Gordon & Rees has elevated Thomas Blatchley, Heidi Gumienny, Christopher Kahler, Angelo Kappas, Michael Navarro, Christopher Raney, Robert Shaw, and Sarir Silver to partnership.
Blatchley, a partner in the Hartford office, represents individuals, corporations, and insurance companies involved in a wide range of contested matters in federal and state courts. His breadth of experience includes representing and advising clients involved in class actions, environmental and land use litigation, and insurance coverage litigation. He also represents and advises clients in matters involving unfair business practices, professional liability, toxic torts/products liability, and complex regulatory disputes and permitting.
Gumienny is a Houston partner who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, employment, labor and municipal liability. She has both trial and arbitration experience, has appeared before state and federal courts and has represented clients in administrative proceedings. Gumienny defends numerous municipalities and local governments in state and federal lawsuits involving premises liability, personal injury, takings, and civil rights claims. In addition, she represents public and private employers in wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage-and-hour, worker's compensation, restrictive covenant and state whistleblower protection disputes and counsels clients concerning policies and practices, employee investigations and wage and overtime issues.
Kahler, a partner in the Chicago office, concentrates his practice on professional liability, commercial litigation, and insurance coverage litigation. Kahler has trial and litigation experience in professional liability matters and FINRA arbitration proceedings defending broker dealers and financial advisors. Kahler’s commercial litigation and trial experience includes the representation of contractors, manufacturers and corporations in breach of contract and UCC claims. His insurance coverage practice includes the litigation of large scale fidelity bond, commercial crime, and cyber policy claims.
Kappas is a Chicago partner who focuses his practice on tort liability defense of Fortune 500 clients in all areas ranging from products liability and premises liability to general liability claims. He has also represented clients in general civil litigation, director and officer liability, pharmaceutical malpractice, drug and medical device claims , transportation law matters, vehicular accidents, toxic tort matters, property damage claims, alleged product defect suits, contractual disputes, employment disputes, labor law matters, consumer credit disputes, and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in both state and federal courts.
Navarro is a partner in the Houston office whose practice includes broad representation in the formation and ongoing representation of corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and joint ventures as well as the individual owners of such enterprises. Navarro advises business entities of all sizes on their growth and operational matters. Much of his practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities (including venture, private equity and debt financings as well as private placements), intellectual property matters (including registration, licensing and technology transfers), commercial transactions and corporate governance.
Raney, a partner in the Houston office, focuses his practice on litigation of virtually every type of business dispute. Raney’s experience includes the litigation of contract disputes, business torts, covenants not to compete, theft of trade secrets, real estate disputes, shareholder oppression claims, allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, securities, and other business and employment matters. Raney has also litigated matters involving the defense of claims of personal injury, catastrophic loss, and wrongful death, employment discrimination, director and officer liability, attorney malpractice, employment hiring practices, and product defects and failures.
Shaw is a partner in the Raleigh office who has extensive litigation experience, including representation of health care clients in Medicare and Medicaid litigation, provider disputes, administrative law, tax matters, complex business litigation, and regulatory compliance. Shaw has represented physicians, companies, and hospitals in both an advisory capacity and in litigation. Additionally, he has extensive tax controversy and planning experience, including areas of interest to health care clients such as corporate income tax, partnership tax, sales and use tax, and nonprofit tax advice.
Silver, a partner in the New York office, primarily focuses her practice on employment litigation and professional liability. Silver defends employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation and other employment claims in state courts, federal courts and administrative agencies. Silver has also counseled management concerning employment law issues in employee terminations, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, equal employment opportunity, employee handbooks, family and medical leave, and compliance with federal and state employment laws. In the professional liability arena, she defends attorneys, title agents, insurance brokers, real estate agents and other professionals on malpractice claims.
Among the fastest-growing firms in the country, Gordon & Rees is a national litigation and business transactions law firm with more than 650 lawyers in 37 offices across 24 states. Gordon & Rees is currently the 71st largest law firm in the United States, and ranks No. 21 on the American Lawyer’s Diversity Scorecard.