Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani has elevated 36 attorneys to partnership. Located in offices throughout the country and experienced in a broad range of legal areas, these new partners are positioned to collaborate with our national practice groups to meet the various legal needs of our clients.
"Our newly elevated partners represent a great variety of practice areas and a number of different geographic regions and thus reflect Gordon & Rees' broad geographic footprint and deep bench as a 50-state firm," said Dion Cominos, Firmwide Managing Partner. "Please join me in congratulating all of these outstanding individuals on their accomplishments which are well-deserved and the product of significant efforts on their part."
The Gordon & Rees partnership ranks now include:
Robert M. Barrack is a partner in the Hartford office and a member of the Construction practice group. He dedicates his practice to complex construction and commercial litigation and appeals, including contractual disputes, professional negligence, surety bond claims, subrogation claims, mechanics’ liens, business torts, unfair trade practices, bad faith claims, product liability, and real property disputes, as well as construction transactions, on behalf of businesses, public entities, educational institutions, and individuals. Mr. Barrack represents contractors, design professionals, owners, manufacturers, and sureties regarding a variety of claims involving defective design and construction, change orders and delays, mechanics' liens, bid disputes, and surety bonds.
Christopher T. Beck is a partner in the Miami office and a member of the Environmental/Toxic Tort practice group. An aggressive litigator, Mr. Beck has spent his career defending complex multimillion-dollar cases in state and federal court. His diverse practice includes professional liability, general liability, insurance defense, admiralty defense, third-party property, personal injury, condominium law, contracts, auto negligence, marine negligence, premises liability, wrongful death, real estate litigation, corporate law, medical malpractice, trucking, federal transportation, products liability, intellectual property, construction defect, toxic torts, governmental defense, and subrogation.
Shannon M. Benbow is a partner in the Los Angeles office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. Ms. Benbow defends companies of all sizes and industries in employment matters, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour matters. She also regularly represents employers before state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing, and the Washington State Human Rights Commission.
Lindsey M. Blackwell is a partner in the New York office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. Ms. Blackwell represents management in federal and state court, arbitral forums, and before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the New York State Division of Human Rights. She has experience handling a full range of employment matters including discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, and wage and hour claims.
John M. Buscemi is a partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Insurance practice group. Mr. Buscemi specializes in handling complex insurance coverage disputes involving CGL, PL, private and public D&O, E&O, EPL, commercial auto, UM/UIM, excess, umbrella, property, fidelity bond, commercial crime, disability, and life insurance policies, as well as bad faith litigation. Mr. Buscemi has extensive experience preparing opinions and litigating coverage disputes across the country on behalf of domestic and international insurers. Utilizing his coverage expertise, Mr. Buscemi also regularly defends insurance producers. Additionally, Mr. Buscemi defends clients in general civil litigation matters, including negligence, transportation, and breach of contract claims.
Kaitlyn Chang is a partner in the Los Angeles office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. She has extensive civil litigation experience with practice ranging from handling employment law and consumer actions to commercial disputes. Ms. Chang helps clients identify areas of exposure regarding employment-related issues, develops defense and trial strategies, and advises on compliance with California employment laws.
David M. Clarke is a partner in the Atlanta office and a member of the Health Care practice group. He works as an advocate and advisor to health care providers facing professional negligence, general liability, employment, fraud and abuse, antitrust, and regulatory disputes. Mr. Clarke also specializes in successfully representing general contractors, design professionals, owners, developers, subcontractors, and suppliers in construction disputes.
John D. Clay is a partner in the Louisville office and a member of the Construction practice group. He is an effective construction litigator, with a proven track record for representing design professionals, contractors, and owners during every phase of the construction process. In addition to his dynamic construction practice, Mr. Clay counsels business owners, product manufacturers, and developers in highly technical matters involving product design, premises liability, and intellectual property rights.
Kiley McCarthy Connolly is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. Her practice focuses on a wide range of civil litigation matters including the defense of companies and employers in employment and commercial-related actions. Ms. McCarthy Connolly defends clients against claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower, workplace violence, Family and Medical Leave Act issues, other leave issues, and complex wage and hour disputes.
David W. Corneil is a partner in the Portland, Oregon office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. Mr. Corneil's practice focuses on the defense of drug, medical device, and consumer product manufacturers in product liability claims. He also has extensive experience litigating business and contract disputes, class actions, toxic tort and environmental actions, trade secrets claims, and consumer warranty matters. Mr. Corneil navigates corporate clients of all sizes through every aspect of litigation from pre-litigation claims through trial.
Marissa Dellacroce is a partner in the Chicago and Milwaukee offices and a member of the Employment Law, Labor, and Commercial Litigation practice groups. She has extensive experience defending clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups throughout all stages of litigation. In her employment practice, she defends employers in claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. She also represents businesses and individuals in a wide range of complex commercial matters, which include breach of contract claims, breaches of fiduciary duty, and business-related torts.
