Four Murchison & Cumming Attorneys Named 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers

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Senior Partners Guy R. Gruppie and Friedrich W. Seitz, and Partners James O. Eiler and Gina E. Och have been recognized as 2024 Southern California Super Lawyer honorees in the annual vote of peers and area judiciary conducted by Thomson Reuters.

Mr. Gruppie is one of California’s leading defense attorneys, focusing on complex, major injury and high-profile litigation. He is being recognized as a Super Lawyer for the 16th consecutive year. With extensive civil trial experience, Mr. Gruppie has developed a diverse portfolio of clients which includes large and small international, national and local businesses, entertainment/media companies, celebrities, athletes and other high net-worth individuals involved in high-profile matters. He is a popular author and sought-after speaker on torts, business litigation and jury trial matters.

Mr. Seitz focuses his practice on domestic and international product liability, aviation, catastrophic injuries and business litigation and is a specialist in defending wildland fire cases representing public utility companies. He served as Managing Partner of the firm from 1986 to 2007 and is being recognized by Super Lawyers 20th consecutive year. Mr. Seitz has tried more than one hundred jury trials, most involving product liability matters. He is “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been recognized as a “Southern California Super Lawyer.”

Mr. Eiler has become one of California’s most recognized hospitality law attorneys focusing on a variety of hospitality matters including general negligence, premises liability, food borne illness and foreign objects, Legionella and other toxic torts, civil rights, ADA, franchise litigation and many more. He is being recognized as a Super Lawyer for the third consecutive time. As an active participant in several key trade industry associations, he also helps shape regulations and legislation affecting the hospitality industries on an ongoing basis. Ms. Och focuses her practice on law & motion and appeals, as well as public utilities, class action, unfair business practices and consumer rights, intellectual property, entertainment/media companies, and business litigation. She is being recognized as a Super Lawyer for the second consecutive time. She has achieved successful results for a wide range of clients, in both state and federal courts, including the defense of utility companies in wildland fire litigation, businesses in copyright and trademark litigation, and companies in unfair business consumer rights and class action litigation.

Murchison & Cumming Elevates Lisa Angelo to Senior Partner

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Partner and civil litigation trial specialist Lisa D. Angelo has been promoted to Senior Partner.

After earning her J.D. from Whittier Law School, and her LLM from George Washington University, Ms. Angelo began her legal career in Washington, D.C. where she worked on high profile complex civil-litigation matters and tried her first cases in several state and Federal courts on the East Coast. She returned to California and joined Murchison & Cumming, LLP as an Associate attorney in 2008.

Over the course of the past 15-years with M&C, Ms. Angelo has successfully represented her retail, non-profit business and professional clients, securing multiple defense trial verdicts and dispositive motion outcomes. She is a Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent rated attorney and a member of several esteemed legal organizations where she speaks on various topics including mentoring, malpractice and navigating settlement demands.

“We are very proud to welcome Lisa as a Senior Partner at Murchison & Cumming,” said Managing Partner Dan L. Longo. “Over her time at the firm, Lisa has exhibited the litigation skills, leadership, and ability to work with others that will make her an outstanding Senior Partner.”

Ms. Angelo’s core mission throughout her 20-year legal career has been to pay it forward as her mentors did for her. “It is an honor to join the firm’s leadership as a Senior Partner,” said Ms. Angelo. “I am excited to take this next step and to being a permanent part of the firm’s future. I am mindful of what brought me to this pinnacle—relationships, communication and connection. I am grateful for the foundation upon which my career was built, including my family, my M&C family, and to a particular college professor who helped convince me that the law was my destined path. I look forward to this next step in my journey with the firm that began as a receptionist and morphed into Senior Partnership.”

Welcome Sophie Wagener as the newest Associate in Los Angeles

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Sophie B. Wagener has joined the Los Angeles office as an Associate, having previously worked as a Summer Associate and Post-Bar Law Clerk. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biology at Bates College in Maine before earning her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. Sophie focused on health law and civil litigation in law school, including participating in the Appellate Clinic.

After college, Sophie worked as a development associate at a non-profit organization that supported underserved youth in Boston, Massachusetts. While in law school, she interned for the Honorable Allison H. Goddard, the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, and the Cancer Legal Resource Center. Sophie was an Articles Editor for the San Diego Law Review and President of the Health Law Society. She graduated magna cum laude and with the Order of the Coif, an honorary scholastic society that fosters excellence in legal education.

Welcome Gina Simone as the newest Associate in San Diego

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Gina V. Simone has joined the San Diego office as an Associate. She joins M&C, having previously worked as a Summer Associate and Post-Bar Law Clerk while attaining her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.

Gina graduated from Sonoma State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Wine Business. While in law school, she was a librarian at the University of San Diego Legal Research Center and interned at the County of San Diego Public Defender’s office. Gina was Treasurer and Vice President of her school’s Criminal Law Society in which she organized a movie showing and speaker panel featuring an exoneration case. She earned a CALI Excellence for the Future Award® for achieving the highest grade in her Corrections and Sentencing writing class. Gina was a semi-finalist and won the first place Brief Award from moot court. Additionally, she received a certificate in Mediation from the National Conflict Resolution Center for her participation in an experimental Mediation Skills class.

Murchison & Cumming’s Richard Moreno Named to USLAW NETWORK Board of Directors

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Murchison & Cumming is pleased to announce that Richard C. Moreno has been selected to sit on USLAW NETWORK’s Board of Directors. “As chair emeritus of USLAW, I am very excited to welcome Richard to the USLAW Board of Directors,” said Managing Partner Dan L. Longo. “His leadership, business development and mentoring skills will serve the Board well.”

