Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Two Attorneys to Its Nevada Office

April 28, 2010

LOS ANGELES – April 28, 2010 – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that attorneys Melanie C. Polk and Suzette P. Ang have joined the firm's Nevada office. Ms. Polk focuses her practice in construction defect litigation, and Ms. Ang's practice focus is in construction, personal injury, general liability, and premises liability litigation.

“We are pleased to have Ms. Polk and Ms. Ang join our Las Vegas office,” said Jean Lawler, Managing Partner of the firm. “The diversity of their experiences and expertise will provide the firm’s clients with added value.”

Ms. Polk is a native Nevadan with deep roots throughout the state, which has enabled her practice to extend into each county and several Tribal Courts. Her extensive litigation work has achieved favorable results for a wide range of clients through voluntary dismissals, successful mediations, or positive trial results. Her clients have included Fortune 500 companies, the Washoe and Yerington Paiute Tribal Housing Authorities, and Wells Cargo. She has also defended national and international insurance companies, such as National Fire and Marine and Zurich.

In fulfilling her community pro bono aspirations, Ms. Polk has joined with Supreme Court Justices and other attorneys to serve as a Judge for the Nevada High School Mock Trial Competitions for the past seven years.

She is a past president of the Nevada State Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Douglas County Bar Association, and an active member of the Nevada State Bar Association and Clark County Bar Association.

“I have respected the attorneys of Murchison & Cumming for many years and the opportunity to join their quality team is exciting. I am particularly motivated to be representing subcontractor entities with the Las Vegas office, as my father was a subcontractor in this city. I know many of these good, hardworking people personally and am honored to be their counsel,” said Ms. Polk.

Ms. Ang, a British Columbia transplant, began her career as an attorney in Nevada after graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She has handled cases involving business transactions, and has defended personal injury matters on behalf of hotels, casinos and common carriers, as well as complex construction defect matters for subcontractors, general contractors, developers and insurance carriers. Most recently, Ms. Ang has defended commercial lenders, financial institutions, and business owners involving commercial and business transactions claims. During her graduate career, she received Westlaw Certification for Advanced Case Law Research, Advanced Statutory Research and Advanced Secondary Source Research.

One of Ms. Ang's current goals is to join the Las Vegas Chapter of the Asian Bar Association, in her efforts to become more active in the Asian legal community. She is fluent in various Chinese dialects, particularly Fukienese and Taiwanese. Ms. Ang is currently a member of the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division & Dispute Resolution section, and is an active member of the State Bar of Nevada.

“I have only heard good things about Murchison & Cumming. I'm excited about the prospect of building lasting relationships with both the team and the firm's clients,” said Ms. Ang.

Ms. Polk and Ms. Ang are each admitted to practice before the courts of Nevada, and the United States District Court, District of Nevada.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP

With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier civil litigation firm with five offices in California and Las Vegas, whose attorneys specialize in the defense of domestic and international businesses, insurers and individuals, at trial and on appeal. The Firm’s attorneys also handle employment matters and business transactions. For additional information, please visit our website at www.murchisonlaw.com.