LexisNexis Torts: Torts Movers & Shakers

Buchanan Adds To FDA Practice In D.C.

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:34:28 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC has announced the addition of shareholder James S. Cohen to its Food and Drug Practice in Washington.

Having spent the last 17 years in senior-level positions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Cohen brings a wealth of regulatory insight regarding the development and marketing of drugs, biologics, devices and combination products.

Established more than seven years ago, Buchanan's Food and Drug Practice

Cozen O'Connor's Tia C. Ghattas Named Managing Partner Of Chicago Office

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:28:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Cozen O’Connor has announced that Tia C. Ghattas has been named office managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office.

A member in the firm’s commercial litigation practice group, Ghattas serves as co-chair of the firm’s transportation practice group. She is national coordinating counsel for one of North America’s leading manufacturers of component parts for commercial vehicles. Ghattas’ litigation practice focuses on commercial

Scott W. Reid Chairs Cozen O'Connor Diversity Committee

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:23:45 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Cozen O’Connor recently announced that Scott W. Reid has been named the chair of the firm’s diversity committee. Reid succeeds Rafael Perez, who has been named managing partner of the firm’s Newark, N.J., office.

Reid will direct firm initiatives aimed at the retention and recruitment of lawyers with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences as part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to foster diversity.

Reid joined the firm&r

Cozen O'Connor's Ann Thornton Field Chairs General Litigation Department

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:24:17 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Cozen O’Connor has announced that member Ann Thornton Field has been named chair of the firm’s general litigation department. Field succeeds Lawrence T. Bowman, who will step down to handle training operations as chair of the Professional Training and CLE Committee.

Currently the chair of the commercial litigation practice group and a member of the firm’s management committee, Field’s practice is focused on commercial litigation, avia

Arent Fox's Linda Baumann Edits New ABA Treatise on Health Care Fraud

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:19:14 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arent Fox LLP has announced that Linda Baumann, a partner in the firm’s health care practice, is the editor-in-chief of Health Care Fraud and Abuse: Practical Perspectives, Second Edition, an 867-page treatise that offers seasoned practitioners, as well as those new to health care law and law students, assistance in structuring business arrangements, defending clients in government investigations and prosecutions, implementing effective corporate complia

Ulmer & Berne's Product Liability Group Grows With Addition Of 2 Attorneys

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:48:50 GMT

CLEVELAND — Ulmer & Berne LLP, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, announced the addition of Linda S. Glassman and Camille D. Kuri to the firm’s Product Liability Group and its Asbestos Subgroup.

Product liability, toxic tort, asbestos and silica comprise Glassman’s practice concentrations. She has experience in defending asbestos personal injury claims in depositions on behalf of product manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and professi

Brad A. Sobolewski Joins Ulmer & Berne's Business Litigation Group

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:44:25 GMT

CLEVELAND — Ulmer & Berne LLP has announced that Brad A. Sobolewski has joined its Business Litigation Group.

Sobolewski has experience in many areas of litigation, including complex business and commercial, product liability and toxic torts. He has represented clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Before joining Ulmer & Berne, Sobolewski was an attorney with Jones Day.

Sobolewski is a member of the American Bar Association

Gradient Scientist Named To Lead Academy Of Toxicological Sciences

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:41:13 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Barbara D. Beck, Ph.D., DABT, FATS, a Principal of Gradient Corp., is president-elect of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, the leading international organization for the certification of toxicologists.

Academy fellows are chosen based on education, professional experience, demonstrated achievement, proven ability and scientific expertise. Beck is an expert in toxicology and in health risk assessment for environmental chemicals, especially metals and

Rubinstein Joins Greenberg Traurig Litigation, White Collar Criminal Defense Practices

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:36:57 GMT

CHICAGO — The international law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP has announced that Daniel Rubinstein has joined its Chicago office as a shareholder in the Litigation and White Collar Criminal Defense Practices. Rubinstein joins the firm after spending more than seven years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both Los Angeles and Chicago, and three years as a state prosecutor in California.

