LOS
ANGELES, July 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Citing the
firm's winning trial reputation and national litigation platform,
two additional prominent Los
Angeles lawyers are moving to Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
Trial lawyers Christopher Kondon and
Saman Rejali will join Shook's Business Litigation Practice as
partners. They focus on a wide spectrum of trials and litigation in
high-stakes employment law and commercial disputes for public and
private companies.
"Saman and I have the same trial philosophy as Shook, which is
one of the few firms that can take cases all the way through trial,
if necessary. We believe our clients benefit from having top-tier
trial counsel as part of a strategic approach to managing
litigation," said Kondon from Shook's Los
Angeles office.
"We were drawn to Shook's investment in a business model and
structure that works for its lawyers and clients," said Rejali,
speaking from Los Angeles.
"Additionally, I was attracted to a firm that develops and promotes
women, particularly in management roles. You don't see women as
chairs of major law firms too often, and I'm looking forward to
Madeleine McDonough's
leadership."
Kondon and Rejali represent management in all aspects of
employment law, with a focus on employment-related litigation.
Kondon brings more than 30 years of experience, and has obtained
several defense verdicts. He counsels clients on terminations,
employment discrimination, wage and hour, and has handled
administrative proceedings before various state and federal
agencies as well as arbitrations before tribunals throughout the
state of California. Kondon has
worked across many different industries, including manufacturing,
technology, shipping and health care.
Rejali has been second-chair in jury trials and in arbitration.
She manages a diverse portfolio of litigation and has successfully
obtained summary judgment in favor of companies in a wide variety
of industries including health, technology and consumer goods,
which align with Shook's clients. Both Kondon and Rejali have
successfully defeated class certification in wage and hour class
actions, and have overseen the litigation and resolution of many
PAGA actions.
Shook's national employment litigation and policy team, led by
William Martucci and Carrie McAtee, represents corporate employers
including as national counsel for a number of Fortune 500
companies.
"We are thrilled to be expanding our depth and bench of trial
lawyers in California," said
Employment Litigation Partner Carrie McAtee, who serves on Shook's
Executive Committee and is a leading national employment litigator
and policy strategist. "In particular, California has become a hotbed of wage and
hour lawsuits. Chris and Saman bring a high level of experience
that will complement our existing national team and be of great
value to our clients."
"This powerful duo builds perfectly on Shook's strategic focus
in the ever dynamic and complex California Employment Litigation
and Policy Practice," said Shook Partner William Martucci who leads
the practice.
Kondon and Rejali will practice nationally from Shook's
Los Angeles office, which marks
its five-year anniversary in 2024 and has exploded from five to 27
lawyers. The office, managed by Michael
Mallow, who also co-leads Shook's Class Action and Appellate
teams, recently located to a larger space in Century City to accommodate accelerating
growth. The Los Angeles office
recently added Partners Alycia Degen, Jan
Dodd, Michael Shortnacy and
Stephen B. Weisburd, all from larger
firms.
"It's a special homecoming for me. There's no doubt about it,"
said Kondon. "Collaborating with Michael
Mallow, Colm Moran and
Robert Feyder again is something I
am really looking forward to." Kondon, Mallow, Moran and Feyder
practiced together for many years early in their careers.
Shook's litigation and trial teams represent most of the world's
leading health, science and technology companies on just about
every type of claim. ALM selected Shook as a finalist for the
Litigation Department of the Year – Product Liability in 2023. Best
Lawyers awarded Shook the 2024 Practice Group of the Year for Mass
Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants.
Kondon earned his law degree from Loyola Law School –
Los Angeles. He is ranked among
The Best Lawyers of America.
Rejali earned her J.D. from Pepperdine
University School of Law, cum laude. She speaks and
writes frequently in her area of law.
Shook currently has California
offices in Los Angeles,
Orange County and San Francisco.
About Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Founded in 1889, Shook,
Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 19 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff
serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in
areas ranging from product liability defense and commercial
litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation,
environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and
regulatory counseling.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-trial-lawyers-leap-to-growing-shook-302199646.html
SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.