Archives: Attorneys

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Tom Yost founded the law firm in 1988 in Baltimore, Maryland. He has always been a voice for the injured and vulnerable. The initial focus of his practice was vehicle collisions, children poisoned by lead-based paint, and wrongful death claims.

His practice evolved into handling defective pharmaceutical and medical device cases nationwide.

Tom has handled numerous complex cases and novel areas of litigation throughout his career. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients in product liability, toxic exposure, birth injury, and single-event catastrophic cases.

The firm has helped over ten thousand clients recover from unsafe corporations and the wrongful acts of others.

Tom continues to shape policy through volunteer work to make society safer, maintain access to the court system, and hold wrongdoers accountable.

He is a past president of the Maryland Association for Justice and frequently advocates in the Maryland legislature for the enactment of laws that protect consumers.

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Since joining The Yost Legal Group in August 2015, Sam’s practice has focused primarily on catastrophic personal injury cases involving commercial motor vehicle collisions, civil rights violations, toxic exposure, premises liability, and wrongful death.

As a lifelong Marylander, Sam is passionate about protecting the rights of his fellow citizens and fighting against those who needlessly put them in danger.

Before joining the Yost Legal Group, Sam worked in the legal department for a major insurance company, where he gained valuable insight into the mechanisms and inner workings of the insurance industry. He now represents those who have been harmed by the individuals the insurance companies seek to protect.

Sam has helped recover millions of dollars for his injured clients. Some representative verdicts and settlements include:

• $2,750,000 settlement for a pedestrian woman who sustained a brain injury after being struck by a tractor while she was walking in the crosswalk;
• $1,750,000 verdict against Baltimore City landlord for a child who sustained a brain injury due to exposure to lead-based paint conditions;
• $1,287,695 verdict for a young developmentally disabled adult who sustained a severe arm fracture due to the negligence of his caretaker;
• $900,000 settlement with trucking company for a man who sustained back and shoulder injuries from being rear-ended by a dump truck;
• $750,000 settlement for a man who suffered a broken arm after he was unlawfully stopped, detained, and thrown to the pavement by a police officer;
• $700,000 settlement with the trucking company for a woman who sustained back injuries and PTSD after being pushed off the roadway by a truck driver making an unsafe lane change;
• $500,000 settlement with the landlord for a woman who tripped on eroded and uneven porch surface leading into her rowhome;
• $400,000 verdict (the cap against the State of Maryland) against the State of Maryland where their driver struck and killed a man who was stopped on the shoulder of the highway;
• $375,000 verdict against Baltimore City landlord for a child who sustained a brain injury due to exposure to lead-based paint conditions;
• $325,000 verdict for man who was struck by Baltimore City police officer who made an improper left-hand turn in front of his vehicle;
• $290,000 settlement for a woman who sustained a hand injury when bitten by an unleashed dog.

Outside of his practice, Sam is an active member of the legal community and has served and/or has been elected for the following positions:

Bar Association of Baltimore City – Young Lawyers’ Division (YLD)

• Sustained Leadership Award (2023)
• Nominations Committee Chair (2022 – 2023)
• Chair (2021 – 2022)
• Chair Elect (2020 – 2021)
• Secretary (2019 – 2020)
• Young Lawyers Division Rising Star Award (2019)
• Treasurer (2018 – 2019)
• Recipient of the Rising Star Award (2018)
• Membership Committee Co-Chair (2017-2018)

 Maryland Association for Justice

• Education and Programs Committee Co-Chair (2022 – 2023)
• Board of Governors (2020 – 2023)
• New Lawyers Section Co-Chair (2019 – 2022)
• Membership Committee (2017 – 2022)

Maryland State Bar Association

• Board of Governors (2022 – 2024)

Since 2019 Sam has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Maryland, an award given out to no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in the State.

Sam currently resides in Ellicott City, Maryland, with his wife, two children, and two dogs. When he is not working to achieve justice on behalf of his clients, Sam can be found exploring nature with his family and friends and competing in trail running races and triathlons.

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For over 34 years, the focus of my career has been the prosecution of those who have intentionally or carelessly harmed children and other innocent victims. In 1983 I began my career as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Baltimore County and rose to become the head of the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Division. Upon leaving public service in 1990, I employed the trial skills I learned representing the victims of crime to my representation of the victims of childhood lead poisoning, medical malpractice, police misconduct and abuse, wrongful death and serious personal injury.  Recently, I have been involved in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving the abuse of mentally disabled and autistic individuals at the hands of their care givers.

I have also devoted my time to improving the legal community by participating as an instructor in programs aimed at training new lawyers in trial advocacy and acting as a mentor to young lawyers. I have lectured and trained prosecutors, trial lawyers, police, social workers, and parents in the areas of child abuse, lead poisoning and trial advocacy.