Krista Easom is a partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Professional Liability Defense, Employment Law, and Commercial Litigation practice groups. Her professional liability practice focuses primarily on defending lawyers, accountants, physicians, nurses, and various professional agents. Ms. Easom also represents employers in claims involving discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, retaliation, and contract disputes.
Peter M. Geckeler is a partner in the San Francisco office and a member of the Construction practice group. His construction practice focuses on the representation of residential and commercial general contractors, builders, and developers in complex, multi-party construction defect matters. Mr. Geckeler has handled real estate transaction disputes, subrogation actions, SB 800 claims, arbitration actions, catastrophic personal injury suits, and complex construction defect actions involving hundreds of plaintiffs and dozens of cross-defendants.
Frank C. Gradishar is a partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Environmental & Toxic Tort practice group. Mr. Gradishar is an experienced litigator, having represented both corporate and individual clients in several different areas of law including subrogation, personal injury, insurance defense, general civil litigation, and divorce/domestic relations. Mr. Gradishar has also served as general counsel for two closely held corporations.
Gabriel G. Hendrick is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. Mr. Hedrick has represented various multi-national companies and individuals in a wide variety of legal disputes involving, among other things, intellectual property litigation in federal and state court, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He has also litigated high-stakes business disputes, including shareholder derivative actions, breach of contract, and employment matters.
Vernon Phillip Hill IV is a partner in the Atlanta office and he devotes the majority of his practice to business/commercial litigation, employment, and general liability defense matters. A focus of Mr. Hill’s practice involves initiating and defending claims involving breach of restrictive covenants and defending discrimination-related claims. Mr. Hill also represents public and privately held entities in business and commercial-related disputes where he has defended and prosecuted a variety of complex commercial litigation matters involving breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, unfair business practices, fraud, and theft. Mr. Hill also defends a variety of businesses including retailers, contractors, restaurants, public entities, and commercial property owners in lawsuits under general liability insurance policies.
Kerry K. Jardine is a partner in the Charleston office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. She has broad experience representing small to large businesses in complex litigation, including construction, product liability, professional liability, employment, and class actions. Ms. Jardine provides legal advice and strategy within a wide range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction. Ms. Jardine’s employment practice focuses on claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, and retaliation. She practices before state and federal courts, arbitration panels, and state administrative bodies. Ms. Jardine practices in South Carolina, New York, and New Jersey.
Quincy Ann Marie Jones is a partner in the Dallas office and a member of the Environmental & Toxic Tort practice group. Ms. Jones serves as national coordinating counsel and trial counsel for many mid-size to large corporations in a variety of toxic tort litigation, including asbestos, chemicals, and cosmetic talcum powder. Ms. Jones develops and executes national strategies to achieve each client’s goals including managing complex investigations and strategic discovery and developing expert and corporate witnesses. She has successfully led the briefing and argued complex motions in venues across the country as part of trial teams in Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and California.
Summerly Kulik is a partner in the Pittsburgh office of Gordon & Rees and a member of the firm's Energy, Real Estate, and Commercial Litigation groups. She is experienced in a wide range of litigation and transactional matters including breach of contract claims, lease disputes, mineral trespass actions, product liability, quiet title actions, ROW disputes, and personal injury. In addition to litigation, she is also well-versed in all oil and gas transactional and title issues, including handling voluminous certified title projects, mineral acquisitions, acreage trade agreements, and purchase and sale agreements. Ms. Kulik has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, in particular in drafting principle, opposition, and appellate briefs.
Leonor M. Lagomasino is a partner in the Miami office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. She has devoted her practice to insurers as well as businesses and individuals in a broad variety of complex matters. In insurance defense, Ms. Lagomasino has defended individual disability and ERISA-governed disability claims, beneficiary claims under life insurance policies, bad faith claims, property and casualty claims, construction defects claims, and various other first-party claims involving commercial matters. In commercial litigation, she has represented banks, commercial real estate companies, commercial property owners, and other business owners.
Rebecca J. R. Marsden is a partner in the Los Angeles office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. Her experience includes the defense of employment matters including class actions, labor law, and complex business and corporate matters and disputes. Ms. Marsden also counsels clients on human resource issues including employment contracts, severance agreements, and employee handbooks and policies.
John T. Mills is a partner in the New York office and a member of the Cyber, Privacy & Data Security, Commercial Litigation, and Employment Law practice groups. His practice primarily focuses on privacy/data security and technology litigation, professional liability defense, and complex commercial and employment litigation. Mr. Mills has experience in providing counsel to clients on a broad range of cyber liability issues, including incident response, technology and media litigation, and class action defense in state and federal courts. He also regularly counsels and represents clients across all sizes and industries in connection with professional liability and employment disputes, ranging from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and unlawful termination claims to complex commercial and contractual disputes.
Pamela Y. Ng is a partner in the San Francisco office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. With years of in-house experience, Ms. Ng provides practical legal advice and strategy to employers in a wide range of industries, including technology, manufacturing, universities, hospitals and clinics, and management companies. She litigates individual and class action cases, including claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, whistleblower, breach of contract, and wage and hour violations.
