(August 12, 2025) - Lewis Brisbois provides a wide range of services to clients that conduct business in Idaho and plans to expand its presence further in the Gem State.
The firm's attorneys who are licensed and currently practice there – California and Idaho Partner Shawn Toliver; Portland, Idaho, Montana and Washington Partner Francis Torrence; Portland and Idaho Associate Dan Schmidt; and Chicago and Idaho Associate Brandon Strom – collectively have almost eight decades of legal experience across many areas of law and consistently achieve clients' objectives inside and outside the courtroom, including at trial. They regularly handle matters involving a variety of issues, including but not limited to, commercial and business litigation, products liability, professional liability, construction, premises liability, general liability, mass shootings, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death and wrongful life cases, security litigation including rape, sexual abuse, and human trafficking, labor and employment matters (both advice of counsel and litigation cases), environmental/toxic torts, and transportation including trucking, railroad, and aviation.
With deep proficiencies in managing high-stakes and high-exposure cases and trials, Lewis Brisbois' Idaho attorneys represent clients directly as well as through their insurers.
Mr. Toliver, who now resides in Idaho and has been practicing law for 35 years, explained, "We have significant capabilities – including extensive trial capabilities – with our existing legal talent in Idaho. Francis Torrence is a seasoned and accomplished trial attorney, Dan Schmidt is a rising legal star, and Brandon Strom is a promising young talent. We are currently serving clients across the state in the lion's share of the firm's practices, and we stand ready to help clients who do any type of business in Idaho, regardless of whether they are based there."
Mr. Toliver added, "With the population in Idaho booming, and business opportunities expanding, we are excited to expand our presence in Idaho quickly so that we may provide clients with even easier access to our attorneys and nationwide resources."
Shawn Toliver
Mr. Toliver is the Managing Partner of the Walnut Creek office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP, a co-chair of the firm's national General Liability Practice, a member of the firm's Finance Committee, a former member of the firm's Compensation Committee, and former Managing Partner of the San Francisco office.
Mr. Toliver has almost 30 years of experience as a litigator and trial attorney in California state and federal courts. Additionally, Mr. Toliver has many years of experience handling professional liability claims including medical malpractice, dental malpractice, legal malpractice, and accounting malpractice cases. He regularly handles cases presenting multimillion dollar exposure pertaining to alleged catastrophic damages arising from transportation accidents, industrial workplace and construction site accidents, product liability, premises security, fires, floods, wrongful death cases, business and commercial litigation, professional liability including accountants, attorneys, and medical professionals, employment related litigation, and debtor/creditor litigation.
Francis Torrence
Mr. Torrence is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability and Child Victims Act/Human Trafficking & Assault Practices. As a seasoned commercial trial attorney and litigator with more than 30 years of experience, he has first-chaired several jury trials in state and federal courts and before the Ninth Circuit.
In addition to his commercial litigation experience, Mr. Torrence has also represented clients in numerous intellectual property matters, including trademark, copyright, and trade secret cases, as well as in products liability matters involving medical devices. In addition, he has practiced extensively in the areas of life, health, and disability insurance and ERISA litigation.
Dan Schmidt
Mr. Schmidt is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Labor & Employment Practice. He focuses his practice on representing clients in litigation involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, and termination claims. In addition, Mr. Schmidt handles workplace safety matters across the Pacific Northwest and helps businesses establish best practices. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Schmidt served nine years as an armor officer in the U.S. Army in positions at home and abroad.
Brandon Strom
Mr. Strom is a member of Lewis Brisbois' General Liability Practice. His practice encompasses work on general liability, commercial litigation, and premises liability matters. He assists clients by drafting pleadings, conducting discovery, and drafting dispositive motions. Mr. Strom received his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School and clerked for Judge Jonathan Medema of the Idaho Fourth Judicial District Court, which covers Ada County.