I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland in 1979 and my law degree in 1983 from the University of Baltimore. I am also a graduate of the acclaimed Trial Lawyers College and the National College of District Attorneys. I am admitted to practice in Maryland, the U.S. District Court for Maryland, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. I am presently a member of the Maryland Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice. Since 1997 I have received an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbell the premier lawyer rating service. Only approximately 10 percent of practicing lawyers receive an AV rating, which indicates that the lawyer is recognized by his peers and the judiciary as possessing the highest levels of legal skill and integrity.

When I am not working hard for my clients, my wife and I most enjoy spending time with each other, our five grandchildren, our family and friends. I am also a passionate portrait painter, poor golfer and at times successful cook.

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Born and raised in Maryland, Lindsey is a Baltimore County native. She graduated from Stevenson University (SU) in 2005, with a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies. While attending SU, Lindsey worked as a paralegal for one of Baltimore’s premier medical malpractice law firms, for which she continued to work while enrolled as an evening student at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Since graduating from law school in 2010, Lindsey’s practice has largely been devoted to “mass torts”, or the litigating of pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer product liability cases, as well as to cases involving personal injury and medical malpractice. Her mass tort resume includes multiple litigations, such as: shoulder pain pump, toning shoe, Lipitor, Mirena, Risperdal, and Essure. Lindsey’s work in these litigations was integral to recovering millions of dollars on behalf of her clients.

Lindsey joined The Yost Legal Group in October of 2017. As co-manager of the firm’s mass tort department, she is currently investigating and prosecuting claims on behalf of those who have been injured by: Johnson & Johnson’s talc products (baby powder and Shower to Shower), Roundup, 3M Dual-Ended Combat Arms Earplugs, Allergan’s textured breast implants, Valsartan, Zantac, toxic baby formula (Enfamil and Similac) manufactured for premature infants, and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. 

Unfortunately, for most, getting by on a daily basis is a challenge in and of itself. When a person is injured by another’s negligence, that challenge is only further compounded, as those who suffer these injuries, are the ones who generally cannot afford an exacerbation of their already difficult lives. The pains and struggles Lindsey’s clients endure, are ones to which she can relate to on a personal level. Her appreciation of these struggles is her driving force when prosecuting her clients’ cases.

At the end of the day, it is Lindsey’s goal that each client not only knows, but feels, that they aren’t just another name; that the level of care, attention to detail, and overall compassion she provides, assures them that she is passionate about their case and that she is here to work as hard as she can to help them obtain the justice they so rightfully deserve.

Still a resident of Baltimore County, when not working, Lindsey very much  enjoys hosting family get-togethers, and spending time with her husband and their new baby boy.

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As a manager of the Yost Legal Group’s mass tort division, I fight to obtain justice for everyday individuals injured by the defective drugs and medical devices of big companies that care only about profits, not people. I have helped recover millions of dollars for the innocent victims of asbestos exposure, defective hip implants, and other harmful products. I serve in leadership positions in complex cases filed throughout the country to obtain the justice my clients deserve.

Locally, I am active in the Baltimore City and Maryland State Bar Associations. I have served as co-chair of the Baltimore Bar Association’s pro bono committee to ensure that low-income members of our community have access to the legal services they need. I was honored to receive the Volunteer of the Year Award from Senior Legal Services for my representation of low-income seniors. I also recently served on the Board of Governors of the Maryland State Bar Association, as a representative for the First District (Baltimore City). My passion is to speak up for people seeking justice who would otherwise not have a voice and not be heard. I share this passion by making presentations to other attorneys so that they will be better equipped to represent those individuals who need help in their fight for the justice they deserve, including refugees and asylum seekers.

I earned my law degree from the University of Virginia, after completing my undergraduate studies at the College of William & Mary, where I was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. My practice is nationwide in scope and I am admitted to practice in Maryland, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Texas, as well as several U.S. Federal Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. I reside in Baltimore and enjoy reading, sports, music, traveling and spending time with friends and my family, which now includes an Australian Shepherd. I am a long-time runner and participate in several races every year, including the Baltimore Running Festival.

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Ellen, of Counsel of The Yost Legal Group, has 25 years of experience as a trial attorney in many types of cases, with million+ dollar verdicts in some of Maryland’s toughest jurisdictions.  She is a leader in the legal community and a motivated advocate for the civil justice system. Ellen has served as President of the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ), an organization of over 1300 trial attorneys, where she dedicated her time outside of representing her clients to improving and protecting the civil justice system through legislative advocacy and the professional development of trial lawyers. She has testified in Annapolis before our state legislators, stood up to large corporate health systems in legislative and legal battles, and authored numerous articles concerning the practice of law and protecting access to justice for all people. She also serves as a member of the Board for the American Association for Justice.

As a trial attorney, she has represented victims of preventable medical mistakes, nursing home abuse and neglect, and other personal injuries. She has recently joined Yost Legal Group to lead the sexual assault practice group.

