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.
Gregory Cusimano. Original painting on canvas. 2018. 28" x 24". In the collection of the artist.
Partner in the law firm Cusimano, Roberts & Mills in Gadsden, Alabama.
Recipient of The Leonard M. Ring Champion of Justice Award and the the AAJ Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding character, integrity and his exceptional contribution to the civil justice system.
Greg is a partner in the law firm Cusimano, Roberts & Mills in Gadsden, Alabama. A leader in his field and recognized as one of the nations’ top attorneys, he is a sought after speaker at conferences across the U.S. where he lectures on trial law, tactics and persuasion.
Born in Gadsden, Alabama Greg received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama. While in undergraduate school, he became a founder and first president of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity at the university and was included in “Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. While attending law school at the University of Alabama, he served as president of the student body. Greg was tapped into the Bench and Bar Honor Society and invited to serve on Law Review as a freshman. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1968. In support of his legal career, Greg has served as executive board member, treasurer, vice president, president and past president of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association.
Gregory S. Cusimano
In 1995, Cusimano was appointed to the Council of the Alabama Law Institute an organization that systematically reviews and rewrites statutory laws of Alabama. Greg was also appointed to the American Bar Association's Advisory Panel. Cusimano has served as president of the Etowah County Trial Lawyers Association, the Etowah County Young Lawyers and the Etowah County Bar Association. He is an active member of the American Bar Association and the Alabama Bar Association.
Greg served as a trial consultant in several high-profile cases across the country resulting in hundreds of million dollar verdicts and one resulting in a 3.68 billion dollar verdict. He is a member of the American Society of Trial Consultants. As a trial consultant, lawyer and author, he is often interviewed by and published in national magazines and has appeared on television and interviewed on radio as well. He is a founding principal in Winning Works, LLC, a national consulting firm.
In 1985, 1986, and 1987, Cusimano sat on the President's Council of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now AAJ and from 1986 through 1988, served as a member of its Board of Governors. In 1995, Cusimano was again elected to the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, (now American Association for Justice –AAJ) and continues to serve. He is one of a few who have been given lifetime membership on its Board of Governors. In 1988, he was appointed by the Alabama Supreme Court to serve on the Committee to rewrite the Alabama Rules of Evidence, and in June of 1997, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Alabama to serve as a member of the Alabama Pattern Jury Instructions Committee. In December 1998, the Supreme Court appointed Cusimano to the Standing Committee of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. By invitation, he taught as Practitioner in Residence at the University of Alabama School of Law in the fall of 1992.
Although Greg is known as a lawyer representing the injured, Cusimano has distinguished himself as a trial lawyer in many areas. He defended several members of a failed bank board of directors in a suit filed by the FDIC. It was said at that time, that the defense verdict was the first loss ever suffered by the FDIC in such a suit. He defended and won a capital criminal case, and never lost a case when defending an insurance company. He quit representing any insurance companies decades ago, and wholly devoted his trial experience to representing those injured as a result of others wrongful conduct.
In the 1980’s, Greg represented a wife and mother in a Title VII and invasion of privacy case that involved numerous first impression issues in both the State of Alabama and the 11th Circuit. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the award recognizing in this significant case that sexual harassment should be a protected right under Title VII. The Alabama Supreme Court, in a decision certified to it from the 11th Circuit Court, also made law by recognizing the complained conduct as an actionable invasion of privacy for the first time.
Cusimano and or other members of his firm represented the plaintiffs in the two largest verdicts in the history of Etowah County, Alabama.
Greg was presented The Leonard M. Ring Champion of Justice Award by the worlds largest trial bar association, AAJ. His peers selected him for his outstanding contributions to the civil justice system, overall character and integrity as well as his contributions to the public good and welfare. He has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from AAJ.
Cusimano is held in high esteem and known in his community and state as well as in national legal circles for his honest trial skills and prowess. He has endeared himself to his colleagues as a humble ambassador for the civil justice system. The Alabama State Bar previously presented Cusimano with the Walter P. Gewin Award for his outstanding contributions to continuing legal education of Alabama lawyers.
He is a sought after author, teacher and consultant in all matters of litigation. He has lectured at numerous law schools and in over forty bar associations in the United States.
Cusimano has handled many high-profile cases and represented families of individuals injured or killed pro bono in the 9/11 Twin Towers catastrophe through "Trial Lawyers Care". Cusimano and his law firm have achieved record verdicts for their clients.