Michael P. Thornton

Michael P. Thornton has spent nearly five decades standing up for people whose lives were upended by hidden exposure to toxic chemicals and asbestos. As founder and managing attorney of Thornton Law Firm LLP in Boston, Massachusetts, he represents clients nationwide in demanding cases involving toxic substances, occupational illness, product liability, environmental harms, defective pharmaceuticals and medical devices, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related claims. His work also extends to construction and workplace injury matters, class actions and birth defect cases tied to hazardous chemical exposure.

After serving as a corporal in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Thornton earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1975. He was licensed that year in New Hampshire and later admitted in Maine and Massachusetts, along with the U.S. District Courts for Massachusetts, the U.S. District Courts for Maine and the U.S. District Courts for New Hampshire. He completed his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College in 1972.

Over the years, clients and colleagues have recognized Mr. Thornton for his steady focus on accountability and his support for people navigating high-stakes litigation. He received the American Association for Justice’s Howard Twiggs Award and has been named Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” multiple times for class action and mass tort work. He is also AV Preeminent* peer-review rated through Martindale-Hubbell and has a “Superb” score on Avvo. 

A longtime presence in the legal community, Mr. Thornton remains active with the American Association for Justice, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the New Hampshire Bar Association, the Maine State Bar Association and the American Bar Association – continuing to help shape the direction of toxic tort litigation.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.