Brandon Chapman is a litigation attorney and trusted advisor at Lathrop GPM who defends national and global commercial clients in complex civil litigation, mass tort disputes, product liability actions, and personal injury claims. Brandon views his role as more than defense counsel: he is a collaborative advisor committed to understanding each client’s business, industry dynamics, and risk profile so he can deliver practical, tailored solutions that manage exposure and advance long-term objectives. 

Brandon’s client-centered approach begins with relationships. He prioritizes learning who his clients are, how they operate, and what success looks like in their eyes. That relational foundation allows him to defend clients’ interests with creativity and strategic focus, tailoring each representation to specific goals. Brandon’s sustained national role overseeing high-exposure litigation for market-leading companies reflects this philosophy—clients return because he brings energy, preparation, and unwavering commitment to achieving the best possible outcome in every matter. Brandon represents companies across the manufacturing, emerging technologies, transportation, chemical, agricultural and food industries, guiding them from pre-claim investigations through trial with strategic coordination, disciplined execution, and careful risk assessment.

Brandon serves as relationship attorney for a leading electromechanical and power management provider, where he leads litigation strategy and coordinates broader firm services. He is also a key member of client teams for a major power generation manufacturer and a national agribusiness company. His practice spans high-stakes product liability defense, wrongful death litigation, warranty disputes, and complex commercial matters nationwide, as well as rapid-response investigations involving serious accidents, equipment failures, and fire losses. He co-leads a firm initiative focused on expanding product liability and complex tort capabilities within Lathrop GPM’s Tort, Insurance and Environmental Practice Group.

Prior to his legal career, Brandon worked as a logistics coordinator for a large transportation company, where he negotiated and executed the transportation of commercial truck loads with outside carriers and maintained communication, oversight, and timely problem solving. He leverages that operational experience—including the discipline of coordinating multiple stakeholders under tight deadlines—in his litigation practice today.

In the community, Brandon serves on the finance committee at his family’s church, viewing it as a way to serve and invest in those around him. He also coaches several youth sports teams, including basketball and soccer. To those who know him outside the courtroom, he is equally proud to be known as a husband to his wife, father to five children, coach to developing young athletes, and friend to his neighbors and fellow church members. Brandon approaches all of his relationships with enthusiasm and sincerity.

Areas of Focus

Services

Experience

Brandon's extensive litigation experience in multidistrict litigation, mass tort defense, and complex commercial disputes has led to many favorable results for clients. Select representations include:

Complex Commercial and Business Disputes

  • Represented an industrial services provider in litigation alleging breach of express and implied bailment, conversion, and unjust enrichment arising from the handling of specialized electrical equipment. The plaintiff sought damages tied to abandoned equipment following a disputed scope of work and payment history. The matter involved detailed technical records and multi-year factual issues related to storage, scrapping, valuation, and payment obligations. Brandon obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of the client during mediation.
  • Represented a recycling technology company and its senior executives in a complex action involving alleged breach of an oral partnership agreement, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and unfair competition claims brought by a former executive. The dispute arose out of the formation and growth of a business start-up and raised issues related to corporate governance, executive compensation, shareholder rights, and alleged misuse of proprietary business methods. As a key member of the defense team, Brandon worked to combat claims seeking significant economic damages, restitution, and injunctive relief while asserting comprehensive affirmative defenses and counterclaims grounded in contract, corporate bylaws, and statutory limitations. The representation required coordination across jurisdictions and careful navigation of intertwined partnership, employment, and corporate law issues and resulted in a favorable global resolution.
  • Represented a national automotive component manufacturer in a federal consumer and warranty dispute arising from the purchase of a luxury recreational vehicle involving multiple defendants and overlapping state and federal claims. The team successfully worked to narrow the issues on summary judgment and leverage numerous motions in limine challenging the plaintiff’s expert witnesses to achieve a favorable settlement.

Product Liability, Personal Injury, and Tort Defense

  • Served as national coordinating counsel for a privately held, nationwide manufacturer of flow control products in complex product liability litigation involving plumbing systems. Brandon was integral to the team that led the client's defense in multiple putative class actions and individual matters filed in courts across the country, including cases involving thousands of plaintiffs and claims of alleged design and manufacturing defects. The work required developing a coordinated national strategy, managing overlapping discovery and class certification issues, and aligning defenses across jurisdictions.
  • Defended a national manufacturer in a consolidated personal injury action arising from separate motor vehicle accidents. The plaintiff alleged permanent injuries and asserted a significant future earnings loss claim. The defense team aggressively challenged causation, damages, and credibility through discovery, expert analysis, and motion practice, while navigating significant insurance coverage constraints for one defendant. The matter resolved through a confidential global settlement shortly before trial.

Agribusiness Industry Matters

  • Regularly represents an agricultural supplier in disputes alleging drift of herbicides or other agricultural chemicals causing crop damage or economic loss. In these matters, Brandon leads early factual investigations, coordinates with state departments of agriculture and regulatory agencies, and analyzes agency findings to assess causation, compliance, and exposure under applicable statutes and common law theories. The team focuses on resolving these disputes efficiently while protecting the client's business interests and maintaining ongoing commercial and regulatory relationships.
  • Regularly advises a large agribusiness company following serious personal injury or wrongful death incidents around the country, providing immediate response efforts and comprehensive internal investigation support. Brandon develops a structured factual record through disciplined information gathering, expert analysis, and legal research to assess liability exposure, potential claims, and business risk. These investigations position the client to make informed decisions while protecting its operational, reputational, and litigation interests.
  • Represented a national agricultural products distributor in a multi-million-dollar commercial dispute arising from unpaid product invoices and defending against counterclaims for crop performance failures at a large sod farming operation. The matter involved complex UCC issues, warranty disclaimers, economic loss doctrine defenses, and overlapping claims for breach of contract, misrepresentation, and statutory violations across multiple states. The team developed a comprehensive defense strategy resulting in an award of summary judgment in the client’s favor on all counts and ending with a successful award for recovery of attorneys’ fees.

Credentials

Education

  • University of Arkansas School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude)
    • Arkansas Law Review, Note and Comment Editor
    • Dean’s List
  • University of Arkansas (B.A., summa cum laude)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Kansas
  • Missouri
  • Arkansas

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Recognitions

  • Judge Thomas F. Butt Legal Excellence Award