Most recently, Rubinstein was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illino

Top Lemon Law Attorneys To Speak At May 6 MPG Meeting

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:32:59 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The Motor Press Guild (MPG), America's largest professional automotive media association, has announced that two of California's most prominent lemon law attorneys will square off and explain what the lemon law is, how it works and how it affects the automotive industry.

The event begins Tuesday, May 6, with a social at 11:30 a.m. and lunch at noon at The Proud Bird Restaurant, 11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles (phone: (310) 670-3093)

Martindale-Hubbell To Hold Counsel To Counsel Best Practice Forum In San Francisco on E-Discovery and Managing Electronically Stored Information May 7

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:29:07 GMT

On May 7, 2008, Martindale-Hubbell will hold a Counsel to Counsel Best Practice Forum entitled Increasing Predictability, Mitigating Risks: Next Generation Electronically Stored Information (ESI) Management and E-Discovery Approaches. The session will be held at the Pal

Chadbourne & Parke Launches New Nanotechnologies Practice

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:56:46 GMT

NEW YORK — The international law firm Chadbourne & Parke has announced that it has launched a nanotechnologies practice, with a transdisciplinary approach bringing together the expertise of long-established Chadbourne practices. The strategy reflects the needs of clients developing or directly interested in nanotechnology-based products and services in multiple sectors of the global economy.

Nanotechnology, the science of manipulating and engineering matter at the atom

Arnstein & Lehr LLP Welcomes 3 Attorneys To Miami Office

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:51:51 GMT

CHICAGO — The law firm Arnstein & Lehr LLP has announced that Robert J. Rudock, Loren W. Fender and Whitney V. Harrell have become members of the firm from the Miami office of Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell PA.

Rudock focuses his practice in the defense of product liability claims with an emphasis on automotive products, having litigated and tried numerous cases for automotive manufacturers throughout the country during his 25-year career. He represents these clients i

2 Buchanan Lawyers Complete Complex Brownfield Redevelopment Deal

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:48:16 GMT

PRINCETON, N.J. — Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC shareholders James O'Toole Jr. and Frederick Masters recently completed successful negotiations on behalf of client Waste Management of New Jersey Inc. for the redevelopment of 49 acres of the former PJP Landfill site in Jersey City, N.J.

From start to finish, the deal was completed in approximately 18 months, and it in

Alvarez & Marsal Expands Dispute Analysis, Forensics Services In Dallas

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:43:59 GMT

DALLAS — Continuing the expansion of its Dallas presence, Alvarez & Marsal Dispute Analysis & Forensic Services LLC has announced that Quentin Mimms, a specialist in investigations and complex litigation, has joined as a managing director.

With senior professionals based in Houston and Dallas, the firm now has one of the largest dispute analysis & forensics practices in Texas, providing a range of analytical and investigative services to major law firms, corporate co

Z-Axis Hires Trial Consultant Mike Lacy To Service Midwest Firms

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:39:06 GMT

DENVER — Z-Axis, a leader in trial presentation services (www.zaxis.com), has announced the addition of trial consultant Mike Lacy to service the needs of Chicago and Midwest law firms and their clients.

Before joining Z-Axis, Lacy was in sales with SCA and Field Container. He has a background in business development, graphic design and production coordination. Lacy has established solid client relati

Chamber Affiliate Ranks Best, Worst State Lawsuit Climates

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:58:18 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senior attorneys at America's largest employers say state court liability systems have steadily improved over the last several years, but less than half of them rate the state courts as "excellent" or "pretty good," according to Lawsuit Climate 2008: Ranking the States, an annual assessment of state liability systems by the market research firm Harris Interactive and released by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR).

The lawyers

Delaware Superior Court Commissioner Resigns To Join McCarter & English

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:59:04 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. — David A. White, a Delaware Superior Court commissioner who played a key role in the state's asbestos and other toxic tort litigation, has resigned to join the Wilmington office of McCarter & English as a litigation partner.

