Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Craig A. Thompson has been chosen president-elect of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). The election took place during the IADC annual meeting held at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Québec City, Québec, Canada. Craig will serve as president-elect for one year and become president in July of 2018.

Craig is a partner at Venable, and his primary office is in Baltimore, Md. Craig concentrates his practice on product liability, mass tort, and other complex litigation matters. He has served as national trial counsel, coordinating counsel, and as a subject-matter team member for national and international corporations and manufacturers. For several years, Craig chaired Venable's Diversity Committee, and is currently a member of the firm's Board of Directors.

Craig earned two bachelor of arts degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater. He earned his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Craig has been recognized in Chambers USA, The International Who's Who of Life Science Lawyers,The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defence Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and the Legal 500 for Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. He is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, DRI, and an elected member of ABOTA.

The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only, peer-reviewed global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC’s members hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members, their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. The IADC is committed to respecting the rule of law and improving civil justice.

Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs and individuals. With over 600 attorneys in nine offices across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients' business objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, visit www.venable.com.