Frank C. Woodside, III

Of Counsel

Dr. Frank Woodside is a nationally-known trial lawyer representing manufacturers of pharmaceutical and medical devices, chemicals and flavorings as well as producers of consumer products. Over a period of more than 45 years, he has tried 80+ cases to verdict or judgment, serving as primary trial counsel in medical malpractice, product liability and mass tort cases. His background to practice medicine and surgery for nearly 40 years affords him added knowledge and insight he uses to his clients’ advantage in preparing for and defending high-stakes litigation.

His clients include Fortune 500 companies, health care providers and hospitals. His experience includes serving as national trial counsel and MDL counsel for Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals in the Bendectin birth defect litigation; Procter & Gamble in the Rely tampon/toxic shock syndrome litigation; Dow Corning Corporation in the silicone gel breast implant litigation; and Rugby Laboratories in the Fen-Phen litigation. He also served as trial counsel for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation in the smoking and health litigation, International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. in the microwave popcorn butter flavoring litigation, and Procter & Gamble in the Denture Adhesive Cream litigation.

Dr. Woodside is the chairman emeritus of the firm’s Toxic and Environmental Tort practice groups. He is one of only a few attorneys recognized as a Bet-the-Company Litigator by Best Lawyers® and, since 1993, he has been recommended by the referral guide in numerous practices areas. He is the editor of a treatise, Drug Product Liability, published by Matthew Bender, an adjunct professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and an emeritus clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

Credentials

Education

NIOSH-Approved Spirometry, UPMC Health System; Pittsburgh, PA (NIOSH Course Approval No. 101, 2005)

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1969)

Institute of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati; Cincinnati, OH (Post-graduate courses in Toxicology)

University of Cincinnati (M.D., 1973)

The Ohio State University (B.S., 1966)

  • Microbiology

Bar admissions

  • Ohio
  • Kentucky
  • Missouri
  • Tennessee

Court admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

Affiliations and memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Cincinnati Bar Association
  • Columbus Bar Association
  • Dayton Bar Association
  • Kentucky Bar Association
  • Northern Kentucky Bar Association
  • Tennessee Bar Association
  • Missouri Bar Association
  • American Society of Hospital Attorneys of the American Hospital Association (Membership lapsed)
  • PLAC
  • Society of Ohio Hospital Attorneys
  • American Health Lawyers Association (Membership lapsed)
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Litigation Counsel of America,
    • Order of Juris, fellow
    • Order of Certus, fellow
  • Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
    •  Vice-President of Cincinnati, Ohio Chapter (2013 – 2014)
    • President Elect (2014 – 2015)
    • President, Cincinnati Chapter (2015 – 2016)
    • Emeritus (2017)
  • American Medical Association
  • Ohio State Medical Association
  • Cincinnati Academy of Medicine
  • American College of Legal Medicine, fellow
  • American College of Forensic Examiners
  • American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
  • University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
    • Alumni Advisory Council, representative (class of 1973)
    • Dean’s Advisory Council
  • University of Cincinnati Foundation
    • Board of Trustees
    • Finance and Operations Committee
    • Gift Acceptance Committee
  • Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Cincinnati, Board of Trustees, past member (1981 – 2004)
  • School Board of the Wyoming, Ohio School District, past member (1990 – 1997)
  • American Board of Legal Medicine
  • American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys (1991 – 2008)
  • American Board of Forensic Medicine
  • Tocqueville Society
  • Cincinnati Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees
  • Supreme Court of Ohio
    • Board of Professional Conduct
    • Advisory Committee to Review Law School Accreditation Process
  • Appointed to the Real Estate Appraiser Board by Governor Mike DeWine, (2020 – 2022; 2022-2025)
  • American Academy of Clinical Toxicology
  • The Royal Society of Medicine (Membership lapsed)
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation (Organization on longer active)
  • Potter Stewart Inn of Court
  • Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity
  • Ohio State Medical Association
  • Delta Tua Delta Social Fraternity

Distinctions

  • Best Lawyers® (1993 – present)
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
  • Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
  • Ohio Super Lawyers® 
    • For Class Action (2021)
  • Chambers USA®: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation: General Commercial
  • Master of the Bench for the Potter Stewart Inn of Court
  • Who’s Who Legal the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers
  • Cincy Magazine
    • Cincy Leading Lawyer
    • Leading Lawyers Power 100 (2021)
  • Life Science Star by LMG Life Sciences (2013)
  • Benchmark Litigation Star in Ohio (2016)
  • 2020 Senior Partner of the Year, Dinsmore
  • Moritz College of Law
    • 2022 Alumni Awards Recipient
    • 2026 Public Service Award
  • American College of Legal Medicine, President’s Award
  • Cincinnati Bar Association, John P. Kiely Professionalism Award
  • International Premedical Honor Society, Alpha Epsilon Delta

News
  • July 21, 2025

    Dinsmore’s Dr. Frank C. Woodside III Appointed to Ohio Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Law School Accreditation

  • December 20, 2024

    Dinsmore Attorneys Help Secure Ohio Supreme Court Ruling in Opioid Case

  • December 17, 2024

    35 Dinsmore Attorneys Named 2025 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

  • December 29, 2023

    Ohio Super Lawyers Recognizes 30 Dinsmore Attorneys on 2024 List

  • March 24, 2023

    31 Dinsmore Attorneys Featured on 2023 Cincy Leading Lawyers List

  • December 29, 2022

    Ohio Super Lawyers Honors 36 Dinsmore Attorneys

  • February 8, 2022

    27 Dinsmore Attorneys From a Broad Range of Practice Areas Chosen for 2022 Cincy Leading Lawyers List

  • December 8, 2020

    44 Dinsmore Attorneys Named Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

  • August 20, 2020

    Best Lawyers® Recognizes 180 Dinsmore & Shohl Attorneys

Events
  • February 25, 2023

    63rd Annual Conference of the American College of Legal Medicine: The History of Daubert: The Backstory and the Subsequent Evolution of Rule 702

  • March 2, 2021

    The COVID-Era Juror: Attitudes, Implications, and Strategies