White, who served seven years on the Superior Court, was responsible for all pretrial matters in the asbestos and benzene litigation and regularly served as a mediator for the Superior Court in toxic tort, personal injury, medical negli

Boston Scientific Appoints Timothy Pratt General Counsel

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:54:58 GMT

NATICK, Mass. — Boston Scientific Corp. has announced the appointment of Timothy Pratt, a nationally known attorney specializing in medical device and pharmaceutical litigation, as its new general counsel.

Pratt will hold the title of executive vice president, secretary and general counsel, will serve on the company's Executive Committee and will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Tobin. He plans to join the company May 1.

Pratt comes to Boston Sci

Former FTC Attorney Christine White Joins Crowell & Moring

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:51:53 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Crowell & Moring LLP has announced the addition of partner Christine L. White to its New York office as a member of the firm's Antitrust and Health Care groups.

White joins from Bingham McCutchen LLP, where she helped found and co-chair the firm's Healthcare Industry Group. White is also a former staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), where she investigated and prosecuted mergers, joint ventures and conduct cases involving health care

Noted Litigator Peter Diedrich Joins Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:48:26 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Noted litigator Peter J. Diedrich has joined the California law firm Musick Peeler & Garrett LLP in their downtown Los Angeles office as of the first of the year.

As a partner at Musick Peeler, Diedrich is involved in multiple areas of litigation, with emphasis on health care, real property litigation and labor and employment cases. His clients include two of the largest health plans in California as well as real estate developers.

Previously a sharehol

Palmisano To Lead Medical Device Maker ev3 Inc.

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:44:28 GMT

PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Global endovascular device company ev3 Inc. has announced the appointment of Robert J. Palmisano as president, chief executive officer and director. Dan Levangie, a current ev3 director and the lead independent director, has been appointed non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors. They succeed James M. Corbett, who has resigned as chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Palmisano brings more than 20 years of experience in the pharma

Former House Energy and Commerce Committee Counsel Joins Sidley Austin

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:30:39 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sidley Austin LLP has announced that John Ford, formerly a Senior Democratic Health Counsel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, will join the firm as counsel in its public policy, food and drug and health care practices.

Ford, the lead health care counsel to Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., for food, drug, device and public health matters, has been a principal staff member involved in the development of numerous health care laws over the past decade, in

King & Spalding Partner Named 'Outstanding Healthcare Litigator'

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:26:48 GMT

ATLANTA — King & Spalding’s James Boswell, a partner in the firm’s Atlanta Healthcare and Business Litigation practices, was selected as one of 12 “outstanding healthcare litigators” nationally for 2007 in Nightingale’s Healthcare News.

Boswell was acknowledged for his representation of health systems in class actions challenging pricing practices and for his role serving as lead counsel for a national nursing home chain being sued for its mana

Holland & Hart's Michael Carrigan Receives Davis Award

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:24:16 GMT

DENVER — Holland & Hart partner Michael Carrigan received the 2007 Richard Marden Davis award at a January dinner in his honor.

This award is presented annually by Davis Graham & Stubbs, the Denver Bar Foundation, and the Davis family to a Denver lawyer under the age of 40 who has combined excellence as a lawyer with civic, cultural, educational and charitable leadership.

A senior member of Holland & Hart's Litigation Department, Carrigan has distinguished hi

Trial Attorneys Team To Form Powerhouse Firm Of Hodes Milman

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:01:36 GMT

IRVINE, Calif.— Three of California’s most prominent product liability and medical malpractice trial attorneys have announced the establishment of the personal injury and medical malpractice litigation firm of Hodes Milman LLP.

