Crews Townsend
Chattanooga
Office: 423.785.8297 | Fax: 423.321.1571
crews.townsend@millermartin.com
- Overview
- Education
- Involvement
- In-Depth
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Overview
With more than 25 years of litigation experience, Crews Townsend serves as lead counsel coordinating the defense of multi-district litigation and putative class actions throughout the country. He currently represents consumer product companies in defense of multi-state product liability litigation regarding talc. His experience includes serving as national coordinating counsel for a leading consumer products company in multi-district litigations involving an over-the-counter diet drug that contained phenylpropanolamine (PPA). He has also coordinated the nationwide defense of cases arising from recalled products and regularly serves as first chair for consumer class actions that involve false labeling and advertising claims. He is chair of the firm's Life Sciences Group.
Although his practice is particularly focused on national or regional mass tort litigation, Crews also represents clients in a wide range of other commercial litigation matters. He has handled jury trials in federal and state courts involving trade secrets, lender liability, trademarks, commercial breach of warranty, and insurance claims. He has acted as first chair in approximately 100 non-jury hearings and trials as varied as the enforceability of a telecommunications ordinance to the enforceability of covenants not to compete. Additionally, he has appeared on behalf of clients in bankruptcy court and before administrative agencies.
Miller & Martin selected Crews to serve for over 10 years as the firm's General Counsel and Chairperson of the Ethics Committee. He has also served on the Policy Committee (the firm's governing body).
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Education
- J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law, 1986
- Member, Law Review
- Member, Moot Court Board
- B.A., Washington and Lee University, 1983
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Involvement
Bar Admissions- Tennessee
Accolades- Legal Aid of East Tennessee's Charles W. "Buz" Dooley Pro Bono Attorneys Hall of Fame, 2018 Inductee
- The Best Lawyers in America® - Commercial Litigation; Product Liability Litigation Defense, since 2010
- Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" - Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2016 and 2018
- Martindale-Hubbell® - AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
- Mid-South Super Lawyers®, Class Action and Mass Torts, since 2012
- Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal - Editor, 2010-2011
- Tennessee Law Review - Assistant Editor
- Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility - Hearing Committee Member
Memberships- American Bankruptcy Institute
- American Bar Association
- Chattanooga Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- Federal Bar Association
- IDAC (International Association of Defense Counsel)
- Tennessee Bar Association
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News
- 59 Miller & Martin Lawyers Recognized in Best Lawyers in America® 2025 Edition
- 14 Miller & Martin Attorneys Named to 2023 Mid-South Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists
- 57 Miller & Martin Lawyers Recognized as Best Lawyers® Award Recipients
- 13 Miller & Martin Attorneys Named to 2022 Mid-South Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
- Georgia Appeals Judge Rules in Favor of Dietary Supplement Maker in Labeling Case Citing Unanswered FDA Questions Show more