Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, the nation’s first and only law firm with offices in all 50 states, is pleased to announce the addition of Partners J. Scott Wood and Zackary Paal, Of Counsel Terry Hall, and Senior Counsel Virginia Leeper to the Seattle office.
Scott Wood has an extensive background advising and litigating a variety of matters, representing clients in the areas of commercial litigation, construction, products liability, premises liability, and toxic torts. He has handled trials, arbitrations, mediations/settlement conferences, and appeals for hundreds of clients ranging from individuals to large corporations. Mr. Wood has volunteered for the San Francisco Bar Association and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project on behalf of juvenile immigrants and done volunteer work with Court Appointed Special Advocates ("CASA ") for more than 20 years.
Mr. Wood is admitted to practice in California, Oregon, Washington, the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, and the U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California. He earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School, his master's degree from San Francisco State University, and his undergraduate degree from Reed College.
Zackary Paal is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer in the Environmental/Toxic Tort practice group who has handled a wide variety of complex and high-risk cases. He represents clients as national coordinating counsel and local counsel in the maritime, aerospace, natural resources, healthcare, and industrial manufacturing sectors. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Paal worked for more than a decade providing mental health and substance abuse counseling and social services to at-risk youth and their families.
Mr. Paal is admitted to practice in Washington, California, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia. He earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School and his undergraduate degree from Yale University.
Terry Hall has been practicing law since 1981. He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating and is admitted to practice in both Washington and Oregon. He has substantial experience in the representation of companies in toxic tort, product liability, and employment cases on a local and regional basis. He has devoted a substantial portion of his practice in the defense of contractors, distributors, and manufacturers in asbestos-related lawsuits, has tried numerous cases to verdict in Washington and Oregon, and has served as both regional and national coordinating counsel for companies involved in asbestos litigation. His practice also includes representing individuals, companies and organizations in environmental matters and general commercial litigation.
Virginia Leeper has focused her practice primarily on asbestos litigation and employment law over the last twenty-six years. She has tried numerous cases in Washington and other states, including in Superior and Circuit Courts, the Washington Courts of Appeal, and the Washington State Supreme Court. In addition to trying cases, she has participated in witness development and the development of trial defenses on a local and national basis.
"Sarah and I are honored to welcome Scott, Zack, Terry, and Virginia to the Seattle office. We are happy to include their talent, skill, and commitment to what we offer our clients," said Allen Estes, Co-Managing Partner of the Seattle office, along with Sarah Turner.
The Seattle office’s capabilities include the practice areas of employment law, ERISA, insurance coverage, environmental law, defense of asbestos claims, commercial litigation, professional liability, real estate, corporate formation, and construction. Most of the attorneys in the Seattle office practice in both Washington and Oregon. The Seattle office works closely with the Portland office to service the legal needs of their clients in the Pacific Northwest.
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