Class Action

I focus my practice on immigration and citizenship law and have handled every type of immigration case, from family immigration matters to business and investor cases and citizenship applications. I am a nationally known expert on immigration and national security laws, and have testified regularly before Congressional committees on immigration, homeland security, and military matters. As a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Military Police, U.S. Army Reserve, I have extensive experience with U.S. military issues. I have also worked as a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and have served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Alaska. I was a member of the American Bar Association Commission on Immigration from 2008-2012. I regularly author articles on military-related immigration issues, and am well-versed on “parole in place” for military family members and the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (“MAVNI”) Program. I authored the book Immigration Law & the Military, which was published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association in 2012. On September 25, 2013, I was named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow by the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Ms. Burnett is a trial attorney who concentrates her practice in representing people who have been injured as a result of professional negligence, including nursing home abuse and medical malpractice. She is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and was named a Partner in the firm in 2012. Ms. Burnett received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and French in 1996 from the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated magna cum laude. She received a Juris Doctor degree in 2001 from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, receiving multiple academic honors and distinctions. After law school, Ms. Burnett served as a law clerk to the Honorable G. Ross Anderson, Jr. in United States District Court in Anderson, South Carolina. Ms. Burnett began her private practice handling the defense of a variety of claims in both federal and state court, focusing her practice in the defense of nursing home abuse claims. In 2007, Ms. Burnett left her practice to join our firm to represent victims of nursing home abuse and medical malpractice.

Tor Hoerman is a nationally recognized attorney who has served in the field for more than twenty-five (25) years. He is most well-known as the founder of our personal injury law firm, TorHoerman Law (THL). Having garnered success leading the pharmaceutical branch at the Simmons firm, Tor amicably decided to split from Simmons in 2009 and start his own pharmaceutical and personal injury practice called TorHoerman Law, LLC (THL). After negotiating the terms of the split, Tor struck a deal that allowed him to bring his entire staff from Simmons to his new practice, which summed up to more than 25 lawyers and staff members.

As a plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyer at TorHoerman Law, Eric Terry primarily concentrates his practice on advocating for clients who have been harmed by others, through no fault of their own. This can include, but is not limited to, negligence on the part of pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers, a car accident, or exposure to a deadly chemical at a workplace. Eric now leads the personal injury litigation division of TorHoerman Law and handles a variety of personal injury cases.

A Quad City native, Andrew takes pride in helping common people with their legal concerns. We are not a big, stuffy law firm looking to retire on a class action settlement. We help individuals and families work through tough situations and plan for the future while protecting their best interests. Andrew is licensed to practice in both Iowa and Illinois state and federal court. He is a member of the Scott County and Rock Island County Bar Association, Iowa and Illinois Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa, as well as his Juris Doctorate from the U of I College of Law, graduating with Honors in 2000.

Attorney Eger has over two decades helping clients find affordable legal solutions for their personal and business needs. He gives clients the opportunity to initially discuss their legal matters at no charge and assists clients with finding affordable payment plans to fit their budgets. Attorney Eger is admitted in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania State and Federal Courts, the First and Third Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He is also a member of the American, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania Bar Associations; the Rhode Island Bar Association Family Court Bench/Bar Committee, New Lawyers Committee (Chair 2001-2003), and is a Master in the Edward P. Gallogly Family Law Inn of the Court. Attorney Eger was awarded a double major Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado and was later awarded a Juris Doctorate degree from Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, Rhode Island. Attorney Eger also gained experience with an Internship with the RI Dept. of the Attorney General, Environmental Division; a Judicial Clerkship in the RI Supreme Court Office of General Counsel; and a Legal Internship for Cookson America, Inc., Regulatory Affairs Division. Attorney Eger later accepted an Associate position working on several class action lawsuits that protected thousands of consumers from illegal debt collection efforts. Attorney Eger began his own firm to provide high quality legal services at affordable rates. Divorce and Family Law, Child Custody & Support, Bankruptcy, Criminal Law, DUI's, and Personal Injury. His dedication to his clients has provided invaluable legal services for people seeking affordable legal solutions.

Attorney Edward Kraus is the Managing Partner of Kraus Law Group, LLC in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1999, he has taught Health and Disability Law classes and has represented individuals in many cases involving complex health and disability matters. Previously, Mr. Kraus served as an attorney at the law firm of Plotkin, Jacobs, & Orlofsky, Ltd., focusing on civil litigation and consumer class actions in Chicagoland. Mr. Kraus is the director of the Vaccine Injury Litigation Clinic, where he represents those who have suffered from vaccination injuries. He served on the Advisory Commission of Childhood Vaccines from September 2011 to January 2017, where he was one of nine members who provided input regarding the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). Edward Kraus is an active member of the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He has also been actively involved on the American Diabetes Association, Health & Disability Advocates, Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines, Department of Health & Human Services, and the Vaccine Committee of the Advisory Council to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Mr. Kraus has been admitted to the Illinois Bar Association, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. District Court, the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He is a proud graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

Stuart Paynter is an experienced trial attorney specializing in catastrophic personal injury cases, products liability and other complex litigation. Mr. Paynter began his career at one of the nations most prestigious law firms Sullivan & Cromwell before starting in own law firm in 2005. Under his leadership, Paynter Law has obtained over $500 million in verdicts and settlements, including one of the largest verdicts of 2018 in a medical malpractice case. Mr. Paynter believes every client deserves their day in court and fights to make it happen. During the course of his career, Mr. Paynter has taken on and won against Fortune 500 companies and other large institutions--including groundbreaking litigation against the NCAA that resulted in a $60 million settlement for student athletes.

Andrei Armas is a founding partner of Armas & Joseph. Mr. Armas specializes in consumer protection, including banking, credit, debt collection, and deceptive business practices. Over the last 10 years, Mr. Armas has successfully litigated and fought for consumers' rights involving identity theft, unauthorized transactions, debt collection and credit reporting. Mr. Armas has also successfully represented consumers with misrepresented services and goods, including through class action litigation.

The Baker Law Firm and our founding attorney, Lance K. Baker, can help you resolve even the most complex and challenging legal problems. Our firm's founding attorney has garnered recognition both nationally and locally. In the past several years he has received the following designations: Listed in The National Trial Lawyers 2017 Top 40 Under 40 in the Criminal Defense category Listed in The National Trial Lawyers 2018 Top 40 Under 40 in the Civil Plaintiff Lawyers category Named Top Male Rising Star of Knoxville by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Honored in 2019 as one of Knoxville's top DUI defense attorneys by Cityview magazine Honored in 2021 as one of Knoxville's top Civil Rights attorneys by Cityview magazine Honored in 2022 as one of Knoxville's top attorneys by CityView magazine in DUI Defense, Constitutional Law/Civil Rights, Personal Injury- Auto Accidents, Consumer Protection, Class Action, and Antitrust Selected as one of 2022 Mid-South's Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Selected as one of 2023 Mid-South's Rising Stars by Super Lawyers Lance is actively involved in the community. For instance, he is a panelist on Fox 43's “Heavy Hitters” show and frequently offers guest political commentary on WBIR-TV. He is also a member of the Knoxville Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.