Benesch Names Litigation Practice Focus Area Chairs

Benesch is pleased to announce that it has named the following partners as Chairs of subspecialties of the Litigation Practice Group:

Andrew G. Fiorella and Judy L. Woods, Co-Chairs of Financial Institution Litigation

Andrew G. Fiorella, Chair of eDiscovery 

Mr. Fiorella represents and counsels some of the largest businesses in the country in complex litigation, class actions, securities fraud claims and intellectual property disputes, including patent litigation. His experience includes representing a significant public company and its senior officers in securities and derivative cases, and financial services institutions in securities cases, merger challenges and cases arising from the real estate “great recession.”

Ms. Woods focuses her practice on complex commercial and “bet the company” litigation, including antitrust, class actions, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, international contracts, finance disputes, fraud, RICO and other business disputes.  Ms. Woods has represented several financial institutions and life/health insurance companies in complex litigation, involving acquisitions and sales of financial or insurance companies or insurance company holding companies, ERISA matters, alleged securities or other violations related to the sale of annuities, debentures or other securities, and liquidation of financial institutions/insurance companies, holding companies, broker/dealers and accounting firms in connection with these types of matters.

Gregory J. Phillips and Jeremy Gilman, Co-Chairs of Class Action Litigation

Mr. Phillips litigates all aspects of complex business and commercial cases for public and private companies throughout the U.S. He has argued successfully before the Ohio Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Mr. Phillips was selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® in the Commercial Litigation field, and has also been identified by Benchmark Litigation 2015 as a future “State Litigation Star,” defined as an attorney who is recommended consistently as a reputable and effective litigator by clients and peers.

Mr. Gilman’s practice practice encompasses a wide range of complex business and liability cases, including: class action litigation, directors and officers litigation, fraud and business tort litigation, securities litigation, professional liability litigation, real estate, environmental and toxic tort litigation, products liability litigation, employment litigation, intellectual property litigation, contract and commercial litigation, bankruptcy litigation, health care litigation, insurance coverage litigation and administrative trials and appeals.  Mr. Gilman has played a key role developing Benesch’s class action defense practice. His experience covers the full gamut of class action litigation: from class certification motion practice, discovery, and hearings to class action settlements.

Matthew D. Gurbach and Peter S. French, Co-Chairs of Products Liability

Mr. Gurbach is a seasoned first-chair trial and appellate advocate representing a broad spectrum of clients in a variety of industries.  He has an extensive practice involving product liability defense, business contract disputes, fiduciary duty litigation, and trade secret claims.  Mr. Gurbach frequently litigates in state and federal courtrooms throughout the United States.  He also regularly appears before the American Arbitration Association.  Most recently, Mr. Gurbach, along with Mr. Gilman, led a trial team that secured a multi-million dollar verdict on behalf of a Plaintiff in a hotly contested jury trial that spanned multiple weeks.   Mr. Gurbach is a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Ohio and has also been appointed to the Ohio State Bar Association’s Litigation Section Council.   His skills in the courtroom have earned Mr. Gurbach consistent recognition by Ohio Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star.” 

Mr. French is a trial lawyer who has represented clients in federal and state court lawsuits in many United States jurisdictions. He advises manufacturers, software companies, large commercial real estate developers, construction contractors, and businesses in a wide variety of products liability and complex litigation matters.  Mr. French has obtained multiple-million dollar awards for his clients and has successfully defended to verdict cases in which plaintiffs have sought more than one hundred million dollars in damages. Mr. French also is certified in legal project management and uses that knowledge to develop litigation strategies and legal fee estimates designed to achieve client goals and needs.