SAN DIEGO, MARCH 3 - Duane Morris LLP, one of the nation's 100 largest law firms, has added three new partners from the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll LLP to its rapidly growing San Diego office. Litigators Karen S. Crawford, Patricia P. Hollenbeck and John P. Cooley have joined the Trial Practice Group.
"We are delighted to welcome these outstanding lawyers to the firm," said Sheldon M. Bonovitz, Chairman of Duane Morris. "Our San Diego office opened in August 2003, and it has become a leading example of our commitment to expanding in key markets nationwide. Not only have we grown quickly and strategically, but with the addition of Karen, Patricia and John, we already have 17 lawyers in the city. We continue to focus on attracting talented lawyers in San Diego and throughout the country who embrace our firm's entrepreneurial and collegial culture."
"Our clients will receive a substantial benefit from each of these individuals," said Christopher Celentino, managing partner of the San Diego office. "These fine lawyers add extensive depth to our practices, across product liability, franchise litigation, and general litigation. We are ever closer to being a full-service microcosm of the Duane Morris international presence."
"Adding these attorneys is another significant step for our planned growth," said John J. Soroko, chair of the firm's Trial Practice Group.
Karen S. Crawford's practice includes commercial, product liability and medical device litigation. As the former head of Buchanan Ingersoll's San Diego office and chair of its Product Liability Practice Group, she counseled an international medical device company in complex national multidistrict litigation, coordinating more than 400 cases in state and federal courts nationwide. She also has extensive litigation experience in diverse commercial disputes, including matters involving unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, unfair business practices, breach of contract, banking and injunctive relief. Her litigation experience also includes representation of clients in cases involving scope of employment, First Amendment, constitutional and regulatory torts, and medical malpractice relief. Ms. Crawford previously served as the Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, where she received the Director's Award for Superior Performance. She is a 1980 graduate of California Western School of Law, where she served as the head Notes and Comments editor of the law journal. She earned a B.A. in 1977 from Boston University, graduating cum laude. She received the 1998 A. Sherman Christenson Award from the American Inns of Court Foundation.
Patricia P. Hollenbeck focuses her practice on complex business, franchise and product liability litigation. She has extensive experience involving unfair competition, trademark disputes, construction litigation and employment law. Ms. Hollenbeck served as a member of the Board of Governors for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, San Diego from 2002-2004. In 2002 she was appointed to a three-year term on The State Bar of California Franchise Law Committee. Ms. Hollenbeck is the author of "Treatment of Spoliation of Evidence Issues and Excessive Verdict and Punitive Damage Issues in California," published in the American Law Firm Compendium, and "Legal Malpractice: The Ever Darkening Cloud of Lawyer Liability," which was published in the Association of Business Trial Lawyers Report. She graduated from the University of Colorado's School of Law in 1984 and received her A.B. in 1981 from Stanford University.
John P. Cooley concentrates his practice on commercial and product liability litigation. He has extensive experience defending businesses and individuals in cases involving allegations of unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, defamation, invasion of privacy and defective products. He has published articles in the Los Angeles Daily Journal and San Diego Daily Transcript regarding anti-SLAPP motions, and he has lectured the staffs of various newspapers regarding media law and the First Amendment. Mr. Cooley received his J.D. from Santa Clara University's School of Law in 1992, graduating cum laude. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of California at San Diego.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP, one of the 100 largest law firms in the United States, is a full-service firm of approximately 550 lawyers. In addition, Duane Morris affiliates have approximately 50 professionals engaged in ancillary service businesses. The firm represents clients across the nation and around the world through a combination of 18 offices and a relationship with an international network of independent law firms.