Richard Moreno is a Senior Partner and the Partner-in-Charge of the Los Angeles office. He serves as Chair of the Transportation practice group, Co-Chair of the Product Liability practice group, and is a member of the Wildland Fire Litigation practice group. 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 association of experienced law firms and lawyers from approximately 100 independent, full-service firms, including more than 6,000 attorneys across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and Asia, with affiliations in Europe through TELFA. Launched in 2001, USLAW includes highly rated law firms that 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 and specialize in commercial and business law, employment and labor law, litigation, and other business-related areas of law.

About Murchison & Cumming, LLP
With a firm history dating to 1930, Murchison & Cumming, LLP is a premier, AV-rated civil litigation firm with six offices in California and Las Vegas. The firm represents domestic and international businesses, insurers, professionals and individuals in litigated, non-litigated and transactional matters. The firm is a member of the USLAW NETWORK. For more information, visit murchisonlaw.com

Welcome Brian O’Hara as the newest Of Counsel in Los Angeles

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Brian C. O’Hara has joined the Los Angeles office as Of Counsel. He brings more than 30 years of experience in various matters, including SIU matters for different carriers on suspected fraudulent claims, transportation, and general liability cases. Brian is currently focusing on general liability defense.

Brian is from a family of attorneys and naturally gravitated toward a career in law. He received his bachelor’s degree in English, and before entering law school, he taught English and coached high school basketball and softball. Brian earned his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

Brian understands that legal challenges may be the most difficult experience his clients could ever face. He is an aggressive advocate who works well with clients and carriers on litigated matters. In a recent matter, Brian succeeded in a motion for summary judgment for the defendant, a college fraternity member, being sued by his fraternity brother, who was injured while weightlifting. The plaintiff had several surgeries for his severe nasal fracture and shattered cheekbones and argued that the defendant negligently “spotted” him and knocked the heavily weighted barbell onto his face while he lay unprotected on the bench doing his dumbbell presses. The motion for summary judgment was granted based on the testimony of the parties and case law regarding the assumption of risk in recreational activities, saving multiple tens of thousands of dollars in defense costs for the carrier, and avoiding the risk of a nuclear verdict.

M&C Attorney Laura Loeck Named 2023 Northern California Rising Star

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Laura J. Loeck has been recognized as a 2023 Northern California Rising Star honoree in the annual vote of peers and area judiciary conducted by Thomson Reuters. She is a Partner in Northern California and has extensive experience in general liability matters, including wrongful death, premises liability, construction and design defect, fire loss, bodily injury, and landlord-tenant disputes. Laura has represented business entities, public entities, individuals, developers, contractors, homeowner associations, and property managers, among others. Laura attended Northwestern University where she received her B.A., before continuing onto John Marshall Law School, now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers 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.

Michael Nunez Appointed to Clark County Bar Association Executive Board

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Michael J. Nunez has been appointed to the Clark County Bar Association Executive Board.

Mr. Nuñez is a Senior Partner and the Partner-in-Charge of M&C’s Las Vegas office and is both an experienced trial lawyer and appellate lawyer. Mr. Nuñez handles general and professional liability, hospitality, HOA, D&O, breaches of fiduciary duties, corporate litigation, contract disputes, and transactional, and employment related matters including wrongful termination claims and Title VII and state unlawful discrimination claims. Mr. Nuñez is a founding member and served on the Board of Directors of Las Vegas Defense Lawyers which is the “defense bar” for Southern Nevada.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by the members of the Clark County Bar Association,” said Nunez. “I look forward to playing a role in such a well-respected and important organization.”

The Clark County Bar Association encourages the practice of law as a profession, promotes the administration of justice, encourages a thorough and continuing legal education, maintains the honor and integrity of the legal profession, promotes high ethical standards of professional conduct, and cultivates social fellowship and camaraderie among its members.

Three from Murchison & Cumming Recognized as Southern California Rising Stars

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Partners Kelsey Maxwell, Georgiana Nikias, and Joshua Praw have been selected to the 2023 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 focuses her practice on the areas of general liability and product liability with an emphasis in vertical transportation matters. Kelsey is a graduate of The University of Arizona (B.A.) and Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law (J.D.).

Georgiana A. Nikias focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, employment law, products liability, general liability, intellectual property, art law, and commercial real estate litigation. Ms. Nikias is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law (J.D. and B.A.) and Oxford University (M.St.).

Joshua W. Praw focuses his practice in the areas of entertainment law, products liability, toxic tort, and construction defect. Mr. Praw is a graduate of University of San Diego School of Law (J.D.) and University of Wisconsin – Madison (B.A.).

Georgiana, Joshua, and Kelsey co-chair the firm’s Summer Associate and Post-Bar Law Clerk Programs where they train, mentor, and oversee the firm’s summer associates and post-bar law clerks.

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 Associate to San Diego Office

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Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce Christopher A. Brown has joined the San Diego office as an Associate. He has a wide range of experience representing clients in civil litigation matters, including employment law, personal injury, products liability, construction, and transportation.

Christopher obtained his bachelor’s degree in English Literature at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, before earning his law degree at the University of Dayton School of Law in Dayton, Ohio. While at law school, Christopher worked for the Montgomery County Public Defender’s office. He received the Dean’s entrance merit-based scholarship, which entirely covered his tuition.

Christopher is a strong legal writer and has successfully defended against summary judgment motions from AM100 firms in products liability cases and the states of Mississippi and Alabama in prisoner’s rights cases.