Murchison & Cumming Senior Partner Richard C. Moreno Appointed to USLAW Transportation Practice Group

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Murchison & Cumming is pleased to announce that Senior Partner Richard C. Moreno has been named as the Educational Coordinator for the USLAW Transportation Practice Group. He will be responsible for overseeing the development of the educational content for the group, serve as the direct liaison with the Educational Advisory Committee, and serve as the formal leadership of the practice group.

Mr. Moreno is the Chair of the Transportation Practice Group of Murchison & Cumming, LLP. He focuses his practice in the areas of transportation, product liability, general liability, warranty liability, and the defense of utility companies in wildland fire litigation. He specializes in the handling of catastrophic injury cases, including matters involving multiple wrongful deaths. Mr. Moreno is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

USLAW NETWORK is an international organization composed of more than 100 independent defense-based firms with over 7,000 attorneys. The NETWORK is comprised of highly rated law firms who are part of the NETWORK by invitation only. USLAW member firms provide legal representation to major corporations, insurance companies, and large and small businesses alike.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Network.

Four from Murchison & Cumming Honored by Legal Leaders as Top Attorneys

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce four attorneys from the firm’s San Francisco office have been recognized by Legal Leaders as one of San Francisco’s Top Rated Lawyers of 2015. The San Francisco Chronicle and The Recorder publish this supplement which has honored San Francisco Partner-in-Charge Kasey C. Townsend, Partner Bryan M. Weiss, Partner Heidi C. Quan, and Senior Partner Guy R. Gruppie.

“We are very proud with the recognition of our attorneys here in San Francisco,” said Partner-in-Charge Kasey Townsend. “Being acknowledged by our peers as top attorneys is a great honor.” The attorneys featured have all achieved the rating of AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the company that has long set the standard for peer review ratings. The AV Preeminent rating is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates that a lawyer’s peers have ranked him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks

About Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ are an objective indicator of a lawyer’s high ethical standards and professional ability, generated from evaluations of lawyers by other members of the bar and the judiciary in the United States. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ reflect a combination of achieving a Very High General Ethical Standards rating and a Legal Ability numerical rating in five key areas, legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability, and legal experience. Learn more at http://www.martindale.com/ratings.

Five from Murchison & Cumming Honored in Southern California Super Lawyers Edition

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce five attorneys from the firm’s Los Angeles and Orange County offices have been recognized in the 2016 Southern California Super Lawyers Edition. Dan L. Longo is listed in the field of Product Liability, Jean M. Lawler in the field of Insurance, Guy R. Gruppie and Friedrich W. Seitz in the field of Civil Litigation, and William D. Naeve in the field of Health Care.

“We are proud that five members of our firm have been recognized by their peers as outstanding lawyers in their respective practice areas,” said Managing Partner Dan Longo. “This recognition demonstrates our commitment to providing top quality service to our clients.”

Mr. Longo, Managing Partner of the firm was recognized for the fifth consecutive year. Ms. Lawler marks her eleventh consecutive year, Mr. Seitz his twelfth consecutive year, Mr. Gruppie his eighth consecutive year, and Mr. Naeve his second consecutive year.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have been chosen by their peers and through independent research of Law & Politics. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Only the top 5% of attorneys in each state or region are honored as Super Lawyers.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming Elevates Michael J. Nuñez to Senior Partner

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LAS VEGAS – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Michael J. Nunez has been named a Senior Partner. This marks the first time that a Las Vegas Partner has been elevated to a Senior Partner since the branch’s founding in 2001. Mr. Nuñez focuses his practice on general and professional liability, hospitality, HOA, D&O, breaches of fiduciary duties, and employment related matters. He brings a unique background to his practice, being both an experienced trial lawyer and experienced appellate lawyer.

“Michael exemplified hard work and dedication from the moment we hired him way back when, I am happy and proud to welcome him as an equity partner in the firm,” said Edmund G. Farrell, Senior Partner and Partner-in-Charge of the Los Angeles office. “He has taken on every challenge thrown his way with dedication and resolve; he is a great asset and will help guide the firm to new heights in the future.”

