Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Of Counsel to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Amelia Sedano McDonald has joined the Los Angeles office Of Counsel focusing her practice on transportation, utility, land use and permitting, and cannabis matters. She has more than 20 years of experience in civil litigation and has also spent the last 10 years cultivating an urban farm in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Amelia’s clients appreciate her unique perspective as a small business owner who understands the challenges businesses face when navigating the legal landscape.

Coming from a bi-racial, bi-cultural, and progressive family interested in the arts and politics, Amelia chose to practice law to make small acts of progress and make a difference in our legal system. Her strengths are utilizing self-awareness and experience to evaluate claims better, navigating relationships with opposing Counsel, and effectively communicating with carriers and clients. She prides herself in evaluating her cases effectively with integrity, and her clients know she will always give them an honest and experienced evaluation of their cases.

Amelia graduated from the University of Arizona School of law after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. While in law school, she clerked for Judge B. Velasco, Arizona Superior Court, and was awarded the Ares Fellowship for teaching first-year law students research and writing.

Four M&C Attorneys Named to Southern California Rising Stars List

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Partners Kelsey Maxwell, Joshua Praw, and Tina Vo and Associate Partner Georgiana Nikias have been selected to the 2022 Southern California Rising Stars list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Southern California.

Kelsey L. Maxwell is a Partner in the Los Angeles office focusing her practice on the areas of general liability, product liability and specialty tort including habitability and discrimination claims. She is a graduate of The University of Arizona (B.A.) and Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law (J.D.).

Joshua W. Praw is a Partner in the Los Angeles office focusing his practice in the area of commercial general liability, products liability, construction defect, and toxic tort. Mr. Praw is a graduate of University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.) and University of Wisconsin – Madison (B.A. in History).

Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Praw Co-Chair the firm’s Summer Associate Program and Post-Bar Law Clerk Program where they train, mentor, and oversee the firm’s summer associates and post-bar law clerks.

Tina H. Vo is a Partner in the Los Angeles office. She has experience in products liability, business torts, commercial, and transportation litigation. Ms. Vo is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University (B.A.) and University of Miami School of Law (J.D.). Ms. Vo is a member of the California and Florida bars.

Georgiana A. Nikias is an Associate Partner in the Los Angeles office. She has experience in business litigation, employment law, products liability, general liability, art law, IP litigation, and commercial real estate litigation. Ms. Nikias is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law (B.A. and J.D.) and Oxford University (M.St.).

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Of Counsel to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Bonni S. Mantovani has joined the Los Angeles office as Of Counsel. In her legal career, she has represented major banks, lenders and servicers in civil matters as well as in contested and adversarial bankruptcy litigation.

Bonni graduated from Adelphi University in New York with a Bachelor of Science before continuing onto the SCALE program at Southwestern University School of Law. She views practicing law as a dynamic art that is constantly evolving, and her clients appreciate her tenacity and avid problem-solving. After many years in bankruptcy litigation, the birth of her daughter’s twins changed her career trajectory. Bonni made the transition back to civil litigation defense to enjoy the balance of pursuing her legal profession while also spending time with her family.

Bonni was recognized in the January 2020 edition of DS News’s “Top 25 Women in Mortgage Legal Servicing,” and she is also a member of the Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association. She has volunteered as Pro Bono for Bet Tzedek Legal Services and was a Small Claims Court Judge Pro Tem.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Associate to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Stephanie S. Poli has joined the Los Angeles office as Associate. Her experience includes handling various personal injury, breach of contract, bad faith, and class action matters.

Stephanie graduated with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in business administration magna cum laude from the University of Arizona. After college, she worked as a legal assistant, where she learned the administrative side of a law firm and developed organizational skills highly valuable to her career. Stephanie spent her childhood watching her father grow a successful legal practice and was inspired to follow in his footsteps.

Stephanie continued onto the University of California, Hastings College of Law, during which she worked as a law clerk for the Children’s Law Center in Los Angeles and a law firm in Tucson, Arizona. She was the Executive Submissions Editor for the Hastings Business Law Journal, a UC Hastings Pro Bono Society member, and a volunteer for the Homeless Legal Services. Stephanie also worked as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Writing and Research and Moot Court.

Stephanie was involved in Lawyers Club, a prominent specialty bar organization dedicated to advancing women in law and society, and was the past Chair of numerous committees, such as the Bench Bar Committee and Networking Events Committee.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Associate to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Clarence E. Ellington III has joined the Los Angeles office as an Associate. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA and earned his J.D. at Howard University School of Law. Prior to his legal studies, Clarence spent six years developing his skills in a real-world environment. His work experience ranges from running a property management company with his father to supply chain management for Beachbody, LLC.

At Howard University School of Law, Clarence had the privilege of becoming a Henry Ramsey Dean’s Fellow, a selective group of seven highest-performing students chosen to mentor and teach students to improve their writing. This opportunity allowed Clarence to foster imperative communication and writing skills while he worked as a writer and editor for the Howard Human & Civil Rights Law Review. Clarence enhanced his law school experience by assisting the D.C. Public Employee Relations Board, becoming a Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association member, and being appointed vice president of the Sports & Entertainment Law Students Association.

