Charles M. Thompson: 
Personal Data: A.B. Degree Birmingham-Southern College; Academic scholarship, Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Juris Doctorate Degree; member American Bar Association, Alabama Bar Association, Birmingham Bar Association, Christian Legal Society, American Trial Lawyers Association, Alabama Trial Lawyers Association (former Executive Committee member)
Legal Background – Associate, Callaway & Vance, composed of now deceased Circuit Judge of Jefferson County, Clyde W. “Dugan” Callaway, Jr., and Robert S. Vance, the late esteemed judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Eleventh Circuit. In addition to Plaintiffs’ personal injury cases, Thompson assisted in the preparation of complex class action litigation against cast iron pipe manufacturers, various companies on a claim of price fixing of antibiotic Mycin drugs, price-fixing by school bus manufacturers in the states of Alabama and Mississippi and claims of usurious credit card interest being charged by national banks in the State of Alabama. All of said cases were successful.
Senior Trial Counsel – As senior trial counsel, Thompson has gone on to try hundreds of cases primarily from the Plaintiff’s side. He has successfully prosecuted securities fraud cases, air crash cases, car crash-worthiness cases, wrongful death cases and other complex litigation. He now specializes in class action litigation, mass torts. securities fraud and investor arbitration claims. Thompson has successfully settled seven figure cases from the Plaintiff’s side as well as achieving Plaintiff’s trial results of seven figures.
Mr. Thompson has successfully represented hundreds of clients who have lost huge sums. Subsequent to his courtroom successes in vehicle roll-over, air crash deaths, drug claims, personal injury, fraudulent sales tactics and financial fraud, Mr. Thompson has for the last decade focused his law practice on investors’ claims and class actions. Due to the confidential nature of these clients and former clients’ cases, Mr. Thompson is professionally prevented from disclosing their full names and the extraordinary results. However, he has accomplished success in over 90% of the cases he has handled, which he began prosecuting in the mid-1980’s. He has seen six and seven figure results in court trials, settlements as well as arbitration. Under the present law, virtually all customer investor claims against brokerage firms have to be litigated in arbitration, in which Mr. Thompson has had substantial success. He has pursued and prosecuted securities claims against all major brokerage houses, including Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Keegan, A.G. Edwards, Edward Jones, Aura Financial, Wachovia, South Trust Securities, Ameriprise, Raymond James and more.
Since 1976, Charles Thompson has gained the expertise and knowledge that only time can bring. Mr.Thompson has been involved in numerous class action cases all over the country. (see below detail) He has also been lead plaintiff’s attorney on several multi-state litigations that were highly successful. He has both settled and won trial awards in the seven figure range. Charles Thompson has the experience and tenacity to lead your Class Action case to a good conclusion. Below, please find a listing of his most prominent class action experiences:
Class Action Results:
National (LA and TX) Co-Lead Counsel Gas Well Securities Fraud Litigation 1986 Settled
Alabama Co-Lead Counsel McBride vs. (unnamed) Cable Company 1994 Settled
National Lead Counsel Rich’s Dept. Credit Card Overcharging 1995 Summary Judgment
Alabama Co-Lead Counsel Pippen vs. State of Alabama Revenue 1996 8.5 million settlement
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Household Retail & Yamaha Overcharging 1997 Settled
Alabama Co-Lead Counsel Creative Leasing vs. State of Alabama Revenue 1997 18.5 million Settlement
National (Alabama) Co-Lead Counsel Class Action vs. Firestone 1999 Resolved
Alabama Co-Lead Counsel Behr Paint Co 2001 Settled
National (California) Lead Counsel Canterbury vs. Kraft Foods 2009 Settled
National (California) Co-Lead Counsel Class Action vs. Kelloggs 2010 Settled
National (Alabama) Joint Counsel Blue Cross Anti-trust 2012 Ongoing
National (Alabama) Co-Lead Counsel Environmental Litigation Grp. 2013 Ongoing
National (California) Joint Lead Counsel Campbell vs. General Foods 2017 Ongoing
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Johnson vs. Star Snacks of New Jersey 2020 Settled
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Copeland vs. Tyson Foods 2020 Ongoing
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Class Action vs. Costco 2020 Dismissed
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Class Action vs. Marriott International 2020 Settled
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Sellers Vs. Star Snacks 2021 Settled
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Johnson vs. Snyder’s-Lance 2021 Ongoing
National (Alabama) Lead Counsel Colburn vs. Greenbrier International 2021 Ongoing
Notable Cases:
Helicopter Crash – Near Houma, LA in Gulf of Mexico. Case settled for $1 million (1978)
Chrysler Multi-District Litigation – Thompson spent the years 1989, 1990, 1991 and a vast majority of 1992 as plaintiffs’ lead counsel for opt-outs in a multi-district case, before the Federal District Court in St. Louis, Missouri, Chrysler was accused of having disconnected odometers on new cars, allowing their plant supervisory personnel to drive said vehicles as company vehicles, reconnecting odometers upon their being returned to the plant and then cleaning them up and shipping same as brand new. A test case was tried in St. Louis state court with Thompson as the lead trial attorney. The jury awarded Plaintiff $1,040,000. The remainder of the cases settled under terms of confidentiality.
South Trust Securities Class Action – this case was a class action brought as two cases on behalf of investors in a beef raising program. The cases settled after two years of litigation – terms of the settlement were confidential, plaintiffs were happy with the result.
Car Crashworthiness Litigation – the client was a quadriplegic. The suit was based on inferior roof design allowing tree limb to crush in one car collision. The case settled under confidential provision. The client was quite pleased with the result.
Automobile Ad Valorem Tax Class Action – the subject case was filed against the State of Alabama on behalf of all motorists claiming that the State of Alabama was not assessing autos and light pick-ups properly for ad valorem tax purposes. Said case settled for $8,000,000.
Truck Ad Valorem Tax Class Action – similar to the above case but based on over-the-road-trucks. Said case settled for $18,000,000+.
Air Crash Case – Kansas City, Missouri. Mid-air collision causing death of co-pilot. Along with two other attorneys, Thompson tried the case to $1,000,000 jury verdict.
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