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Sharon A. Reece, J.D., is an Attorney at the Yost Legal Group. As a first-generation Caribbean-American, and raised in Bryn Mawr, PA, Sharon completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Juris Doctorate degree from DePaul University College of Law, with an emphasis in Health Law. She has devoted the majority of her legal career to health-related matters involving physician contracting, medical malpractice, product liability, and complex multi-plaintiff toxic tort litigation.

Sharon began her career in healthcare/medical malpractice risk management. As part of a risk management insurance program, she contributed to the review and compliance of various measures to lessen the risk of medical malpractice claims and/or strengthen the facilitation of successful defenses in litigation.

Sharon subsequently worked as a civil litigator for several years at one of the largest personal injury firms in Maryland. In that capacity, she represented victims of harmful environmental exposure and toxic tort injuries. Her passion and dedication to her work helped lead to the recovery of frequent noteworthy settlements on behalf of her clients.

Sharon’s current practice is primarily twofold. She focuses on personal injury cases stemming from catastrophic motor vehicle accidents and mass tort product liability cases consolidated into multi-district litigations (MDLs) – specifically, mass torts involving dangerous medications and defective medical devices. Her range of mass tort MDL experience is both extensive and diverse, with some of her litigations including the following:

Asbestos – Incretin – Elmiron – Essure – Insulin Pumps – Tepezza – Hair Relaxer products

Talcum Powder products –  Exactech/Orthopedic Implants

Her work and involvement in mass tort MDLs have been – and continue to be – integral to the recovery of millions of dollars on behalf of her clients, whose lives have been indelibly marked by severe, life-changing injuries.

Sharon has been the recipient of several awards and honors based on her academic excellence, professional excellence, and commitment to public service.

She is admitted to practice law in both the state and federal courts of Maryland. She is also an active member of the American Health Law Association (AHLA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the American Association for Justice (AAJ), National Black Lawyers (NBL), Women En Mass (WEM), the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ), and the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA).

Cara O’Brien, of Counsel to The Yost Legal Group, has dedicated her legal career for over 15 years to representing and advocating for individuals who have been injured by the negligence of others in complex personal injury litigation.

Ms. O’Brien has extensive courtroom experience and has successfully represented hundreds of individuals injured through the negligence of others, obtaining millions of dollars for her clients and multiple seven-figure verdicts.

Over the years, attorney O’Brien has successfully tried multiple cases to verdict on behalf of her clients, including obtaining a verdict for over $5,000,000 on behalf of two clients. Ms. O’Brien has changed the lives of her clients through hundreds of six- and seven-figure settlements. She has also represented clients at both appellate levels.

Her compassionate yet aggressive approach to her cases allows her to obtain the best possible outcome for each client and build relationships with her clients that often continue after the case is resolved.

When she is not aggressively fighting on behalf of her clients, she enjoys spending time with her family, 3 children, and friends, running, and cheering on the Ravens and Orioles.

Natalie Amato, Esq., is an Attorney at The Yost Legal Group. Before joining The Yost Legal Group, Natalie was a Chief Solicitor at the Baltimore City Law Department, litigating complex, high-liability, and high-exposure cases primarily in federal court.

Natalie also was the lead attorney for the Law Department in the area of Sexual Assault Investigations under the federal Consent Decree. In that capacity, Natalie guided the Baltimore Police Department in reforming its policies, practices, and procedures to ensure the Department engaged in legally-sound, trauma-informed, victim-centered, and offender-focused sexual assault investigations.

The Consent Decree, which is ongoing, requires the Baltimore Police Department to comply with the law, engage in best practices for sexual assault investigations, and actively avoid gender bias.

Natalie has always had a passion for advocating for some of society’s most vulnerable and underrepresented individuals, especially victims of violence and children.

She served as a prosecutor in Baltimore City and handled a high-volume caseload, including cases involving charges of domestic violence, physical and sexual child abuse, sexual assault, and homicide. Her successes include:

• The conviction after trial and jail sentence of a Baltimore City school teacher who abused numerous students during school hours. Natalie also worked with federal authorities on the teacher’s federal child pornography charges.
• A 60-year jail sentence in a rape and incest case where the victim became impregnated with the abuser’s child.
• A jail sentence of Life + 60 in a rape/shooting home invasion.
• The conviction after trial and jail sentence of 30 years of a man who sexually assaulted a Baltimore City woman.
• The conviction and jail sentence of a man who raped his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
• The conviction after trial and jail sentence of a man who strangled his pregnant girlfriend.
• The resolution of thousands of cases involving vulnerable individuals in the Baltimore City criminal justice system.

Natalie has worked with victims of sexual and interpersonal violence in various capacities since 2002. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, Natalie was trained as a certified rape crisis counselor and advocate with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (2006 through 2008). She then went on to work as a crisis volunteer on the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline from 2012 through 2013.

Natalie brings her extensive knowledge of sexual assault investigations to bear in her representation of individuals who have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of those who were responsible for their protection and safety.