Page 28 - November December CBA Report

memorials
This section honors the lives of deceased members of the local Bar. For more information about this service, please contact Leyla Shokoohe at (513) 699-1391 or lshokoohe@cincybar.org.
Thomas S. Calder
1932 – 2021
Thomas S. Calder, who practiced law with Dinsmore and Shohl for more than 50 years, died on February 25, 2021 at the age of 88. Tom was a brilliant lawyer, an outstanding mentor, and the consum- mate gentleman.
a benzene spill on leased property resulting in direct economic damages to the property. The City of Cincinnati revoked the Queen City’s permit, resulting in significant indirect economic damages as the expensive improvements to the Queen City Terminal became worthless. At the time of the spill, the Ohio Supreme Court had not determined if indirect economic losses were recoverable in tort (as opposed to contract) when a physical injury or other property damage was sustained.
Tom represented Queen City Terminals in litigation arising out of the aforementioned spill. After a 17-week trial in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (which remains the longest civil trial held in that court) the jury returned a verdict in favor of Queen City Terminals in excess of $30 million for both direct and indirect economic damages. In a case of first impres- sion the verdict was upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court, which held that in a negligence action recovery may be had for indirect economic damages. Queen City Terminals, Inc. v. General Amer- ican Transportation Corporation 73 Ohio St.3d 609 (1995). This is but one example of the size and scope of the litigation that Tom handled successfully throughout his exemplary career.
To those who did not know Tom well, he appeared somewhat understated and introverted. Those of us whom he trained knew him to have a great, but subtle, sense of humor. His recognition as an extraordinary trial and appellate attorney culminated in his election as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers— an invitation-only fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers from the United States and Canada.
Tom was the beloved husband of the late Patricia “Pat” Calder, née Coffey; devoted father of J.D. (Anne) Calder, Stephen A (Lucy) Calder; loving grandfather of Elizabeth, Alexander and Charlotte Calder; and dear brother of Margaret “Peg” Murphy.
Vincent B. Stamp Frank C. Woodside III
Tom was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, graduated from its Classical High School, and matriculated thereafter at the University of Notre Dame du Lac. He received both his undergraduate degree (A.B. 1954) and his law degree (J.D. 1957) from Notre Dame. He was very proud of his alma mater and was known to smile broadly
when referred to as a “Double Domer.”
After serving as clerk for then-Judge (and future Justice) Potter
Stewart on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Tom commenced his 50-year practice of law at Dinsmore. Tom was well known to his peers as a both a superb “first-chair” trial lawyer and an impressive appellate lawyer. Judges at all levels were impressed not only with Tom’s knowledge of the law but also his ability to simplify complex factual issues. He had great credibility with not only the judges before whom he practiced but also with opposing counsel. During his career Tom tried cases in multiple jurisdic- tions involving a number of different fields including, but not limited to the following: commercial, environmental, trademark, personal injury, subrogation, and product liability. Generally speaking these cases involved complicated factual issues as well as sophisticated legal issues—sometimes of first impression and often in high-profile cases. Over his long career, Tom tried several significant cases for clients such as Westinghouse Electric, Procter & Gamble, and Queen City Terminals.
One case Tom handled for Queen City Terminals is indicative of the type of matters Tom took on. In the mid 1980’s, as a conse- quence of a defendant’s negligence in the design and manufacture of rail cars to transport benzene, Queen City Terminals suffered
28 l November/December 2021 CBA REPORT
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