Brian S. Kane

Brian S. Kane is a Partner in the Pittsburgh office of GRSM. He practices in the areas of insurance and commercial litigation, with numerous verdicts in personal injury, property damage, and commercial matters.

Brian has aggressively and successfully handled a wide variety of insurance and commercial matters, including property and casualty claims, construction, insurance coverage, bad faith, premises liability, automobile liability, toxic tort, uninsured or underinsured motorists, and products liability in trial, arbitration, and mediation proceedings. Brian has also successfully obtained a reversal of a §1983 Federal District Court case before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

A frequently requested speaker, Brian has presented on topics related to bad faith, automobile law, and personal injury for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.

Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• West Virginia Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute
• National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association
• Federal Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Defense Institute
  • Executive Board, Vice President–West

Community Involvement

• Glade Run Lutheran Services
  • Chairman of the Parent Board of Directors, 2011-present
• Jaguars United Soccer
  • Board of Directors, 1998-2010
     

• Served as co-counsel for a client who obtained a defense verdict in a rear-end collision on I-95 north of Philadelphia. The client asserted that he was cut-off by plaintiff while traveling north on I-95 toward the Academy Road exit. Plaintiff denied cutting off the client and claimed the client was driving at an excessive rate of speed and forcefully impacted the rear of plaintiff’s truck. Plaintiff suffered neck and back injuries and was claiming more than $800,000 in future medical costs and expenses. After a 2-day trial, the jury returned a verdict finding the plaintiff 51% at fault for the accident.
• Successfully defended large convenience store/gasoline station on negligence claims related to store security obtaining summary judgment which was upheld by Superior Court.
• Obtained jury verdict in favor of large regional hotel chain on dram shop case involving alleged service to an intoxicated patron.
• Obtained jury verdict in favor of large regional mall owner on slip-and-fall claim in a common area based on lack of notice.
• Obtained summary judgment for large regional mall owner on claims related to assault of a patron in parking lot which was affirmed by the Superior Court.
• Successfully defended local municipality in a claim by protester seeking damages for alleged mistreatment by law enforcement officials that was affirmed by the Third Circuit.
• Successfully defended manufacturer of component parts of a wheeled caster used in a production line under Pennsylvania products liability law, ultimately obtaining defense and indemnity from entity that assembled the production line.
• Successfully defended manufacturer of a nationally recognized furnace unit in a multi-million dollar fire loss claim obtaining voluntary dismissal of claims in advance of trial
• Successfully obtained summary judgment for homeowner sued for incident involving a swimming pool accident.
• Successfully represented a national sporting goods company in a variety of premises liability and products liability claims at state and federal court level.
• Successfully represented a larger regional mall owner in a variety of premises liability claims including slip and falls, large loss property claims, security claims and disputes with tenants
• Successfully represented a large regional hotel operator in a variety of premises liability claims including dram shop, security and slip and fall claims. Successfully defended several pool related claims.
• Successfully represented nationally recognized insurers in automobile claims including third-party defense and representation of the carriers in first party underinsured and uninsured claim. 
   

Publications

• Post-Tincher Products Liability: Where Things Stand, The Voice, Defense Research Institute, November 6, 2019

Presentations

• PIAA Transfer Eligibility and Recruitment Rules and Regulations, Dubois Central Catholic Athletic Department, November 2023
   

Education

J.D., Duquesne University, 1992

• Duquesne Law Review

B.A., University of Kansas, 1989

Honors

Best Lawyers in America® Lawyer of the Year, distinction in Litigation Insurance (2024)

Best Lawyers in America® (2016-2024)

Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers®

Top Rated Lawyer-AV® Preeminent™, Martindale-Hubbell