Wilson Elser issued the following announcement on Jan. 31.
National law firm Wilson Elser has promoted 19 of counsel and associates to nonequity partner, effective January 1, 2019.
“We are proud of this year’s class of new partners,” said Daniel J. McMahon, Wilson Elser chair. “These lawyers are exceptional at what they do in their respective areas of practice and are committed to advancing our firm’s core values. We truly appreciate their contributions.
“Additionally,” said McMahon, “the gender and ethnic diversity of this group and the group of newly elevated equity partners speak to the commitment of our firm to diversity and inclusion and specifically to the accomplishments of our Diversity & Inclusion Committee and our WAVE (Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered) initiative.”
“I am proud of how far the firm has come in such a short time,” shared Carolyn O’Connor, WAVE leader and regional managing partner of the firm’s New Jersey office. “Women occupy many leadership roles at Wilson Elser – on the Executive Committee, as practice group chairs and as regional managing partners. Wilson Elser is doing its part to support and acknowledge the success of women attorneys in the firm.”
Diversity and inclusion events and programming grow each year and include the annual firmwide Diversity & Inclusion Day, a WAVE Mentoring Program that boasts 80 pairings firmwide, regional and national WAVE events, and partnerships with national organizations such as NAWL, the American Bar Association, Women, Inc. Magazine and many more.
Karen Bashor, one of this year’s new partners, was honored by the firm with the WAVE Maker of the Year award for her pivotal role at the Las Vegas office’s annual WAVE event.
The nonequity partners listed here represent the firm’s Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Michigan, New York Metro, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego and Virginia offices.
Chicago
Patricia Noonan, formerly of counsel, has significant litigation and trial experience in the defense of professional liability claims, with an emphasis on legal malpractice, dental malpractice and long-term care litigation. She earned her B.A. degree from Chicago State University (1985) and her J.D. degree from the University of Illinois College of Law (1988). While in law school, she was administrative editor of the University of Illinois Law Review and was awarded the Rickert Scholarship Award and the Moot Court Legal Brief Award.
Michael J. O’Malley, formerly of counsel, handles a wide range of matters involving insurance coverage, professional liability, general liability defense, complex commercial disputes, business divorce, railroad casualty and appeals. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University (2003) and earned his J.D. degree from the George Washington University Law School (2009).
Dallas
Amanda N. Harvey, formerly of counsel, focuses her practice on commercial litigation, transportation, cyber security, employment law, and premises and product liability cases. She was selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars (2017, 2018) and was named a Rising Star in Texas Monthly. She graduated cum laude with her B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University (2001) and cum laude with her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (2004). While in law school, she was a member of the International Law Review Association, the First Amendment Moot Court Team and the William Mac Taylor Inn of Court.
Las Vegas
Karen L. Bashor, formerly of counsel and a member of the firm’s National Trial Team, has significant litigation and trial experience with complex matters, large transportation claims and catastrophic injury defense. She graduated cum laude with her B.A. degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (2003), where she was selected Phi Beta Kappa and was a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society. She earned her J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law (2006). While in law school, she was a member of the Seton Hall Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law and a C. Clyde Ferguson Scholarship recipient.
Los Angeles
Tae S. Um, formerly of counsel, has more than 15 years of insurance coverage and litigation experience, representing corporations, professionals and the insurance industry in coverage disputes, primarily in the areas of directors and officers liability, errors & omissions, technology and general liability claims. He earned his B.A. degree from Oberlin College (1992) and his J.D. degree from Albany Law School (1998), where he was the managing editor of lead articles for the Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology.
Erin Marie Siciliano, formerly of counsel, has a civil defense practice focused on general, transportation, asbestos, product, premises, professional and dram shop liability claims brought in Pennsylvania and New Jersey state and federal courts. She graduated summa cum laudewith a B.A. degree and received her M.A. degree with honors from the California University of Pennsylvania (1992, 1994). She earned her J.D. degree from Duquesne University School of Law (1997).
Miami
Gavin N.L. White, formerly of counsel, focuses his practice on commercial litigation and professional malpractice defense, with an emphasis on representing accountants and handling cases involving fraud. He earned his B.A. degree at the University of South Florida (1997) and his J.D. degree from Fordham University School of Law (2001), where he worked on the International Law Journal and was a student representative on the Fordham Conference on International Intellectual Property Law and Policy.