A lifelong Angelino, Mr. Nuñez found a home at Murchison & Cumming working with exceptional lawyers and making invaluable connections. When the opportunity presented itself to become the Partner-in-Charge of the Las Vegas office, Mr. Nuñez saw this as perfect timing to increase the firm’s visibility in the market. He quickly became involved in the legal community and was a founding member of Las Vegas Defense Lawyers, the defense bar of Clark County, Nevada which now has more than 150 members. Mr. Nuñez continues to serve on the Board of Directors.

With a great team in place, Mr. Nuñez has exciting prospects for the future development and expansion of the firm’s Las Vegas office. New and innovative businesses continue moving to Las Vegas, which increases the opportunity to service the clients in the community.

“I am honored and humbled by the trust that the senior partners have placed in me and I look forward to many more years in the office and in this market,” said Mr. Nuñez.

Mr. Nuñez is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Hastings College of Law. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is licensed to practice law in both California and Nevada.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming, LLP Expands Hospitality Law Practice Group with Addition of Litigation Team

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LOS ANGELES – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of its Hospitality Law practice group with the addition of an experienced litigation team who bring a considerable background in hospitality and travel law matters.

The group has worked together over many years and includes James O. Eiler, Paul W. Burke, and Judith M. Cannavo. With a proven track record, this dynamic team brings years of experience in a variety of claims including general negligence, premises liability, food borne illness and foreign objects, Legionella and other toxic torts, civil rights, ADA, franchise litigation and many more. James O. Eiler serves as a Co-Chair of the Hospitality Law practice group and through the span of nearly 30 years, Mr. Eiler has become one of California’s most recognized hospitality law attorneys.

“Our team looks forward to further growing the hospitality law practice group at Murchison & Cumming. We are excited and privileged to join the firm,” Eiler said.

The group’s addition will further add to the firm’s hospitality practice, which includes Senior Partner Guy R. Gruppie, who has been with the firm for 25 years. He is considered one of California’s “go to” defense trial lawyers.

“James and his team will be a dynamic addition to Murchison & Cumming and will help take our Hospitality Practice Group not just to the next level but to a leadership position among California and regional law firms,” Gruppie said.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes New Senior Associate to the Los Angeles Office

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LOS ANGELES – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Paul W. Burke to the firm’s Los Angeles office as a Senior Associate focusing the last 15 years of his practice on representing the interests of various clients in the hospitality industry. Most commonly, Mr. Burke’s clients are faced with legal issues, related to personal injury/wrongful death and property damage based upon theories of negligence, premises liability, discrimination and intentional tort. In his nearly 28 years of practice, Mr. Burke has achieved considerable law and motion and appellate experience having handled numerous writs and appeals.

A skillful communicator, Mr. Burke provides effective interaction that advances the interests of his clients. He has handled various matters successfully defending his clients in complex litigation claims. He recently represented the operator of a national hotel chain in an action filed by a woman who fell from a third story window to the ground. Mr. Burke achieved an extremely favorable result and early resolution due to his targeted discovery of the case. Most recently, Mr. Burke achieved a positive result in an action alleging that the plaintiff had sustained a personal injury on his client’s property. Mr. Burke was successful in not only convincing the contractor to assume his client’s defense, but was able to recover post-tender fees and costs as well.

During his undergraduate studies at Loyola Marymount University, Mr. Burke studied abroad at University College, Dublin and returned to Ireland during law school, studying international human rights and application of international legal treaties and documents in state and federal actions at Trinity College, Dublin.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes New Senior Associate to the Irvine Office

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IRVINE – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Peter A. Martin to the firm’s Irvine office as a Senior Associate focusing his practice on Employment Litigation, Medical and Legal Malpractice, and General and Premises Liability. Mr. Martin’s diverse background stems from his 20+ year career representing a wide range of clients and litigating a broad spectrum of legal issues.

After graduating from Azuza Pacific University, Mr. Martin found himself following the path to seminary school at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. Upon finishing seminary school, he pursued his other interest – a career in law. In 1993, Mr. Martin received his Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law.

Known for his streamlined approach to case management, Mr. Martin takes great care to analyze the central issues of a case in its preliminary stages to achieve prompt targeted results. His seminary training and evident care for people has made him a keen listener, whose trusted guidance throughout the years has provided positive results for his clients.

