Trevor W. Carolan

Trevor Carolan is a partner in Bowman and Brooke LLP’s Appellate and Advanced Motions practice group. His work centers on the written advocacy and trial-court strategy that shape complex product liability cases. He prepares and argues pretrial motions, works with trial counsel on strategy, develops jury instructions and verdict forms, and helps preserve issues for appeal. After trial, Trevor handles motions and appeals arising from jury verdicts.

His product liability practice includes matters involving automotive, medical device and pharmaceutical products, including claims of catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death. Trevor has also written several amicus briefs for the Product Liability Advisory Council on issues of national significance.

Trevor’s approach to complex legal issues draws on multiple federal clerkships. Before entering private practice, he drafted opinions for federal trial and appellate courts in cases spanning a broad range of civil litigation.

• City of Buffalo v. Hyundai Motor Am., Inc., 267 N.E.3d 1245 (N.Y. 2025). (Amicus brief for Product Liability Advisory Council). Whether New York imposes a duty on manufacturer to reimburse expenses of municipalities in responding to vehicle theft.
• Acclarent v. 67th District Court of Tarrant County, Texas, 2024 WL 2873617 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2025). Pre-suit corporate representative deposition (medical device). 
• City of Buffalo v. Hyundai Motor Am., Inc., 2025 WL 1721053 (9th Cir. 2025). (Amicus brief for Product Liability Advisory Council). Whether manufacturer has duty to reimburse expenses of municipalities in responding to theft of vehicles under Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York law. 
• RSD Leasing, Inc. v. Navistar Int’l Corp., 319 A.3d 734 (Vt. 2024). Interpretation of Vermont Consumer Protection Act (trucking manufacturer).  
• Rodriguez v. Hyundai, (Cal. App. 4th 2024). Statutory interpretation regarding production of sealed public records (seat back). 
• Moore v. Midwest Goods, Inc. (N.C. Ct. App. 2023). Evidentiary issues at trial, punitive damages (electronic tobacco device).

• University of St. Thomas School of Law, J.D., 2014
  • cum laude 
  • Senior Editor, Journal of Law & Public Policy
  • Student Government, 3L Class Representative, Student Representative to Faculty Curriculum Committee
  • Dean’s Award in Immigration Law, Immigration Clinic, and Family Law
• Wartburg College, B.A., 2011
  • Major: Political Science 
  • cum laude
  • Dean’s List
  • Presidential Scholar
  • Student Body President
  • Wartburg Choir member
  • Interim College Organist

Bar Admissions

• Texas, 2022
• Minnesota, 2014
• Arizona, 2017

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

• Wartburg College
  —Wartburg College Young Alumni Award, 2020

• Defense Research Institute
• Wartburg College
  —Alumni Board, 2016 – 2022
• Association of Anglican Musicians
  —National Chancellor, 2024 – 2026
• Orpheus Chamber Singers
  —Board Member, 2024 – 2026

• “The Art of Drafting a Product Liability Verdict Form” Co-Author, For the Defense, May 2023
• “Preparing for the Appeal,” Product Liability Litigation: Current Law, Strategies and Best Practices, PLI Treatise, October 2009; (case law update in 2022) 
• “Judicial Profile on Hon. Diane J. Humetewa”, Author, The Federal Lawyer, March/April 2021 Edition