Bret R. Henry Joins Dykema As Senior Counsel in Los Angeles

Bret R. Henry has joined Dykema as Senior Counsel in the firm’s Product Liability and Class Action Litigation Practice Group in Los Angeles, after spending more than 18 years at Yoka | Smith LLP, according to an announcement from Dykema.

Defense Work in Automotive and Tort Cases

Henry represents clients in complex product liability matters, complex tort actions, and catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation. His practice includes defending automotive parts manufacturers, suppliers, and servicers in high-exposure product liability litigation nationwide. He has also served as national and regional counsel for companies operating within the automotive sector.

“Bret’s extensive product liability experience and deep understanding of the automotive industry make him a natural fit for Dykema and the sophisticated work we handle for clients across the country,” said Brian Newman, Managing Member of Dykema’s Los Angeles office.

Litigation Phases and Regulatory Counseling

Henry’s court experience covers all phases of complex litigation in state and federal courts involving significant potential exposure and numerous multinational defendants. His work includes conducting hundreds of fact and expert witness depositions and managing large-scale discovery involving technical and trade secret materials. He regularly coordinates litigation strategies across multiple jurisdictions alongside in-house legal teams, engineers, technical experts, and local counsel.

Beyond active litigation, Henry advises clients on regulatory matters affecting automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and servicers. His guidance on regulations involves Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, TREAD Act reporting obligations, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, component specifications, product standards, and labeling directives. Furthermore, he provides counsel regarding novel automotive technologies, such as advanced driver assistance systems, automatic emergency braking systems, electronic stability control, and various other vehicle systems tied to hardware and software.

Educational Background

Henry holds a Juris Doctor with cum laude honors from the Pepperdine University School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from the Graziadio Business School at Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor of Arts with cum laude honors from the University of California, San Diego.