Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP, USA 2023

About

Provided by Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP

USA

Managing Partner: Patricia Brown Holmes

Number of partners: 40

Number of lawyers: 88

Firm Overview:

Fortune 500 and other market-leading businesses turn to the elite trial teams and C-Suite advisors of Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP (RSHC) to handle their most pressing challenges.

RSHC attorneys are united by a culture of excellence that is relentlessly client-focused, dynamically innovative, and passionately committed to winning. Noted by the Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards as “a true diversity and inclusion pioneer for the profession,” the firm draws from its authentic diversity to assemble bespoke teams for each engagement, incorporating multiple perspectives to craft legal strategies and deliver business insights that create success in both the courtroom and the boardroom.

Highlighted Areas of Practice:

Class Actions

■ Defend class actions across the nation involving myriad industries (insurance, consumer products, airlines, restaurants, manufacturers) and claims (contract, consumer fraud, TCPA, RICO, Fair Housing Act, discrimination, warranty, antitrust, products)

■ Illustrative recent wins include accomplishing dismissals of RICO and contract actions for leading airline, dismissal of TCPA actions, defeating series of Medicare Secondary Payer Act actions against leading insurer, and dismissal of claims in lawsuit challenging insurance claim practices

White Collar Defense, Investigations & Compliance

■ Represent organizations and individuals in criminal and civil investigations and government enforcement actions, in matters involving securities and health care fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act/qui tam actions, antitrust, and environmental matters; perform sensitive internal investigations for boards and management teams of whistleblower and other allegations; design corporate compliance programs; perform global anti-bribery/anti-corruption compliance assessments; and perform pre-monitorships in the course of government investigations

■ Illustrative recent wins include United States v. Ed Filer, in which RSHC defended a lawyer indicted for fraud related to his representation of a failing company. The government alleged ten counts of wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and perjury. At the end of the government’s case, the Court dismissed eight of ten counts. After trial, the Court granted judgment of acquittal on the remaining two counts.

Product Liability & Mass Torts

■ Serve as lead trial counsel and National Coordinating Counsel developing and implementing litigation strategy, managing litigation and trial teams, and resolution of claims

■ Illustrative recent wins include federal court dismissals of consumer product labeling claims of deceptive business practices; trial victories in catastrophic injury/cancer cases; appellate wins in 7th Circuit and Illinois Supreme Court on causation, civil conspiracy, and novel product liability theory based on patent licensing

Commercial Disputes & Litigation

■ Represent domestic and international companies in breach of contract, unfair competition/deceptive trade practices, dealer/distribution disputes, partnership/joint venture disputes, business torts, civil RICO, securities fraud, auto parts issues, and breach of fiduciary duty actions

■ Illustrative recent wins include summary judgment in transshipment dispute with nationwide implications; successful challenge to the constitutionality of dealer protection statute; obtaining defense verdict against $300m lender-liability claim; resolving false advertising actions and mass tort litigation threatening brand equity of international consumer products company; defeat of breach of contract and good faith and fair dealing claims involving flagship product of international food and beverage company

Insurance Litigation

■ Defend insurers in high-stakes bad faith litigation nationwide, sensitive government and internal investigations, and class actions

■ Illustrative recent wins include Fluor Corporation v. Zurich American Insurance Co., in which RSHC defended Zurich against a $289 million suit for Bad Faith Failure to Settle claims related to environmental contamination and lead poisoning. After jury selection, judgment was entered in favor of Zurich because of pre-trial rulings that plaintiff viewed as dispositive of their claim.

In 2021, the firm garnered international attention for its lead trial role in Bolden v. City of Chicago, et al., a civil rights claim on behalf of client who spent 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The victory, a record-setting $25.2 million claim against police officers indemnified by the City, represents both the firm’s excellence at trial work – routinely winning “unwinnable” cases – and its deep commitment to wrongful conviction and other pro bono work.

Additional Areas of Practice:

Aerospace & Aviation

■ Represent claims against aircraft manufacturers and aerospace clients involving global commercial and General Aviation accidents, commercial disputes, and construction defects

Animal Law

■ Nationwide practice in all aspects of animal law litigation, appellate practice, and legislative drafting, which has secured multiple wins at trial, including defending California’s humane farm animal confinement law in the U.S. Supreme Court and forcing the USDA to enact regulations providing for humane treatment of birds in commerce nationwide

Antitrust & Competition

■ Litigate antitrust and unfair competition claims nationwide; represent athletic association

Appellate Practice

■ Brief and argue appeals in virtually every federal appellate circuit and in state Supreme and appellate courts

Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

■ Advise clients on legal and regulatory risks related to cryptocurrency trading strategies

Business Transactions

■ Counsel venture capital, private equity, real estate, and airport concession companies in all facets of business, including M&A transactions, equity investments, financing, leasing, and portfolio company support

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles & Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

■ Litigation avoidance and preparation, acquisitions, contract design and negotiation, product liability, and intellectual property issues for emerging companies

Education

■ Investigate complaints of sexual assault/ harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and misconduct; and represent institutions in Title IX, class action, intellectual property, and other litigation

Environmental Litigation

■ Represent clients in environmental government enforcement actions and related trespass, nuisance, injury claims, and contribution and recovery actions

Financial Services Litigation

■ Represent financial institutions and associated persons in complex litigation (e.g., class actions, mass actions, and arbitrations), including mortgage origination, servicing, and complex foreclosure cases, as well as all variety of securities and trading-related cases

Intellectual Property

■ Represent clients in variety of intellectual property litigation in state and federal courts, as well as the ITC

Labor & Employment

■ Investigate and report on claims of illegal activity for employers and boards of directors; counsel employers on employment law issues; and litigate employment-related claims, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, non-competition, and wage and hour

Risk, Reputation & Crisis Management

■ Counsel clients through multi-dimensional crises; design and implement crisis management protocols; and manage responses to government investigations, administrative actions, whistleblower allegations, civil lawsuits, and media reports

OFFICES:

ILLINOIS

CHICAGO: 70 W. Madison St., Ste. 2900, 60602

Tel: 312 471 8700

Email: [email protected]

CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO: 456 Montgomery St., 16th Fl., 94104

Tel: 415 275 8550

Email: [email protected]

LOS ANGELES/IRVINE:

100 Spectrum Center Dr., Ste. 650, 92618

Tel: 949 359 5500