Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has added nine attorneys to the firm’s national litigation practice, with eight opening a new office in Cleveland and one joining the firm’s Los Angeles office. The group, which includes six partners and three associates, is joining from Tucker Ellis LLP.  

“We have seen strong growth in our litigation practice, most notably in product liability, in the first quarter of 2022,” said Nelson Mullins managing partner Jim Lehman. “We are pleased to welcome this team, which adds to our already deep trial bench. We continue to invest in teams like this with strong synergies to our existing practice in response to the expanding needs of our clients.”

The six partners, five of whom originally practiced together at Jones Day in Cleveland, specialize in the pharmaceutical and medical device, commercial litigation, and class action sectors. Other attorneys and support staff are also expected to join the firm in the Cleveland office.

“The opportunity to open the 31st office of Nelson Mullins — an AmLaw 100 firm we deeply respect — in our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, was simply too good to pass up,” said Dustin Rawlin, who will serve as the office managing partner.  “And it is an honor and a responsibility we take seriously. We look forward to providing world class service to our clients, many of whom call Northeast Ohio home.”

With the addition of these new attorneys, Nelson Mullins’ overall product liability practice will include more than 160 lawyers that currently serves as national, regional, and local counsel for numerous companies in various industries across the United States. The firm’s diverse and deep trial bench is experienced in all phases of complex litigation, including individual cases, multiparty and multijurisdictional cases, class actions, MDL proceedings, and state-coordinated proceedings. Benchmark Litigation named the firm Law Firm of the Year for Product Liability in 2020 and 2021. Legal 500 recognized the firm in 2021 for Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. In 2021, Chambers USA recognized the firm nationally for Transportation: Road (Automotive) as well as naming the firm nationally to Product Liability: The Elite.

“Our team is excited to join such a talented and deep collection of trial lawyers, many of whom we have worked alongside over the years,” said John Lewis, who is a nationally recognized elite trial lawyer.

Sarah Bunce most recently has served as in-house counsel at two publicly traded manufacturing companies. Her practice focuses on product liability and commercial disputes, with experience representing clients at the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal courts. Bunce is expected to join the firm on March 7.

Jon Feczko focuses his practice on products liability matters and commercial litigation matters. He has helped guide clients successfully through all stages of case work-up and trial in courtrooms throughout the country. 

Monee Hanna concentrates her practice in the areas of pharmaceutical and medical device litigation. She also has experience in business litigation matters, including antitrust actions, class actions, and unfair competition claims. Hanna will be resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

John Lewis is a Chambers USA-ranked lead trial lawyer who represents clients in high-stakes, complex disputes throughout the world. He has secured trial wins for public and private company clients against America’s top trial lawyers in jurisdictions around the country.

Seth Linnick's practice primarily focuses on commercial contract disputes. He both prosecutes and defends complex business cases, specializing in post-transaction claims involving breaches of contract and fraud.

Dustin Rawlin is a trial lawyer who represents clients in complex litigation matters and appeals in courts throughout the United States. He handles matters involving product liability, breach of contract, business tort, breach of warranty, consumer fraud, professional negligence, and commercial disputes.

Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins is an Am Law 100 firm with more than 930 attorneys and government relations professionals across 31 offices and 15 states and Washington, D.C.