After his second year of law school, Clarence accepted a position as a Summer Associate at Murchison & Cumming, LLP in 2020 and continued on as a Post-Bar Clerk in 2021 before becoming an Associate. He is interested in Employment Law due to his eagerness to help all kinds of businesses grow. The corporate aspect of the law intrigues him, and he seeks to play an integral role in keeping industries afloat. Clarence is trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and certified in conducting mediations as a third-party neutral.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Senior Associate to Irvine Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Richard A. McFarlane has joined the Irvine office as a Senior Associate, focusing his practice on general liability matters. He is a seasoned legal professional with more than 20 years of experience in business law and civil litigation in State and Federal Courts.

Richard received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University, Fullerton before continuing onto Southwestern University School of Law during which he clerked for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Branch. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of California, Riverside, in the legal history of the Western United States. Richard received the Rupert Costco Chair in American Indian Affairs Medal for research, teaching, and service while earning his Ph.D. He taught undergraduate students U.S. constitutional and Supreme Court history for three years as an Adjunct Lecturer at UC Riverside.

Richard pursued a career in practicing law because he enjoys helping people solve complex and intellectual legal problems. Richard excels at Law and Motion and has substantive experience with all aspects of pre-trial and trial litigation to prosecute or defend clients’ interests. He has practiced law in different areas ranging from real estate litigation, business litigation, employment litigation, and public entity defense.

Murchison & Cumming Names Two New Partners and Associate Partners

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Matthew Voss has been elevated to Partner and Celim Huezo and Peter Martin have been elevated to Associate Partner.

Matthew E. Voss is based in the Los Angeles office focusing his practice on Law & Motion and Appellate work. Matthew has applied to the California State Bar to be recognized as a certified appellate specialist. Over the past 20 years, he has built a diverse practice spanning from general civil litigation to entertainment law. Mr. Voss is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law and obtained a B.S. in Political Science from Illinois State University.

Celim E. Huezo is based in the Los Angeles office focusing his practice on general liability. With more than 15 years of experience, Mr. Huezo understands the nuances of his clients’ cases and ensures they are an active part of the litigation process. Celim is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and received a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Southern California.

Peter A. Martin is based in the Irvine office focusing his practice on Employment Litigation, Medical and Legal Malpractice, and General and Premises Liability. Mr. Martin’s diverse background stems from his almost 30-year career representing a wide range of clients and litigating a broad spectrum of legal issues. Peter is a graduate of Western State University College of Law, received an M.A. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a B.A. from Azusa Pacific University.

About Murchison & Cumming

Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier “Go-To” civil litigation firm with multiple offices throughout California and Nevada. Our attorneys specialize in the defense of domestic and international businesses, insurers, and high-networth individuals, at trial and on appeal. Additionally, the firm’s attorneys handle employment matters and business transactions. Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a member of the USLAW Network and other prestigious bench and bar organizations, including the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Senior Associate to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Mirth White has joined the Los Angeles office as a Senior Associate, focusing her practice on professional and general liability matters. She has more than 25 years of litigation and transactional experience with a diverse background in personal injury litigation, finance law, civil rights, and insurance coverage issues.

With her strong legal writing and passion for research, Mirth enjoys finding solutions to complex legal problems. She stays on top of dynamic changes by constantly learning new things about the law, businesses and products, and enjoys meeting a wide range of people she would not have crossed paths with in any other profession.

Mirth received her A.B. in Liberal Arts at Sarah Lawrence College before earning her J.D. at Whittier Law School. While in law school, she was a Lead Articles Editor for the Law Review, graduated magna cum laude, and won multiple American Jurisprudence Awards.

Mirth began her legal career as a law clerk in the corporate legal department of a large insurance company, where she focused on the analysis of insurance provisions in multi-state policies, escheats and assisted the Corporate Secretary with Board of Directors issues.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes Associate Partner to Los Angeles Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Richard C. Hatem has joined the Los Angeles office as an Associate Partner, focusing his practice on construction defect matters. With more than 20 years of experience, he has represented general contractors as well as numerous construction trades and material suppliers. Richard has also handled premises liability, automobile, and personal injury cases.

Richard graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Murchison & Cumming, LLP Named to U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” 2022 List

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Murchison & Cumming has received a Metropolitan Tier 1 ranking in San Francisco for Insurance Law and Metropolitan Tier 2 rankings in Los Angeles for Appellate Practice, San Diego for Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Las Vegas for Commercial Litigation in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list for 2022.

“Best Law Firms” is “based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process.” Best Lawyers is “the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession.”

Founded by R. Bruce Murchison in 1930, M&C is an AV-rated AmLaw 500 “Go To” law firm for litigation in California and Nevada. We represent domestic and international businesses, insurers, professionals and individuals in litigated, non-litigated and transactional matters. With more than 85 attorneys in our six offices, we are large enough to provide clients with the resources of a large firm while ensuring the level of personalized service one would expect to receive from a small firm.