Dean Omar Branham Shirley Is Finalist for Plaintiff Law Firm of the Year

National Law Journal names DOBS an Elite Trial Lawyers finalist in two categories

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the wake of coast-to-coast victories on behalf of clients victimized by exposure to asbestos exposure, Dean Omar Branham Shirley (DOBS) is a finalist for Plaintiff Law Firm of the Year in the National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers awards.

The firm is one of 10 finalists for Plaintiff Law Firm of the Year and is also one of five finalists for Products Liability Firm of the Year.

“Elite Trial Lawyers recognizes the best trial teams in the country, so this honor means a great deal to us,” said partner Trey Branham. “These cases required enormous effort from lawyers, paralegals, staff and co-counsel across multiple states, and we are proud of what this team has accomplished together.”

In 2025, DOBS attorneys secured a series of landmark mesothelioma and asbestos-related verdicts nationwide, including record-setting results in Maryland, California, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Oregon. Juries awarded billions in combined damages against companies accused of exposing consumers and workers to asbestos through talc products and industrial materials.

The capstone was $1.5 billion awarded to Maryland nonprofit founder Cherie A. Craft after jurors found that use of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder played a substantial role in Ms. Craft’s peritoneal mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the stomach lining linked to asbestos exposure.

The firm’s success has continued in 2026. In April, the Wisconsin Supreme Court affirmed that Pabst Brewing Co. can be held liable for asbestos exposure at its Milwaukee brewery. DOBS represents the family of Gerald “Jerry” Lorbiecki, who died from mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos while working at the brewery in the 1970s as an employee of an independent contractor.

Labor leaders in Wisconsin have hailed the ruling as a meaningful affirmation of worker safety and dignity.

“Behind every verdict is a person and a family forced to carry the consequences of corporate misconduct,” said DOBS partner Jessica Dean. “Unfortunately, the need for this work continues.”

The Elite Trial Lawyer Awards will be announced July 23 at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York City.

Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, is a nationally recognized trial firm that handles cases across the country for individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have died as a result of the irresponsible conduct of others. For more information, visit www.dobslegal.com.