Paul L. Knobbe

Paul L. Knobbe is an experienced trial lawyer who focuses his practice on products liability, toxic torts, environmental, agriculture law, personal injury, and medical malpractice. He is an AV-rated preeminent attorney, acknowledged by his peers as having attained the highest levels of skill and ethics.

Paul currently defends product manufacturers, contractors, and premises defendants in asbestos cases pending in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as in Madison, Cook, and McLean Counties in Illinois. His extensive experience includes handling environmental matters, including radon exposure and remediation, chemical exposures, herbicide spray drift, and various product liability matters such as cases involving carbon monoxide exposure.

Prior to entering private practice, he served first as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and then as an Assistant Public Defender, trying more than 30 cases. In his years of private practice, Paul has handled a wide variety of civil cases involving medical malpractice, asbestos exposure, and product liability, and has worked on complex, state-federal herbicide class actions.

Experience Highlights

Medical Liability

Paul has handled numerous health care negligence and malpractice cases, and he has represented physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Through this experience, he has developed exceptional knowledge and proficiency with complex medical issues and discovery/trial techniques. As a result, he has authored papers and spoken on a host of topics, including effective deposition strategies, legal technology in litigation, civil discovery issues, medical malpractice litigation, nursing home litigation, damages in personal injury cases, and civil and criminal procedure.

Honors & Awards

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent

Community Involvement

•Habitat for Humanity
•GO St. Louis
•Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis High School Mock Trial Competition: Judge
•Volunteer Youth Sports Coach

Publications & Events

Publications

•“Lessons From A $265 Million Dicamba Damage Award, ” Law360
•“Can Biomarkers and Genetics Help Predict the Future of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma ?” (Co-Author), FDCC Insights, September 2017
•“Naval Vessel Is Not the Sum of Its Asbestos-Containing Parts, ” Law360, November 23, 2015
•“The Busy Attorney’s Toolkit to Success,” Time and Business Management, January 20, 2012
•“Issues in Medical Malpractice Cases,” Voire Dire Case Law Update and Issues, Missouri Bar Association, 2003 and 2004

Presentations

•“Jury Selection Strategy and Social Media and Other Complex Jury Issues,” NBI Dire and Jury Selection Seminar, St. Louis, MO, November 29, 2018
•“Alternative Causation Issues in Asbestos Litigation: HarrisMartin’s Talc, Asbestos, and the Cancer-Causing Properties of Talcum Powder Conference Agenda,” HarrisMartin Talc & Asbestos Conference, Miami, FL, November 2, 2018
•“Alternative Medical Causation in Asbestos Cases,” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference, September 6, 2018
•“Naval Vessels and Liability for Asbestos Components,” HarrisMartin’s Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference, September 23, 2016
•“Social Media and Other Complex Jury Issues,” Voir Dire and Jury Selection, April 15, 2016
•“Types of Damages in Personal Injury Suits” and “Quantifying Damages in Personal Injury Suits,” Damages in Personal Injury Cases, St. Louis, MO, July 2012
•“Top Mobile Apps for the Lawyer” and “Jury Selection and Trial Presentation Tools Available for Tablets,” The Busy Attorney’s Toolkit to Success, St. Louis, MO, January 20, 2012
•“Taking the Deposition” and “Defending the Deposition,” Sophisticated Deposition Strategies, St. Louis, MO, April 14, 2011
•“Common Types of Claims Being Evaluated” and “Effective Discovery in Nursing Home Litigation,” Nursing Home Malpractice: Evaluating and Addressing Accountability, St. Louis, MO, August 28, 2007
•Lecturer, Lawyers in the Classroom, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Recent Insights

Philip Sholtz and Paul L. Knobbe Dissect $265 Million Award in Crop Damage Case Related to Dicamba Herbicides

March 25, 2020

Eighth Circuit Clears MLB All-Star Player and Family Foundation in $7.5M Defamation Claim

May 8, 2018

Can Biomarkers and Genetics Help Predict the Future of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma? FDCC Insights

September 2017

Naval Vessel Is Not the Sum of Its Asbestos-Containing Parts, Law360

November 23, 2015

Goldberg Segalla’s Doors Open in St. Louis

March 2, 2015

Life Science Matters

September 3, 2013