Firm News
Tucker Ellis Adds New Talent in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Morristown, Orange County, and St. Louis
May 13, 2024
Firm News
Tucker Ellis Adds New Talent in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Morristown, Orange County, and St. Louis
May 13, 2024
Tucker Ellis LLP has expanded its national Intellectual Property and Mass Tort & Product Liability practices with the addition of skilled attorneys in both Cleveland and Los Angeles. The firm also recently added new talent to its White Collar Criminal Defense & Corporate Investigations and Estates, Trusts, and Probate practices in Cleveland; its Health & Life Sciences practice in Cleveland and Morristown, New Jersey; its Business Litigation practice in Orange County, California; and its Junior Attorney Corps in St. Louis.
“As we continue to grow, we count ourselves lucky to continue to attract such incredible talent all around the country,” Tucker Ellis Managing Partner Joe Morford said. “We’re excited that these excellent lawyers and top-quality people have chosen to join our ranks.”
Intellectual property attorneys joining Tucker Ellis in Cleveland are partner Steven Solomon and counsel Una Lauricia.
Mr. Solomon advises and represents clients in intellectual property matters – with a focus on patents and trademarks – and has experience in litigation disputes in federal court and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He has significant experience drafting and negotiating licensing agreements, joint-development and cooperative business (supply) agreements, and non-disclosure agreements, as well as counseling and representing clients in disputes over their brands and technology. Mr. Solomon’s formal training and prior work experience in chemical engineering have formed the foundation of his patent practice, where he prepares and prosecutes patent applications focusing primarily on the chemical, biochemical, and mechanical arts. Mr. Solomon received his law degree magna cum laude from Cleveland State University College of Law and his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from The Ohio State University.
Ms. Lauricia joins Tucker Ellis with more than 20 years of experience in intellectual property law. Her practice focuses on securing, protecting, and licensing patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property for clients in industries ranging from startups to multinational corporations. Ms. Lauricia received her law degree from Cleveland State University College of Law and her undergraduate degree in manufacturing engineering from Miami University.
“Steve and Una are highly skilled attorneys with decades of experience,” said Tucker Ellis Intellectual Property Chair Carlos Garritano. “They’re a great addition to our IP team, and we’re looking forward to working with them.”
“Una and I are thrilled to join Tucker Ellis as part of its thriving nationwide intellectual property practice,” said Mr. Solomon. “We look forward to utilizing the firm’s deep resources across a range of disciplines to service our clients’ IP needs and beyond.”
Bolstering the Tucker Ellis Mass Tort & Product Liability practice in Los Angeles are partner Steven Meyer, counsels Brandon Lansche and Jeffrey Stoltz, and associate Brian Lee.
“Adding Steve, Brandon, Jeff, and Brian to our team in Los Angeles brings new depth to our California trial bench,” said Mass Tort & Product Liability Chair Laura Hong. “Steve is a proven winner, and we’re delighted and proud that he has chosen Tucker Ellis as his new work home.”
Mr. Meyer has more than 30 years of experience defending clients in all types of civil litigation and has tried more than 25 cases to verdict. His courtroom experience involves products, environmental, toxic tort, real estate, and business litigation, as well as other litigation matters. For decades, he has represented a deep, diverse client base defending designers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of automotive, industrial, and mechanical machinery; consumer products; and chemicals. Mr. Meyer received his law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and his undergraduate degrees in Economics/Systems Science (Engineering) and Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Mr. Lansche, an experienced litigator and trial lawyer, defends businesses in high-risk product liability suits. He represents auto manufacturers, consumer product companies, medical device companies, insurers, and other businesses in product liability cases in state and federal courts across the United States. Mr. Lansche is known for winning legal arguments in motion practice, mediation, trial, and appeal, as well as the successful strategies he implements at all levels of the life of a case. He received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Colgate University.
Mr. Stoltz defends businesses in complex products liability and toxic tort cases and repeat litigation. In more than 20 years of practice, he has developed an expertise defending national and international corporate clients in the consumer products industries, as well as in the defense of manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and premises owners in toxic tort and environmental litigation. He received his law degree from Southwestern Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego.
Mr. Lee represents clients in all types of civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on product liability, premises liability, and medical malpractice defense. Practicing in both state and federal court, he is experienced in pre-suit counseling, as well as all phases of litigation, and has achieved successes in all types of resolution, including mediation, arbitration, and trial. Mr. Lee received his law degree cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Riverside.
“Tucker Ellis – with its excellent reputation, growing national footprint, and dynamic culture – is a perfect fit for us as we continue our careers,” said Mr. Meyer. “We’re thrilled to come aboard and excited to get started.”
In addition, counsels Aaron Howell and Christopher Teodosio and associate Maya Kanaan recently joined Tucker Ellis in Cleveland. Associates Anika Prednis and Cheska Tolentino joined the firm in Orange County and Morristown, respectively, while Dakota Reckamp joined the firm’s Junior Attorney Corps in St. Louis.
Mr. Howell applies his extensive experience as a former federal and state prosecutor to represent clients in white collar criminal defense, sensitive internal investigations, and complex business litigation. He handles investigations and cases involving white collar crime, including public corruption, wire and mail fraud, tax evasion, tax fraud, illegal gambling, money laundering, banking offenses, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, antitrust, technology-related crime, trade secret offenses, government contract fraud, and environmental crime. Mr. Howell has tried more than 50 cases, including numerous complex matters involving multiple defendants and white collar criminal matters. He received his law degree from The University of Akron School of Law and his undergraduate degree from The University of Akron.
Mr. Teodosio focuses his practice on estate planning, trust and estate administration, and probate litigation. He is experienced in preparing a wide range of estate plans, including sophisticated plans involving estate and gift tax issues and succession planning. Mr. Teodosio also advises fiduciaries in administering estates and trusts, including complex administrations that involve closely held businesses, tax issues, and family conflict. He has represented clients in probate litigation involving trust interpretation issues, concealment actions, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Mr. Teodosio received his law degree cum laude from The University of Akron School of Law; his Master of Business Administration from The University of Akron College of Business; and his undergraduate degree from Clemson University.
Ms. Kanaan represents clients in a variety of litigation, with an emphasis on medical malpractice and motor vehicle accident defense. She is experienced at leading and defending fact and expert witness depositions, researching and analyzing case law, drafting legal documents, and preparing and responding to discovery. She received her law degree from DePaul University College of Law and her undergraduate degree from Benedictine University.
Ms. Prednis assists individual and corporate clients in complex commercial and real estate litigation, preparing key documents at all stages of a dispute. She also counsels clients on litigation strategy and develops efficient solutions for alternative dispute resolution. Ms. Prednis received her law degree from Emory University School of Law and her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Chapman University.
Ms. Tolentino joins Tucker Ellis in its Morristown, New Jersey location, which opened in February 2024 with a focus on health and life sciences. She assists clients nationwide navigating complex business litigation, with an emphasis on health and life sciences. Her experience includes drafting written discovery, discovery motions, motions to dismiss, and motions for summary judgment, as well as conducting depositions. Ms. Tolentino received her law degree cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law; her Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs; and her undergraduate degree from Oberlin College.
As a member of the Tucker Ellis Junior Attorney Corps, Ms. Reckamp supports the lawyers in the firm’s Trial Department. She has experience defending clients in complex litigation involving product liability, premises liability, and maritime law. She received her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law and her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.