Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani welcomes Laura E. Kugler as Partner in the Dallas office. She joins the Environmental/Toxic Tort practice group.
Ms. Kugler is an AV Preeminent® Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell®. She brings nearly 30 years of experience in products, premises, employment, and professional liability litigation. She also assists clients with governmental relations and advocacy. She has served as the coordinating counsel for the liaison committee of the Texas asbestos MDL since its inception 15 years ago and has been integrally involved with the evolution of the litigation. As a legislative consultant, she was involved in passing tort reform legislation that changed the landscape of Texas from the “lawsuit capital of the world” to one of the most business-friendly environments and robust economies in the U.S.
“Laura is an excellent attorney and we are very pleased she has joined Gordon & Rees,” said Troy Helling, a partner who has known Laura Kugler for over two decades. “In addition to her widely recognized courtroom skills, Laura’s experience in litigating and managing large trial dockets will be a tremendous asset to firm clients both locally and across the country.” Ms. Kugler joins Gordon & Rees as part of a larger group of ten other attorneys all of whom previously practiced with Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP.
Over her career as a litigator, Ms. Kugler has been at the forefront of Havner/Daubert issues, motions for summary judgment involving unique causation standards, responsible third-party motions as well as participating in all facets of fact and expert discovery and depositions, other motion practice and pre-trial preparation and hearings. She has extensive experience in the development of expert witnesses in the areas of industrial hygiene, medical causation, epidemiology and naval expertise on a national level. She coordinates all aspects of litigation for clients, including implementing strategies for discovery and managing large trial dockets.
Ms. Kugler is an experienced negotiator and has negotiated settlements in thousands of cases nationwide. Additionally, she is a certified mediator with an expertise in tort litigation.
She is admitted to practice in Oklahoma, Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas.
She received her law degree from Tulane University and her undergraduate degree at Indiana University.