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.
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Thomas V. Girardi
Stand for the rule of law and a strong independent judiciary - these are what make America great.
Prominent Los Angeles trial attorney renowned for his exceptional trial skills in over 100 juried cases, his copious, prestigious awards, his originality, his compassion and his committed support of creative talent. He sits on the Madison Council, a private board of trustees of the Library of Congress.
Founding partner of Girardi & Keese his firm has recovered over $10 billion in verdicts and settlements over a period of more than four decades. Born in Colorado, Girardi received his LL.B. from Loyola Law School in 1964 and an LLM from the New York University in 1965.
In the private collection of Thomas Girardi. Los Angeles, Portrait on canvas, 2019
He was the first lawyer in the state of California to win over $1 billion in a lawsuit form a medical malpractice case and has handled cases against many international corporations as well as Hollywood's major movie studios.
Girardi has obtained successful billion dollar settlements for his clients against the pharmaceutical giants and for the Californian consumers who were scammed by the manipulation of natural gas prices. He was one of the leading attorneys in the case against Pacific Gas & Electric, accused of contaminating a water source resulting in numerous cases of cancer and other related diseases. This was the case that inspired the 2000 film ‘Erin Brockovich’.
In 1999, he married singer-dancer Erika Jayne and has made occasional appearances in her TV reality show ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’. In ‘Erin Brockovich’, he was portrayed as a character named Kurt Potter (played by actor Peter Coyote).
In 2003, Girardi was inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame by the California State Bar. He has served as the President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and became the first trial lawyer in history to serve on the California Judicial Council, the policymaking body of the California courts