Litigation, corporate attorneys move to Nelson Mullins, open Baltimore office

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP announced that a group of attorneys from Miles & Stockbridge will join the firm to open a Baltimore office. The office features a litigation team led by Michael A. Brown and a corporate group featuring Timothy A. Hodge, Jr. and is located at 100 S. Charles Street.

“When we open an office, we want to make sure we have the right people whose practices are a strategic fit for our firm, and that is certainly the case with this group of high caliber attorneys,” said Nelson Mullins Managing Partner Jim Lehman. “This group of litigators is strong in a number of our key practice areas, such as products liability; and in particular sectors such as the automotive, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries. Likewise, the corporate lawyers are directly aligned with our strength in mid-market M&A on the East Coast.”

Brown, a renowned first-chair litigator, leads a team of veteran trial lawyers who will make the move to Nelson Mullins.

“I have tried several cases with partners at Nelson Mullins over the years, and we have worked well together,” said Brown. “Over the last decade, their litigation practice has grown into a top-tier department working on bet-the-company matters for clients, and I am quite pleased to join such a strong firm with a national litigation infrastructure. I’m sure my clients will benefit from the resources that will be available to us. Miles & Stockbridge had been a wonderful firm for us and we thank them for all the support they have shown over the years.”

Hodge will serve as the office managing partner.

“The corporate team at Nelson Mullins is a good fit for us,” Hodge said. “It expands our ability to assist clients across a broader geographic area. Our new office is off to a great start with a dynamic team and we will work to grow our footprint for the firm.

“Miles & Stockbridge is a fine group of lawyers and an outstanding firm, and I’m sure we will work with them in the future on matters,” continued Hodge. “Our timing should not be connected in any way to the Miles & Stockbridge  announcement of new leadership yesterday. All of us are committed to ensuring that clients receive the highest levels of representation throughout this transition.”

Joining the Nelson Mullins team as partners will be:

LITIGATION:

Michael A. Brown, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has accumulated numerous accolades. He was named Lawyer of the Year for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action Defendants for Baltimore in 2014 and has been named to various Best Lawyers in America litigation lists from 2011-2018. The National Law Journal named him in 2014 as a Litigation Trailblazer & Pioneer and he has been profiled by Law360 as a Rainmaker and a Minority Powerbroker. A veteran litigator who has tried cases in numerous jurisdictions, his practice includes products liability defense, mass torts, employment, insurance and general commercial litigation.

Deborah K. St. Lawrence Thompson, a first-chair litigator, she represents clients in commercial litigation, employment law, products liability and mass torts. She has significant experience in the area of asbestos-related claims. Her labor and employment practice includes counseling employers on strategy, the development of policies and procedures, EEO investigations as well as serving as lead counsel in employment litigation at both the state and federal levels.

Michael E. Blumenfeld has a broad range of experience, including representing clients in corporate and commercial litigation, including a background in construction, real estate, financial institution, and employment and trade secret matters. He also has experience in mass tort litigation.

Matthew S. Sturtz, a veteran trial lawyer with both bench and jury experience, focuses his practice on complex corporate and commercial litigation, particularly for large financial institutions. He is recognized by Chambers in the General Commercial Litigation category and has been named a Local Litigation Star for General Commercial Litigation by Benchmark Litigation.

Michael J. Halaiko has more than 15 years’ experience defending clients in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and complex litigation cases before state and federal courts. His practice encompasses products liability defense, medical malpractice, mass tort litigation, and complex commercial and construction litigation matters.

Leianne S. McEvoy has experience defending clients in personal injury, medical malpractice, and complex litigation cases before state and federal courts. Her practice encompasses medical malpractice, products liability defense, premises liability, and mass tort litigation.

Timothy M. Hurley represents manufacturers in a variety of matters involving products liability and mass tort litigation of multiple parties and multiple claims such as those arising from occupational exposures and other allegedly hazardous substances.

Katherine A. Lawler concentrates her practice on defending companies in mass tort and personal injury matters. She has defended hospitals, product manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers on local, regional, and national levels. She has managed numerous local and national trial teams, developing effective trial themes and case evaluation strategies.

Matthew R. Schroll represents manufacturers in a variety of matters involving products liability and mass tort litigation of multiple parties and multiple claims such as those arising from occupational exposures and other allegedly hazardous substances in multiple jurisdictions throughout the country. He also regularly represents policyholders in insurance coverage litigation and/or insurance-related disputes arising from a variety of insurance policies.

CORPORATE:

Timothy A. Hodge, Jr., manages a general corporate practice that includes servicing some of the largest companies in the Baltimore area. He has experience leading complex domestic and international transactions and serves as outside general counsel for a number of Mid-Atlantic region companies. Hodge is a Recognized Practitioner in Maryland by Chambers for Corporate/M&A.

Colleen Pleasant Kline, an attorney with a diverse reach, she acts as outside general counsel for a variety of business while also maintaining a robust transactional practice. Her M&A experience includes joint ventures and private placements. She served as co-chair at her previous firm for the Corporate and Securities Practice.