CLEVELAND - Thompson Hine LLP has elected 13 lawyers to the firm's partnership effective January 1, 2009:
Gary D. Blachman is a member of the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation practice group in the Cincinnati office. He counsels public and private employers on the design and administration of tax-qualified retirement plans and welfare plans. Blachman focuses his practice on ERISA and employee benefits issues in corporate mergers and acquisitions. He advises clients on IRS and Department of Labor audits, fiduciary and prohibited transaction matters. His practice also involves designing, implementing and terminating non-qualified executive compensation arrangements. Blachman received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School, his M.B.A. from City University of New York and his B.A. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He is admitted to practice in Ohio, Illinois and New Jersey.
Dorian Daggs is a member of the Business Litigation and Product Liability Litigation practice groups in the Atlanta office, as well as the ERISA Litigation group. He represents individuals and companies in a wide variety of complex civil litigation matters, including commercial, contract, professional liability and real estate. Daggs also has significant experience in the area of product liability, where he has defended companies against plaintiffs' claims of catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful death claims brought by surviving family members. He received his J.D. from GeorgetownUniversityLawCenter and his B.A., summa cum laude, from HowardUniversity. He is admitted to practice in Maryland, Georgia and the District of Columbia.
Carolyn S. Flahive is a member of the Telecommunications subgroup of the firm's Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group in the Columbus office. She has represented the interests of telecommunications companies, wireless service providers and technology-related businesses since joining Thompson Hine in 2000. Flahive not only works closely with clients on all matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, she also counsels clients on non-regulated matters including wireless, Internet, video and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services. Flahive received her J.D., magna cum laude, from CapitalUniversityLawSchool and her B.A. from The Ohio State University. She is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Gregory J. Gawlik is a member of the Tax practice group in the Cleveland office. He focuses his practice on federal and state tax controversies. He has represented numerous clients in IRS audits and administrative appeals, and he has extensive experience obtaining rulings from the IRS National Office. Gawlik also advises clients with respect to corporate mergers and acquisitions and partnership tax issues. He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and his B.A., summa cum laude, from Bowling GreenStateUniversity. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Christopher R. Johnson is a member of the Labor & Employment practice group in the Cleveland office. He represents employers and management in all aspects of employment litigation and labor relations. He regularly appears in federal and state courts to defend against wrongful discharge, harassment, wage and hour and discrimination lawsuits, and to enforce and defend against claims related to covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants. He also regularly appears before administrative agencies to defend against OSHA violations and EEOC charges. Johnson received his J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School and his B.A., magna cum laude, from CaseWestern ReserveUniversity. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Eduardo Kim is a member of the Commercial & Public Finance practice group in the Cleveland office. He focuses his practice on commercial lending, primarily representing banks and other financial institutions and private equity firms. He has significant experience with syndicated, multi-bank senior credit facilities, asset-based and structured finance facilities, acquisition financing and foreign financing transactions. He received his J.D. from CornellUniversityLawSchool and his B.A., with distinction, from CornellUniversity. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Tony Kuhel is a member of the Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group in the Cleveland office. He focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions, joint ventures (including real estate development joint ventures) and manufacturing, distribution and other strategic commercial agreements. Kuhel received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A. from The George Washington University. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Jennifer Mingus Mountcastle is a member of the Product Liability Litigation and Business Litigation practice groups in the Cleveland office. She regularly appears in trial and appellate courts and has extensive experience defending manufacturers and distributors of commercial and consumer products against claims of injury to persons and property. She also has prosecuted and defended claims of breach of contract as well as claims of breach of fiduciary duty. Mountcastle received her J.D., summa cum laude, from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Bowling GreenStateUniversity. She is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Michele L. Noble is a member of the Business Litigation and Product Liability Litigation practice groups in the Columbus office. She focuses her practice on general civil and commercial litigation, including disputes involving securities, fiduciary malfeasance, municipal liability, commercial contracts, insurance coverage, land use and zoning, employer torts, civil rights, restrictive covenants, commercial real estate, product and premises liability, and electric utility liability issues. Noble received her J.D., summa cum laude, from CapitalUniversityLawSchool and her B.A., magna cum laude, from The Ohio State University. She was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers® Rising Stars Edition in 2007 and 2008 and is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Christopher T. O'Shaughnessy is a member of the Construction practice group in the Columbus office. He focuses his practice on public and private construction law, commercial and construction litigation and intellectual property law. He has represented architects, engineers, surveyors, owners, contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers in bidding and construction disputes. O'Shaughnessy received his J.D. from CapitalUniversityLawSchool and his B.A. from The Ohio State University. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Patrick J. Saccogna is a member of the Personal & Succession Planning practice group in the Cleveland office. He focuses his practice in the trusts and estates area, counseling individuals, families and businesses in a wide range of personal, charitable, business and succession planning matters. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio). Saccogna received his LL.M. in taxation from Case Western Reserve University School of Law; his J.D., magna cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law; and his B.B.A., summa cum laude, from KentStateUniversity. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
Robin M. Wilson is a member of the Business Litigation and Real Estate practice groups in the Cleveland office. She focuses her practice on business and commercial contract disputes, governmental land use matters including eminent domain and zoning, and real estate-based litigation. Wilson entered private practice after working as an assistant county prosecutor in the civil division of the Stark County Prosecuting Attorney's office. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her B.S. from OhioUniversity. She is admitted to practice in Ohio.
M. Scott Young is a member of the Labor & Employment and Business Litigation practice groups in the Cincinnati office. He counsels and litigates in virtually all aspects of labor and employment law, including the defense of discrimination, wrongful discharge and harassment lawsuits; responding to EEOC and OCRC charges; ADA and FMLA matters; employment policies; employee benefits; hiring/firing issues; contracts; trade secrets; and FLSA and OSHA matters. He also counsels on risk management and litigates matters involving environmental tort, product liability and business disputes. Young received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law and his B.A. from St. John'sCollege. He is admitted to practice in Ohio.
About Thompson Hine LLP: Established in 1911, Thompson Hine is a business law firm dedicated to providing superior client service. For the last several years, the firm has been named one of the Best Corporate Law Firms in America (in an annual survey of corporate directors conducted by Corporate Board Member magazine). With more than 400 lawyers, Thompson Hine serves premier businesses worldwide. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Brussels, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, New York and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ThompsonHine.com.