Benjamin W. O'Grady is a partner in the Boston office and a member of the Construction practice group. He focuses his practice on commercial and civil litigation concerning complex business, construction, environmental, and drug and medical device matters in both state and federal courts. In addition, Mr. O’Grady has extensive experience representing clients before state administrative bodies and local town permitting authorities.
Sarah K. Prager is a partner in the New York office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. She has specific experience in defending a broad array of clients, including attorneys, engineers, general contractors, and property owners, against claims involving malpractice, labor law violations, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, municipal liability, and employment discrimination in New York state and federal courts.
Kelcie B. Reid is a partner in the Hartford office and a member of the Insurance and Product & General Liability practice groups. Her primary areas of practice include commercial and general liability litigation, as well as insurance coverage litigation. She has been involved in the management of high-damages complex litigation matters across multiple states and has extensive experience in defending product liability lawsuits. On the coverage side, she provides coverage opinions and advice to several national insurance companies and defends insurers against bad faith and unfair insurance practices claims. She regularly advises insurance companies throughout New England and in other states on first-party commercial property claims handling and litigation and on third-party coverage issues and litigation arising under a variety of policy forms, including directors and officers, commercial general liability, and excess and umbrella.
Annette L. Rose is a partner in the Sacramento office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. She has specific experience in defending against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and related wrongful termination claims. Her practice also includes counsel and defense against labor code claims, including defense of complex wage and hour class actions. In addition to her employment law practice, Ms. Rose also has significant experience working with and advising hospitality clients.
Melanie S. Schafer is a partner in the Pittsburgh office and a member of the Health Care practice group. She focuses on the resolution of Medicare compliance issues that arise in the settlement of workers’ compensation and general liability claims. Ms. Schafer is also regularly retained nationally as an expert speaker on managed service provider compliance and protecting Medicare’s interests in workers’ compensation, no-fault, and liability actions.
Casey Shaw is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the Tribal Law & Federal Indian Law practice group. His practice spans the gamut of civil defense cases, focusing on personal injury, commercial liability, governance, land use, ERISA, and appellate matters. Mr. Shaw regularly defends California tribal governments and tribal officials in a broad range of civil litigation matters, from premises liability or wrongful death to tribal law enforcement, governance, or oversight.
Bill Souferis is a partner in the Chicago office and a member of the Professional Liability Defense practice group. His practice focuses primarily on the defense of medical professionals and local and national healthcare practice groups and organizations. He has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation ranging from initial case assessment and investigation through jury verdicts.
Suzanne R. Walker is a partner in the Raleigh office and a member of the Insurance practice group. Ms. Walker routinely defends malpractice claims against health care providers and long-term care facilities in personal injury, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death claims. Her construction practice focuses on defending architects, engineers, and other design professionals in construction defect and delay claims.
Dennis Whelan is a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. Mr. Whelan began his legal career as a prosecutor in San Diego, California. Over the past two decades in private practice, he has tried dozens of civil cases to verdict as first chair and resolved hundreds of other cases prior to verdict via arbitration, mediation, non-jury trials, and/or settlement. Mr. Whelan has extensive experience handling complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, including his representation of product manufacturers in product liability and business litigation cases and his representation of plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury cases.
Andrea K. Williams is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the Insurance practice group. Ms. Williams has been practicing law in San Diego for over 15 years, representing a wide range of client interests. Ms. Williams’ experience includes litigation in both state and federal courts in matters involving member and provider insurance coverage and disability claims. In addition, Ms. Williams represents annuity contract obligors and issuers in structured settlement transactions.
Gene F. Williams is a partner in the Los Angeles office and a member of the Employment Law practice group. He has substantial expertise in labor and employment, class action, and general commercial litigation. Mr. Williams has handled hundreds of depositions, written and argued dozens of dispositive motions, prepared and tried cases to the bench and jury, obtained and defeated class certification, participated in over one hundred successful class action settlements, and participated in arbitrations, mediations, and settlement conferences for plaintiffs and defendants.
Theodore C. Yarbrough is a partner in the San Diego office and a member of the Commercial Litigation and Environmental & Toxic Tort practice groups. He has experience in a range of complex litigation matters at both the state and federal levels in multiple jurisdictions throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Mr. Yarbrough has represented clients in toxic tort matters – including asbestos, silica, and talcum powder – as well commercial, intellectual property, and insurance coverage disputes in litigation that included allegations of negligence, gross negligence, bad faith, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and tortious interference. He was also recognized by Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch in Commercial Litigation.
Crystal W. Yu is a partner in the Los Angeles office and a member of the Commercial Litigation practice group. Ms. Yu is also licensed to practice in the state of Hawai’i. Ms. Yu represents both large and small businesses in a wide array of commercial disputes involving franchisor/franchisee litigation, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair competition. Ms. Yu also specializes in defending employers in a wide range of labor and employment claims in state and federal jurisdictions.