Kimberly D. Young

BIOGRAPHY

Kimberly D. Young is a senior member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation, including defending gas and electrical utilities for over twenty years, handling high-stakes product liability cases, such as those involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and navigating multi-district litigation. Kim also represents providers of behavioral healthcare services to adults and adolescents.

Kim represents insured individuals and companies in a broad range of personal injury, wrongful death, and property damage cases, and routinely works with insurers and their policyholders to evaluate pre-suit demands and defend litigation.

In addition to her trial work, Kim maintains an active appellate practice. She has argued cases before the Arkansas Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Arkansas, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She frequently serves as appellate counsel both for Friday, Eldredge & Clark trial teams and for outside firms seeking experienced guidance on complex appeals or local counsel expertise.

Committed to service beyond the courtroom, Kim also provides pro bono legal representation, including guardianship matters, through the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Medical-Legal Partnership.

Education

University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, J.D., High Honors, 2003
- Bowen Scholar
- Associate Notes Editor, Law Review
Lyon College, B.A., summa cum laude, 2000
- Alpha Chi member
- Charles H. Coffin Medal Recipient, 2000

Noteworthy

Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America, Little Rock – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
- Appellate Practice
- Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
- Qui Tam Law

Key Matters

James Lynch v. Ark. Machine Works, Inc., et al., 5:23-CV-5015, 2023 WL 8789753 (W.D. Ark. Dec. 19, 2023) (granting summary judgment in favor of defendant machine shop in wrongful death and strict liability claim involving metal plates incorporated by a third party into body armor vests).
Bank of the Ozarks v Ford Motor Co., 2020 Ark. App. 231. (affirming summary judgment in favor of the defense in a wrongful death and strict liability claim involving a Ford Explorer).
Singleton, et al. v. Arkansas Housing Authorities Property & Casualty et al., 934 F.3d 830 (8th Cir. 2019) (affirming summary judgment in favor of defendant housing authority and smoke alarm manufacturer for claims of negligence and strict liability).
Member of regional case management team for multi-district litigation involving pelvic mesh surgical implants, handling the defense’s discovery and briefing process for over 100 individual plaintiffs (2016-2020).
Z.C. v. Wal-Mart, Inc., 574 Fed. Appx. 52 (2nd Cir. 2014) (affirming summary judgment in favor of defendant manufacturer of high-powered air rifle on products liability claims).
Havner v. Northeast Ark. Elec. Coop., 2017 Ark. App. 111 (Feb. 2017) (affirming summary judgment in favor of electric company, holding it owed no duty to maintain cables owned by a third party and attached to electric company’s utility poles).
Marcotte v. United Parcel Service, Inc., United States District Court, E.D. Ark. (defense jury verdict in premises liability claim alleging permanent disability).
Johnson v. First Electric Cooperative Corp., Saline County Circuit Court (defense jury verdict in wrongful death claim arising out of billboard employee’s contact with an energized overhead electrical line).