Thomas R. Kline

Kline was born in 1947 in [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania]], in the Pennsylvania [[anthracite]] coal region. His father worked as a dress factory manager.{{cite web|last1=Dale|first1=MaryClaire|title=Trial lawyer gives $50M to Drexel law school|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4f68f6341ca44a9586295131be3b6b8d/trial-lawyer-gives-50m-drexel-law-school|website=The Big Story|accessdate=2 October 2014}} Kline taught sixth grade for several years before attending law school. Following law school, Kline was an associate at The Beasley Firm in Philadelphia before partnering with Shanin Specter to open their own firm, Kline & Specter, in 1995.{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Paul|title=Wheels Of Justice He's Showing A Lot Of Class $51m Lawyer Credits Teaching Experience|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-28/news/25479081_1_tom-kline-septa-lawyer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006111937/http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-28/news/25479081_1_tom-kline-septa-lawyer|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014|website=Philly.com|accessdate=2 October 2014}} In addition to his work as an attorney, Kline has appeared on television news programs as a part of discussions regarding law and legal issues, including providing commentary on ABC ''[[ABC World News|World News]]''{{YouTube|lnDkqnwsAxk|Tom Kline comments on Sandusky trial}}, ABC ''World News'' and ''[[Good Morning America]]''.{{YouTube|Bb8LJfzuIhU|Tom Kline comments on Sandusky trial}} ''Good Morning America'' Another example of his television appearances is an edition of ABC's ''[[Nightline]]'', which featured a case he won for a woman who died after a missed diagnosis of breast cancer.{{YouTube|1X3RDnNwf_c|''The Lackman case''. Missed diagnosis of breast cancer}}, ABC ''Nightline'', October 22, 2003

Kline was born in 1947 in [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania]], in the Pennsylvania [[anthracite]] coal region. His father worked as a dress factory manager.{{cite web|last1=Dale|first1=MaryClaire|title=Trial lawyer gives $50M to Drexel law school|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4f68f6341ca44a9586295131be3b6b8d/trial-lawyer-gives-50m-drexel-law-school|website=The Big Story|accessdate=2 October 2014}} Kline taught sixth grade for several years before attending law school. Following law school, Kline was an associate at The Beasley Firm in Philadelphia before partnering with Shanin Specter to open their own firm, Kline & Specter, in 1995.{{cite web|last1=Davies|first1=Paul|title=Wheels Of Justice He's Showing A Lot Of Class $51m Lawyer Credits Teaching Experience|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-28/news/25479081_1_tom-kline-septa-lawyer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006111937/http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-28/news/25479081_1_tom-kline-septa-lawyer|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2014|website=Philly.com|accessdate=2 October 2014}} In addition to his work as an attorney, Kline has appeared on television news programs as a part of discussions regarding law and legal issues, including providing commentary on ABC ''[[ABC World News|World News]]''{{YouTube|lnDkqnwsAxk|Tom Kline comments on Sandusky trial}}, ABC ''World News'' and ''[[Good Morning America]]''.{{YouTube|Bb8LJfzuIhU|Tom Kline comments on Sandusky trial}} ''Good Morning America'' Another example of his television appearances is an edition of ABC's ''[[Nightline]]'', which featured a case he won for a woman who died after a missed diagnosis of breast cancer.{{YouTube|1X3RDnNwf_c|''The Lackman case''. Missed diagnosis of breast cancer}}, ABC ''Nightline'', October 22, 2003

Kline's cases include the [[Vioxx]] litigation, which resulted in a $4.85 billion settlement paid by [[Merck & Co]],{{Cite web|first=Amaris |last=Elliott-Engel|title=Merck Agrees to $4.85 Billion Settlement in Vioxx Claims|url=https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/almID/900005495687/|access-date=2022-09-14|website=The Legal Intelligencer|language=en}} for which he served as a member of the Plaintiff's Steering Committee that directed the federal MDL proceedings against Merck.{{cite web |title=Another Risk Factor For Merck |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-07-29/another-risk-factor-for-merck |website=www.bloomberg.com |publisher=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |access-date=15 May 2023 |url-access=subscription |language=en |date=30 July 2007 }} In the civil rights case Hall v. [[SEPTA]], Kline won a $51 million award against the Philadelphia mass transit agency for a boy whose foot was torn off in a subway escalator.{{Cite web|title=$50 Million for boy who lost foot|first=Chris|last=Brennan|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-15/news/25481533_1_septa-escalator-accident-documents|access-date=2022-09-14|website=The Philadelphia Daily News |date=December 15, 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103201238/http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-15/news/25481533_1_septa-escalator-accident-documents|archive-date=2016-01-03|language=en}} In Davis v. [[Motiva Enterprises]], a 2013 case of Kline's, there was a $36.4 million settlement against an oil refinery operator in the death of a worker killed in an explosion in which he fell into a tank of [[sulfuric acid]].{{Cite web|title=Motiva To Pay $36.4 Million In Man's Death|last=Duffy|first=Shannon P.|website=The Legal Intelligencer|date=September 10, 2003|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=900005536532&slreturn=20120824143726|access-date=2022-09-14|website=Law.com|language=en|archive-url=https://www.klinespecter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Davis-Motiva-4.pdf |archive-date=August 2025}}

Kline's cases include the [[Vioxx]] litigation, which resulted in a $4.85 billion settlement paid by [[Merck & Co]],{{Cite web|first=Amaris |last=Elliott-Engel|title=Merck Agrees to $4.85 Billion Settlement in Vioxx Claims|url=https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/almID/900005495687/|access-date=2022-09-14|website=The Legal Intelligencer|language=en}} for which he served as a member of the Plaintiff's Steering Committee that directed the federal MDL proceedings against Merck.{{cite web |title=Another Risk Factor For Merck |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-07-29/another-risk-factor-for-merck |website=www.bloomberg.com |publisher=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |access-date=15 May 2023 |url-access=subscription |language=en |date=30 July 2007 }} In the civil rights case Hall v. [[SEPTA]], Kline won a $51 million award against the Philadelphia mass transit agency for a boy whose foot was torn off in a subway escalator.{{Cite web|title=$50 Million for boy who lost foot|first=Chris|last=Brennan|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-15/news/25481533_1_septa-escalator-accident-documents|access-date=2022-09-14|website=The Philadelphia Daily News |date=December 15, 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103201238/http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-15/news/25481533_1_septa-escalator-accident-documents|archive-date=2016-01-03|language=en}} In Davis v. [[Motiva Enterprises]], a 2013 case of Kline's, there was a $36.4 million settlement against an oil refinery operator in the death of a worker killed in an explosion in which he fell into a tank of [[sulfuric acid]].{{Cite web|title=Motiva To Pay $36.4 Million In Man's Death|last=Duffy|first=Shannon P.|website=The Legal Intelligencer|date=September 10, 2003|access-date=2022-09-14|via=klinespecter.com|language=en|url=https://www.klinespecter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Davis-Motiva-4.pdf}}

[[File:Silhouette-red-tall-high res.jpg|thumb|Kline in ''Trial As Theatre'', 2009]]

[[File:Silhouette-red-tall-high res.jpg|thumb|Kline in ''Trial As Theatre'', 2009]]