Tag Archive for: gina-bazaz

Murchison & Cumming Elevates Gina Bazaz to Senior Partner

/in ,

Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Gina Bazaz has been named a Senior Partner. With a reputation for “thinking outside the box” in finding creative ways to resolve disputes, Ms. Bazaz has built long-standing relationships with clients in addition to gaining the respect of judges and mediators alike. She has successfully litigated a multitude of cases on behalf of numerous major insurance carriers and companies, representing multi-million dollar corporations located in the U.S. and abroad.

“Gina’s elevation strengthens our partnership and helps position the firm’s leadership for many years to come.,” said Managing Partner Dan Longo.

Growing up, her family and friends nicknamed her “the lawyer” because she was quick on her feet and had the ability to resolve any conflict. Ms. Bazaz entered undergraduate school as an art major but soon realized political science had become her favorite class. With the encouragement of several professors and her mother’s reminder of her great negotiating skills, she decided to change her major to Political Science and continue onto law school.

Throughout the past 20 years, Ms. Bazaz has come to appreciate the value of mentorship, partnership, teamwork and trust. The Southern California “go to” attorney for several prominent insurance companies and clients, Ms. Bazaz’ affable personality, knowledge of the law and personalized client guidance have played a significant role in her success. In fact, Ms. Bazaz attributes her success to her outstanding clients stating, “I wouldn’t be here without them.”

As for her new position, “it is my honor and privilege to work alongside the Senior Partnership and to contribute to the firm’s growth as I step into this new role,” said Ms. Bazaz. “It is my hope that each young associate recognizes that he or she has the power and capability to step into a leadership role. Passion, hard work, and dedication do pay off.”

Six from Murchison & Cumming Named Top Attorneys by Pasadena Magazine

/in ,

Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Senior Partner Friedrich W. Seitz, Partners Gina Bazaz, Jean A. Dalmore, Gina E. Och, Mary C. Trinh, and Associate Kelsey L. Maxwell have been selected to the 2017 Top Attorneys by Pasadena Magazine. Attorneys and judges from the San Gabriel Valley and metropolitan Los Angeles area cast votes for the lawyers who, according to their peers, are among the best in their practice specialties.

Mr. Seitz served as Managing Partner of the firm from 1986 to 2007. He focuses his practice on domestic and international product liability, aviation, catastrophic injuries and business litigation and is a specialist in defending wildfire cases. Ms. Bazaz focuses her practice in the areas of complex litigation and high exposure matters, handling product liability, personal injury, premises liability, habitability and construction defect cases in all phases of litigation. Ms. Dalmore focuses her practice in the area of construction defect and construction site accident, representing developers, general contractors, sub-contractors and material suppliers in all fields of construction, architects and engineers, and in the area of professional liability representing insurance brokers in malpractice actions. Ms. Och focuses her practice in the areas of class actions, international law, public utilities, unfair business practices and consumer rights, intellectual property, entertainment/media companies, business litigation, and commercial litigation. Ms. Trinh focuses her practice on a wide range of clients, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, property owners and entertainment/media companies and healthcare providers in medical malpractice/elder abuse cases. Ms. Maxwell focuses her practice on the areas of general liability, and specialty tort including habitability and discrimination claims.

The list is published in Pasadena Magazine’s December issue. Attorneys named in this year’s poll will be honored at a reception hosted by the magazine and attended by members of the Pasadena-area judiciary.

Heather Mills and Gina Bazaz Attend IADC Trial Academy

/in ,

LOS ANGELES – Heather L. Mills and Gina Bazaz are attending the International Association of Defense Counsel’s (IADC) 40th Annual Trial Academy. The trial advocacy training program is being held at Stanford Law School from July 28 to August 3, 2012.

Seasoned trial attorneys, Ms. Mills and Ms. Bazaz are enhancing their skills through hands-on learning with an emphasis on the effective use of technology in trial strategy. The Academy exposes participants to different approaches and ideas in solving common trial problems. The seven-day intensive program blends small group faculty instruction and demonstration with individual participation.

Ms. Mills is a Co-Chair of the Emerging Risks & Specialty Tort Litigation practice group, and a member of the firm’s Product Liability and Professional Liability practice groups. Ms. Bazaz focuses her practice in the areas of complex litigation and high exposure matters, handling product liability, personal injury, premises liability, habitability and construction defect cases in all phases of litigation.

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 Network. For additional information, please visit our website at www.murchisonlaw.com.

Court Grants Intervention and Motion to Set Aside Default in General Liability Case

/in

In December 2011, Judge Rita Miller of the Los Angeles Superior Court granted defense Motions to Intervene on behalf of a suspended corporation and set aside the default that had been entered against the suspended corporation. Gina Bazaz represented the suspended corporation’s insurance company and Lisa D. Angelo prepared and argued the motions.

Several years ago, the plaintiff filed an action for personal injuries against a suspended corporation. When no responsive pleading was received from the suspended corporation, the plaintiff obtained a default. The suspended corporation’s insurance company was never notified of the initial litigation and was notified for the first time of the case when the plaintiff served the insurance company with a conformed copy of the court’s entry of default. Upon receipt of the notice of default and underlying case, the insurance company filed a Motion for Leave to Intervene on behalf of the suspended corporation and to set aside the default that had been entered. The court granted both the Motion for Leave and subsequent motions to intervene and set aside the default.

M&C Adds Two Partners and Senior Associates

/in ,

LOS ANGELES – Murchison & Cumming, LLP is pleased to announce that Valarie H. Jonas and Gina Bazaz have joined the firm as Partners and that Mark M. Gnesin and Philip A. Kraft have joined the firm as Senior Associates.

Ms. Jonas, who joins the firm’s San Francisco office, focuses her practice in the areas of first and third party insurance coverage, bad faith and complex commercial litigation, including toxic tort and environmental insurance coverage matters, fine art, specie and marine claims, and employment litigation. She specializes in handling matters for the London market. Earlier this month, Ms. Jonas spoke on jury trials at the 2011 ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE seminar and this fall will serve as a delegate to the 2011 International Fine Art and Specie Insurance Conference.

Ms. Bazaz joins the firm’s Los Angeles office, bringing with her a depth of experience in defending clients in complex and large exposure litigation in the areas of product liability, personal injury, premises liability, habitability and construction defect. She is known and respected for her ability to think “outside of the box” to facilitate resolution of disputes. Ms. Bazaz works with the Barristers Domestic Violence Project, through the Los Angeles County Bar Association, assisting victims of domestic abuse with legal documents.

Mr. Kraft, whose areas of practice include general liability defense, business and real estate litigation, construction defect, CEQA and environmental and land use matters, has also joined the firm’s Los Angeles office. He volunteers as an attorney-coach for a Los Angeles County High School Mock Trial team, and was Executive Editor for the Southern California Law Review.

Mr. Gnesin specializes in the areas of general liability and construction defect, also handling arbitrations and mediations in the firm’s Orange County office. He also serves as an arbitrator for the Personal Injury Arbitration Panel of the Orange County Superior Court, and as Judge Pro Tempore for the Orange County Superior Court.

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. The firm is a member of the USLAW Network. For additional information, please visit our website at www.murchisonlaw.com.