Todd A. Cavanaugh

Todd Cavanaugh is a civil litigator and trial attorney with expertise in product liability, toxic tort, and business litigation.

Licensed to practice in California, Nevada, and Washington, his experience includes all aspects of litigation, from administrative proceedings to mediation to trials and appeals. For more than 15 years, he has defended the interests of manufacturers and excess insurers in cases venued in state and federal courts in more than a dozen states.

In product liability litigation, Mr. Cavanaugh has defended the design, manufacture, and performance of a diverse array of products made by some of the world's largest manufacturers. These products include automobiles, construction equipment, tires, automotive friction products, industrial machinery, and power generators. He also coordinated and executed a nationwide product liability resolution program for a major automobile manufacturer.

Mr. Cavanaugh has achieved Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV rating, and has been recognized by Law & Politics as a 2014–2018 Southern California Super Lawyer. He has lectured on topics including jury selection, principles of contribution and indemnity, and strategies for overcoming the threat of joint liability. His publications include “Tumble v. Cascade Bicycle Corp.: A Hypothetical Case Under the Restatement (Third) of Torts,” published in the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform.

Mr. Cavanaugh was born and raised in Minnesota, and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin in 1990. In 1995, he graduated summa cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he served as executive editor of the William Mitchell Law Review. From 1995 to 1997, he was managing editor of the Journal of Products and Toxics Liability.

Prior to joining James Yukevich, he practiced at Perkins Coie in Seattle, Washington, where his practice focused on the defense of aircraft manufacturers.