Michigan
Jeffrey C. Hart, formerly of counsel, litigates employment, complex commercial, product liability, medical malpractice, transportation, general liability, professional liability and workers' compensation matters. In addition, he has experience with maritime law, including the Jones Act and the U.S. Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, representing shipping concerns and waterway terminal owners. He earned a B.A. degree from Michigan State University (1992) and his J.D. degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law (1995), where he served on the editorial board of the Loyola Consumer Law Reporter.
New York Metro
Ross B. Barbour, formerly an associate, concentrates his practice on premises liability, construction contractor liability and product liability, representing construction companies, commercial building owners, restaurant and bar/nightclub owners, manufacturers and retailers. He earned a B.B.A degree from Loyola University New Orleans (2004) and his J.D. degree from Hofstra University School of Law (2008).
Richard W. Boone Jr., formerly of counsel, focuses his practice on a wide range of corporate, executive and professional liability matters as both coverage and defense counsel. Prior to joining Wilson Elser, he clerked for Senior Justice Henry H. Whiting of the Supreme Court of Virginia. He graduated with a B.A. degree from the College of William & Mary, with high honors in economics (1996) and earned his J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law (2001). While in law school, he was editor in chief of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology.
Jana S. Farmer, formerly of counsel, represents businesses and individuals who create, license, sell, lend, gift, merchandise and display art, as well as those involved with the repatriation of stolen art. She also represents clients in design professional matters, intellectual property matters and general commercial disputes. She earned her J.D. degree from Saint Petersburg State University School of Law (2001), where she competed in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and received her LL.M. from New York University School of Law (2003). She was a graduate editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics. Farmer completed a course of study in Art, Law and Its Markets with Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Emily L. Fernandez, formerly an associate, defends medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and general negligence matters. She focuses on efficient, effective resolution of matters and advises clients on health care policy to prevent and assist in the defense of law suits. Prior to joining Wilson Elser, she clerked for the Superior Court of New Jersey, civil litigation division. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Florida (2005) and her J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School (2008).
Michael A. Guttman, formerly an associate, focuses his practice on construction, premises and complex general liability matters; insurance coverage; and commercial litigation. He earned his B.A. degree from Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York – Queens College (2005), and his J.D. degree from New York University School of Law (2008), where he was a member of the Moot Court Board.
Elizabeth D. Ho Sing, formerly an associate, focuses on trial litigation, preparing complex cases for trial, inclusive of high-profile premises and security-guard matters. She earned her B.A. degree from McMaster University (2004) and her J.D. degree from Western New England University School of Law (2007).
Christina A. Marshall, formerly an associate, focuses her practice on defending high-exposure general liability matters, including claims involving premises, transportation and construction liability. She clerked for the Honorable Sherry Hutchins-Henderson in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County. She earned her B.A. degree from Cornell University (2006) and her J.D. degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law (2009). She was an articles editor for the Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal.
Orlando
James M. Kloss, formerly of counsel, handles a wide variety of complex matters, with a concentration in premises liability, negligent security, construction, insurance coverage, commercial litigation and appellate practice. He earned his B.A. degree from Governors State University and his J.D. degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law (2001), where he was senior articles editor for the Florida Law Review.
Philadelphia
Brian F. Breen, formerly of counsel, focuses his practice on matters involving insurance coverage, including litigation of declaratory judgment actions and defense of breach of contract and bad faith claims. He also defends businesses and individuals with regard to premises liability claims. He earned a B.S. degree from Rider College (1992) and his J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School (1997).
San Diego
David J. Aveni, formerly of counsel, is a commercial litigation and trial attorney whose practice focuses on the defense of complex business disputes and securities matters. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. degree from Georgetown University (1993) and his J.D. degree from Duke University School of Law (1998) with high honors, where he was a senior notes editor at the Duke Law Journal. He also was a member of the Order of the Coif and sat on the Moot Court Board.
Virginia
Eric P. Burns, formerly an associate, focuses his practice on general commercial litigation, including contract disputes and business torts; professional liability claims against lawyers and other professionals, including contractors and engineers; construction defect; and complex personal injury/wrongful death matters. He graduated with high honors with his B.A. degree from University of Michigan (2004) and earned his J.D. degree from Wayne State University Law School (2007).
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