseling assists clients in preparing documents such as owners’ manuals, warnings, instructions, labels, websites, and warranties. Frank’s practice enables businesses to effectively convey safety information to customers thereby reducing the risk of product liability claims.

In addition, he believes in minimizing the risk of litigation through well-conceived corporate planning. In this regard, Frank collaborates with international clients, their accountants, and other professionals to plan the most advantageous strategy for entering the US market, including the corporate structure for a U.S. subsidiary. He tailors necessary documents, inter-company agreements, and operating agreements to implement the clients’ business plan with minimized risk. Frank further facilitates all necessary federal, state, and local filings to effectuate these risk-reduction plans.

Frank regularly represents clients before regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He believes that transparent engagement with regulators is a prerequisite in shielding clients from unwarranted fines and penalties. In this regard, Frank has managed numerous recalls and worked collaboratively with clients and regulators to preclude recalls. Frank also advises international clients on equivalence compliance between US regulations and the various requirements of the European Union Product Liability and Safety Directives.