Carolyn Husmann has more than 20 years of experience defending corporate and insurance clients in lawsuits involving product liability, premises liability, and toxic torts. With extensive experience in the defense of asbestos personal injury cases, she has represented businesses of all sizes, including manufacturers, premises owners, distributors, suppliers, and employers. Managing the daily activity in thousands of cases over the years, she handles all aspects of case management, including coordinating litigation strategy, motion practice, discovery issues, settlement negotiations, and trial preparation. Carolyn also has experience in appellate work.
During law school. Carolyn was a Judicial Intern at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, with Judge Robert G. Dowd Jr. and served on the Saint Louis University Law Journal.
Professional Activities
Carolyn is an active member of several bar associations both locally and nationally. For 10 years, she served on the Board of Governors of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), holding leadership positions in the Women in the Law Section. She also frequently volunteers for BAMSL’s High School Mock Trial Program and Motion for Kids Holiday Party. Nationally, Carolyn is an active member in DRI, serving on its DRI Foundation (2024–present) and Women in the Law Committee (Chair of DRI Cares 2023–2026, Vice Chair of DRI Cares 2018–2022, Annual Meeting Chair 2022–2023, and regular member of the WITL Seminar and Marketing Committees). She is also the DRI Cares Liaison for the newly formed Asbestos Litigation Committee. She served on the DRI Cares Committee for the national organization (2018–2023) and the Annual Meeting Steering Committees for 2021 and 2022.
Carolyn is also an active member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). She is currently involved in the Engagement and Retention Committee (2023–2026), Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee (Vice Chair of Special Projects 2023–2025), and Product Liability Committee. She served on the 2022 Mid-Year Meeting CLE Steering Committee, 2024 Mid-Year Meeting General Convention Committee, 2025 Annual Meeting General Convention Committee (IADC in the Community Chair), and 2026 Mid-Year Meeting General Convention Committee (IADC in the Community Chair).
Areas of Focus
Asbestos & Appellate
Carolyn participated in the preparation of the amicus curiae filed by the Illinois Association of Defense Counsel in Nolan v. Weil-McLain, 233 Ill. 2d 416 (2009), one of the significant decisions in Illinois asbestos litigation where the Illinois Supreme Court overruled the longstanding Lipke exclusionary rule, thereby allowing a defendant in an asbestos case to present evidence of other asbestos exposures in support of its sole proximate cause defense. Another notable appeal Carolyn worked on was Berry v. Am. Standard, Inc., et al., No. 5-06-0621 (Ill. App. 5th Dist. 5/19/08). Here, the court upheld the dichotomy between discovery and evidence depositions, and their uses under the then-standing Illinois Supreme Court Rules.
- Saint Louis University School of Law (J.D., 2003)
- Saint Louis University (B.S. Business Management & Finance, cum laude, 2000)
- Saint Louis University (B.S. Chemistry, cum laude, 2000)
- Missouri
- Illinois
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL)
- DRI: The Voice of the Defense Bar: Women in the Law Committee (2016–present); DRI Foundation (2024–Present); DRI Cares Committee (2018–2023); Asbestos Litigation Committee (2024–present)
- International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC): Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion Committee (2021–present), Product Liability Committee (2021–present), Engagement and Retention Committee (2023–present)
- Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers (MODL)
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
Education
Bar Admissions
Professional Affiliations
Awards & Honors
DRI Foundation Community Service Award, 2022