Mark Emison

660-259-9908

Mark devotes his practice to representing individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one, with a particular focus on product liability and trucking litigation. Since joining Langdon & Emison in 2011, he has obtained substantial results for clients nationwide, including multiple seven- and eight-figure verdicts and settlements.

 

His product liability practice is especially focused on automotive defects, including seat and head restraint failures. Mark has litigated cases against nearly every major vehicle manufacturer, including General Motors, Ford, FCA (Stellantis), Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Subaru, Honda, Mitsubishi, and Nissan.

Mark has played a key role in numerous high-stakes cases, including a confidential $16 million trucking settlement reached on the eve of trial, significant plaintiff verdicts in catastrophic injury cases, and other confidential resolutions involving defective products and serious collisions. His work also includes substantial recoveries in seatback failure cases, including a confidential $15.8 million result. While many results remain confidential, his track record reflects consistent success in complex and aggressively defended litigation.

Recognized for both his trial results and leadership in the profession, Mark was named a Missouri “Lawyer of the Year” in 2024 and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in personal injury litigation for plaintiffs. He has also been honored as one of Missouri’s top lawyers under 40 and selected for Super Lawyers for his work in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases.

A substantial portion of his practice is devoted to seatback, seat restraint, and head restraint litigation, an area in which he has developed extensive experience over many years and has been published nationally. He has litigated crashworthiness cases involving allegations that vehicle seating systems failed to adequately protect occupants during foreseeable rear-impact and rollover collisions, resulting in severe spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, and wrongful death. His work in this highly technical area requires close collaboration with nationally recognized engineers, biomechanical experts, accident reconstructionists, and medical specialists to demonstrate how defective occupant protection systems contribute to catastrophic injuries.

Mark’s approach is grounded in a straightforward philosophy: holding corporations accountable when they prioritize profits over safety. Clients and referring attorneys trust him to develop focused legal strategies, communicate clearly throughout the litigation process, and pursue meaningful results in cases involving catastrophic harm.

Beyond the courtroom, Mark contributes to the legal community through publications and presentations on damages, trucking litigation, and product defect cases. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and serves in a leadership role with the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA), in addition to other professional organizations and community boards. He continues to stay active in professional education and regularly collaborates with experts and trial groups to advance advocacy in complex injury litigation.

Mark is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and is admitted to practice in Missouri and multiple federal courts.

Areas of Practice:

Education

  • J.D., University of Chicago Law School
  • B.S., University of Missouri – Columbia, Magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

Publications

  • Humanizing Damages in Wrongful Death, Missouri Trial Attorney, Spring 2025. (With Dirk Vandever)
  • Wheel Separations Result from Systemic Installation and Inspection Failures, AIEGVoice, Spring 2023.
  • Revealing Seat Defects, AAJ Trial Magazine, Winter 2023. (With Bob Langdon)
  • 5 Theories to Explore in Your Trucking Case, AIEG Voice, Spring 2022. (With David Brose)
  • “Signage and Traffic Control Defects in Catastrophic Injury Cases,” AIEGVoice, Winter 2016.
  • “How Lack of Visibility Can Become a Major Theme in a Trucking Accident Case,” AIEGVoice, April 2016.
  • “Recent Developments in Conspicuity Issues in Truck Accident Litigation,” Thomson Reuters’ Automotive Journal, April 9, 2013.
  • “Higher Standards for Semi-Truck Underride Guards Needed to Save Lives, Reduce Manufacturers’ Liability,” Thomson Reuters’ Automotive Journal, November 6, 2012:
  •  “Trial Strategies with Negligent Trucking Companies,” AAJ Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, 2012 Newsletter.
  • “Trial Strategies for Holding Trucking Companies Responsible for their Employees’ Negligent Conduct,” Illinois Trial Journal, Summer 2012.

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Association for Justice
  • Attorneys Information Exchange Group
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Lafayette County Bar Association
  • Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
  • Missouri Bar Association