The new firm represents the coming together of partners Daniel Hodes and Jeffrey Milman — formerly named partners of Newport Beach’s Lopez, Hodes, Restaino, Milman & Skikos — and defense attorney turned plaintiff trial lawyer a

Littler Mendelson Expands In Central U.S. With New St. Louis Office

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:55:49 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Littler Mendelson, the nation’s largest employment and labor law firm, has announced that several St. Louis attorneys will lead Littler’s further expansion into Missouri. The St. Louis addition is Littler’s 44th nationwide office.

Shareholders Harry (Hal) Wellford Jr., formerly of Thompson Coburn; Charles (Chad) Reis IV, formerly of Brown & James; Stephen Smith, formerly of Thompson Coburn; and Kimberly Yates, also of Thompson Coburn,

Richard Klingler Rejoins Sidley Austin LLP

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:48:52 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sidley Austin LLP has announced that Richard Klingler has rejoined the firm’s Washington office as a partner in the complex commercial litigation practice.

Klingler left the firm in 2005 to serve in the Office of the Counsel to the President, concluding his service as senior associate counsel to the President. From 2006 to 2007, he served as the National Security Council’s general counsel and legal adviser.

Klingler’s practice a

Milberg Weiss Now Milberg LLP After Co-Founder Agrees To Plead Guilty

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:52:24 GMT

NEW YORK — The firm formerly known as Milberg Weiss has announced on its Web site that it is changing its name to Milberg LLP after learning that co-founder Melvyn I. Weiss has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges for concealing secret payment arrangements the firm had years ago with named plaintiffs in class action lawsuits.

“It is with deep disappointment that we have learned that Melvyn I. Weiss has engaged in misconduct and has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy

Hagens Berman To Serve As Special Counsel To State Of Connecticut

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:51:12 GMT

SEATTLE — Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro (HBSS) has been selected by the State of Connecticut as special counsel to assist the State in investigating and/or litigating pharmaceutical industry marketing practices, including but not limited to off-label marketing and failure to warn of potential consequences of products that caused harm to the State or its consumers.

Steve Berman, the lead HBSS attorney on the project indicated that "we are pleased to work with the State and At

Stawiarski Joins McDonald Hopkins As Senior Associate

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:47:27 GMT

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — Lawrence V. Stawiarski has joined the Bloomfield Hills office of McDonald Hopkins PLC as a senior associate in the Litigation Department.

Stawiarski has extensive experience in complex commercial litigation, general corporate, product liability defense, employment law and intellectual property law. He has represented several multi-national corporations and product manufacturers in product liability and multijurisdictional litigation.

IP Special Counsel Join Cadwalader's Washington Office

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:44:21 GMT

NEW YORK — In its fourth such announcement in five months, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP has announced that two intellectual property litigators with International Trade Commission (ITC) expertise, Kent R. Stevens and Evelyn G. Heilbrunn, based in Washington, D.C., have joined the firm’s Intellectual Property Group.

Stevens concentrates in international trade aspects of intellectual property litigation, including a specialty in Section 337 investigations before the

Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro Opens Las Vegas Office

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:40:30 GMT

LAS VEGAS — Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro LLP has opened an office in Las Vegas to serve its growing client base.

Joining Jim Mace, former head of the Real Estate, Energy and Finance Law Practice Group for Snell & Wilmer’s Las Vegas office, as a partner in Christensen Glaser’s Las Vegas office will be Las Vegas native Mandy S. Shavinsky, Joseph F. Schmitt and six other lawyers who will be joining the firm as associates. Both Shavinsk

Robert Half Legal Lists High-Demand Positions

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:36:19 GMT

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Law firms are moving quickly to hire legal professionals with specialized expertise as they pursue plans to enhance services in high-growth practice areas and attract new business. Legal departments also are in need of skilled talent as they expand to meet ongoing corporate governance requirements, according to the 2008 Salary Guide from Robert Half Legal, a staffing service specializing in positions in the legal field.

"Intellectual property, lit

Pacific Research Institute Ranks State Tort Systems

LexisNexis Tort Center Staff — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:55:31 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has released its latest report comparing the legal climates of all 50 states.

According to the