Don Keenan
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Painting a subject without their knowing it, a surprise portrait, is always fraught with danger… and in the case of Don Keenan, doubly so. A larger than life character, electrifying, the trial lawyer community with his “Reptile Theory” of practice, a TV personality, renowned children’s advocate, often to be found unshaved wearing shorts, T-shirt, and always those sunglasses. An ex-marine of Irish blood and creator of the Kids Foundation and Bono aficionado. All this and more went into this painting. It was with relief that I saw it was warmly and enthusiastically received at its unveiling in Houston. Kudos to the courage of the man brave enough to commission this painting!
Don Keenan
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
Keenan, Don. 16" x 20". 2015. Collection of Keenan Law Firm. Atlanta, GA. Portrait on canvas. Commissioned by HMR Funding, Dean Chase.
Troy Rafferty, one of the finest mass tort and major personal injury trial lawyers in the United States is a shareholder at Levin, Papantonio, Rafferty in Pensacola, Florida.
Growing up in Compstock, a small town in Michigan, Troy Rafferty earned an undergraduate degree in International Relations at Michigan State University, continuing on to study law at Valparaiso Law School in Indiana. His clear passion for being a trial lawyer, held since a very young age, was evident to all those he encountered, and a fateful, chance reference from a colleague led him to a successful interview with the Levin Law firm where he practices today.
Troy Rafferty
Troy Rafferty is sworn in as Florida Justice Association President by his partner Fred Levin Portrait on canvas. 32" x 24". 2017. Collection of Levin Law Firm. Pensacola Florida
After passing the Florida Bar exams, his intense work ethic and passion to learn from his mentors, including Pensacola native Jim McKenzie, and in particular the extraordinary Fred Levin, changed the way he viewed courtroom dynamics and built the foundations for his now incredibly successful career.
Awarded the highest rating for competence and ethics, an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell, Troy Rafferty is a fellow in the International Society of Barristers, and one of only 500 U.S. attorneys inducted into the hugely prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Handling some of the nation's largest pharmaceutical and mass tort cases he currently serves as Liaison Counsel in the case In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He has also been appointed as: (1) co-lead counsel in the In re: Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent Litigation, which is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio; (2) the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee in the In re: Abilify Products Liability Litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida; (3) the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee in the In re: Benicar Products Liability Litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; (4) the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in the In re: Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana; and (5) the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in the In re: Fresenius Granuflo/Naturalyte Dialysate Products Liability Litigation pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
He also has been appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky to serve on the Executive Committee for the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee regarding the Yamaha Rhino defective product litigation. He was appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana to serve on the Plaintiffs Steering Committee in the national Vioxx Litigation, which resulted in a $4.7 billion national settlement. He was also appointed to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in the national Zyprexa Litigation in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. This litigation resulted in a $700 million settlement on behalf of clients throughout the country. Mr. Rafferty was also one of the leading attorneys in the national Rezulin litigation, which was filed in the Southern District of New York. In 2001, he and his partner obtained a $40 million jury verdict in Corpus Christi, Texas for a woman who took the diabetes drug Rezulin. He has tried numerous complex pharmaceutical cases throughout the country.
In 2017 Mr. Rafferty obtained jury verdicts in two pharmaceutical cases of $150 million and $140 million which were the 13th and 15th largest jury verdicts in the country that year.
A long time supporter of the Florida Justice Association, he served as President from 2014 – 2015, previously serving on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. In 2016 he was awarded the Perry Nichols Award, the most prestigious accolade awarded by the FJA in recognition of perseverance, commitment, and unmatched dedication to the civil justice system.
In 2018, he was awarded the Living the Dream HK Matthews Legacy Award in recognition of his commitment, vision, leadership, service, and contribution to keeping alive the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A much sought after lecturer throughout the nation on mass tort litigation and general trial practice he is also an active philanthropist, donating to many local charities including the Rafferty Scholarship/Awards presented annually to two high school prep athletes and the Rafferty Hope Scholarship, given each year to two underprivileged children to pay their college tuition.