His most recent victory involved defending one of the largest healthcare providers in California in a medical negligence claim which resulted in a dismissal of the claim with no money paid to the claimant. In another matter, he successfully defended nationally known vehicle rental company against a claim by a man who suffered extensive injuries in an intersection vehicle accident. With extensive research, and maintaining the case’s focus on the core issues – including analysis of the traffic light sequencing scheme from the city where the accident happened and deposing the city engineer who had programmed the scheme years earlier, Mr. Martin was able to prove that the plaintiff was at fault for the incident due to his running the red light, and he achieved an excellent result for his client.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming Welcomes New Partner to the Los Angeles Office

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LOS ANGELES – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Daren E. Hengesbach to the firm’s Los Angeles office as a Partner focusing his practice on representing school districts, public entities and their employees. He also represents property owners, drivers, businesses and their employees in tort litigation. Having grown up Claremont, Mr. Hengesbach has devoted his 20+ year career to servicing clients in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, as way of giving back to the community in which he grew up.

After graduating from Claremont McKenna College, as a four year varsity letterman for the baseball team, Mr. Hengesbach followed his passion for education by becoming a math teacher before enrolling in law school. His background in competitive sports taught him intuition and determination, both skills that he has brought into his career as a lawyer.

Mr. Hengesbach began trying multiple civil cases to verdict as a lead trial attorney early on in his career with his first wrongful death trial resulting in a defense victory. Most recently, Mr. Hengesbach obtained a defense verdict in a high profile case via motion for summary judgment, which was appealed unsuccessfully to the court of appeal and California Supreme Court.

Prior to joining Murchison & Cumming, Mr. Hengesbach headed his own law firm, Furness & Middlebrook, originally founded in 1978. The firm later became known as Hengesbach & Dawson. He is a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2011.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.

Murchison & Cumming, LLP Wins Big in Assumption of Risk Case

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In a decision published this last week, the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego held that a patron chased by a chainsaw-wielding actor at a Halloween haunted attraction assumed the risk he may become frightened, run and fall as a result of that fear when he chose to engage in the activity, and therefore had no claim against the facility. The decision in Scott Griffin v. The Haunted Hotel, Inc. (2015 DJDAR 12569), applied recent Supreme Court authority that extended the doctrine of primary assumption of risk, previously applied almost exclusively to sports and athletic recreational activities, to amusement attractions. The decision affirmed a summary judgment won in San Diego County Superior Court by attorneys from the San Diego office of Murchison & Cumming, LLP, who went on to win the appeal. Jefferson S. Smith was lead counsel, and Scott J. Loeding and David M. Hall handled the motion and appeal.

” ‘Patrons in a Halloween haunted house are expected to be surprised, startled and scared by the exhibits but the operator does not have a duty to guard against patrons reacting in bizarre, frightened and unpredictable ways’ [citations omitted],” wrote Justice Gilbert Nares in the unanimous opinion. The appellate court affirmed the ruling of the Hon. Katherine A. Bacal, Judge of the Superior Court (Case No. 37-2013-00044186-CU-PO-CTL).

Justice Nares concluded: “[T]he very purpose of the Haunted Trail is to frighten patrons. Haunted Hotel informed patrons the event had ‘high impact scares.’ Patrons in a Halloween haunted house are expected to be surprised, startled, and scared by the exhibits. That is what Griffin paid money to experience. At bottom, his complaint here is Haunted Hotel delivered on its promise to scare the wits out of him.”

Seven from Murchison & Cumming Honored in Super Lawyers Business Edition

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce seven attorneys from the firm have been recognized in the 2015 Super Lawyers Business Edition. Dan L. Longo, Friedrich W. Seitz, Jean M. Lawler, Guy R. Gruppie, and Philip H. Thompson are listed from the Los Angeles office and Melissa Wood Eisenberg and Heidi C. Quan are listed from the San Francisco office.

Distributed to more than 55,000 in-house counsel and executives, this annual publication includes exceptional attorneys from firms who have mastered their skills in the following business-related practice groups: Business & Transactions; Construction; Real Estate & Environmental; Intellectual Property; and Business Litigation.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have been chosen by their peers and through independent research of Law & Politics. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Only the top 5% of attorneys in each state or region are honored as Super Lawyers.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated 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. The firm is a member of the USLAW and Insuralex Networks.