The national law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC today announced the addition of nine litigators from Elzufon Austin Reardon Tarlov & Mondell, P.A., including name partner Mark L. Reardon. The group will join the firm in the continued expansion of Eckert Seamans’ Wilmington, Delaware office.
The group consists of four Members (partners) and five Associates. Joining Eckert Seamans as Members are Mark L. Reardon, Colleen D. Shields, Matthew P. Donelson and Joel M. Doner; and as Associates, Peter S. Murphy, Penelope B. O’Connell, Christopher C. Popper, Krista Reale Samis and Brian D. Tome. Nine staff members will also join Eckert Seamans in important litigation support roles.
“We are very pleased that Mark and his group are joining our firm in Wilmington,” said Timothy P. Ryan, CEO of Eckert Seamans. “Mark and his team’s proven track record of excellent representation in mass tort, product liability, commercial litigation and professional liability matters will enhance our strong existing capabilities in all of these areas and fits perfectly with our firm’s existing practice profile. With the recent expansion of our Chancery and E-Discovery practices, Mark and his group provided the perfect opportunity for Eckert Seamans to strategically grow our presence in Delaware.”
Added Francis G.X. Pileggi, Member-in-Charge of Eckert Seamans’ Wilmington office, “The attorneys who are joining us are among the most highly-regarded attorneys in the state, who further expand our footprint in Delaware and beyond. We are excited about the our enhanced ability to serve our clients’ and future prospects’ business needs.
Attorneys in the firm’s Delaware office handle a wide range of state and federal court civil matters. In addition to the expanded civil litigation expertise brought by the Reardon group, Eckert Seamans lawyers in Delaware handle complex corporate litigation matters in the Delaware Court of Chancery, the nation’s preeminent forum for resolving corporate and commercial disputes, cases in all Delaware courts, as well as in neighboring state and federal courts. Eckert Seamans handles a wide range of business-related legal matters including those involving corporate governance, control disputes, shareholder rights, books and records demands, fiduciary duties of directors, officers and managers of corporations and alternative entities, class actions and complex contractual and commercial disputes. The firm also acts as counsel to the special committees that are increasingly employed by corporations to review interested director transactions, examine perceived conflicts among officers and directors, and conduct internal investigations. Attorneys in the Delaware office also regularly appear in major bankruptcy cases representing debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, purchasers, contract parties, landlords, insurers and others. From Wilmington, Eckert Seamans offers clients both command of the local legal and business environment in Delaware and access to the firm’s resources across 10 offices.
“It is not often you find a firm with which you share such a uniquely compatible practice philosophy,” said Mark Reardon. “With strong relationships in the business, government and non-profit communities, our team in Delaware has grown in experience and size over the past several years. By combining with Eckert Seamans, we look forward to building on that tradition by providing our clients a broader array of services, expanded geographic coverage and wide-ranging industry experience.”
About the Lawyers
MEMBERS
Mark L. Reardon’s practice involves a broad range of matters in civil litigation in state and federal Courts in Delaware and Pennsylvania. He represents companies, owners, individuals, non-profit organizations and insurers in matters ranging from product liability, personal injury, construction and environmental disputes, and toxic tort, including all aspects of asbestos litigation. In connection with civil litigation filed under Delaware’s Child Victims Act, Reardon currently leads the defense team in Delaware that represents churches, schools and youth organizations in the defense of law suits alleging institutional liability for acts of childhood sexual abuse. In addition to his litigation practice, he has experience in representing and advising non-profits in governance matters.
Colleen D. Shields is a trial attorney with over 20 years experience in the courtroom defending complex tort cases. She focuses her practice on professional liability defense matters and is frequently selected by insurers, self-insured institutions, non-profit organizations and individual professionals, including colleagues in the Delaware Bar, to handle matters involving complicated liability issues and catastrophic damages. Shields has extensive experience in defending medical negligence claims, as well as claims against non-medical professionals, product liability and premises liability matters and has represented insurers in coverage disputes involving allegations of bad faith. Her litigation experience includes guiding clients in all aspects of discovery, case management, negotiation, trial and appeal.
Matthew P. Donelson focuses his practice on general civil litigation, with particular emphasis on toxic torts, insurance law and asbestos litigation. He has litigated a wide variety of toxic tort and premises liability matters before federal and state court as well as administrative agencies and arbitration panels. Prior to entering private practice, Donelson served as an Assistant Prosecutor for the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey from 2000-2002.
Joel M. Doner focuses his practice on general civil litigation, with particular emphasis on mass torts, insurance law and asbestos litigation. He has significant experience in litigating complex tort matters involving serious injuries and wrongful death. Doner has represented product manufacturers, land owners and contractors in asbestos related matters in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition, he has represented commercial land owners and businesses in the defense of claims for injuries that occurred on their properties. Doner also has experience with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Assigned Claims Plan in defense of claims from uninsured plaintiffs in motor vehicle accidents; defended a Pennsylvania insurance company in defense of a bad faith claim and assisted various insurance companies in evaluating pending claims prior to a filed law suit to help determine the carrier’s potential course of action.
ASSOCIATES
Peter S. Murphy focuses his practice on litigation with an emphasis on mass tort and product liability litigation in Delaware and Pennsylvania. He also has experience in premises liability and professional liability matters. Murphy represents schools, churches and religious organizations in personal injury actions filed in state and federal courts, and also defends clients in mass tort matters, including the Delaware Asbestos Litigation.
Penelope B. O’Connell focuses her practice on general litigation matters. She litigates and defends personal injury cases regularly in federal and state court; represents corporate clients in major environmental defense, including asbestos and benzene suits; defends institutional clients in clergy sex abuse cases in federal and state court; and also represents clients in contract breach actions.
Christopher C. Popper focuses his practice on general litigation and environmental matters, including toxic torts, premises liability and other civil litigation matters. He represents retailers, property owners, manufacturers, and educational institutions in a variety of product and premises liability litigation.
Krista Reale Samis focuses her practice on general litigation matters. She represents various product manufacturers in product liability actions in state and federal courts, as well as premises owners, contractors, manufacturers, and distributers in mass tort litigation. Samis also has experience as national coordinating counsel for a premises defendant in mass tort litigation.
Brian D. Tome focuses his practice on general litigation matters, including toxic tort, product liability, commercial litigation and asbestos litigation matters. During his course of legal studies, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Dexter M. Thompson, Jr. of the Circuit Court of Cecil County Maryland.
