Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, the nation's first and only law firm with offices in all 50 states, is pleased to announce the addition of Partners J. Patrick Norris and Laura Paris Paton and Senior Counsel Arden Y. Lowndes. Based in the firm's Charleston office, this new group of attorneys will bolster the firm's Commercial Litigation, Construction, Product & General Liability, and Insurance practice groups.
“Patrick, Laura, and Arden are outstanding lawyers, and we are thrilled that they have joined the firm,” said Peter G. Siachos, Managing Partner of the firm’s Charleston office. “They have earned the reputation for aggressive, strategic legal representation and a commitment to client service in South Carolina. Clients can continue to expect the highest level of legal work and client service throughout multiple practice areas, but now on a national scale with Gordon & Rees’ 50-state platform.”
J. Patrick Norris focuses his practice on professional liability defense, design/construction litigation, and general liability/personal injury defense. He also provides non-litigation support to his design professional and contractor clients, including contract drafting and review, navigation of subpoenas, and legal advice related to emerging industry issues.
Norris frequently speaks at seminars and conferences, including events for The Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, the American Institute of Architects, and local/regional trade organizations. He was selected as one of the Super Lawyers Rising Stars® in South Carolina from 2016 to 2019–a peer-nominated award for no more than 2.5% of attorneys in each state. He has been honored as one of the top construction attorneys in the area by Charleston Business Magazine's "Legal Elite" Feature, another peer-nominated award.
He received his law degree from Charleston School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Clemson University. He graduated from CLM's three-year Claims College program in the School of Construction Claims and earned his Certified Claims Professional designation.
Laura Paris Paton focuses her practice primarily on litigation providing corporate clients with exceptional legal services in the areas of construction defects, product liability, personal injury, and premises liability defense. She has successfully developed and executed resolution plans representing corporate entities and individuals in pre-litigation disputes and litigated cases for over 16 years. She holds an AV Preeminent Peer Review rating by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star® on multiple occasions.
In addition to her practice, she is a published author, speaker, and avid volunteer. She served nine years on Board of Directors for the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association, founded SCWLA Public Service Committee, and has served on CLM's Diversity in Construction Committee. She is a graduate of the South Carolina Bar Leadership Academy's 2014 class and is a certified mediator.
She received her law degree from St. John's University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Georgia State University.
Arden Y. Lowndes primarily focuses her practice on representing construction and related design professionals. She is an experienced attorney who has litigated a broad spectrum of cases in state and federal courts for individuals, small businesses, and large international corporations in matters big and small. Her representative experience includes various practice areas, including commercial litigation, admiralty, probate, insurance coverage, product defects, motor vehicle accidents, and premises liability.
Lowndes received her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Clemson University. She serves as President-Elect of the Porter-Gaud Alumni Association Board.
Gordon & Rees has a national reputation for successfully managing, resolving and trying multi-party and complex claims in every substantive area of commercial law. Our lawyers have tried or arbitrated bet-the-company cases in nearly every industry and profession. Gordon & Rees lawyers are regularly in court, try cases frequently, and have a track record of unprecedented endurance for handling multiple consecutive complex matters and lengthy trials. Our reputation enables clients to send the strong message that they are unshaken by the possibility of trial. Our broad range of industry experience gives us the expert knowledge to successfully present the most complicated cases to judges, juries, and mediators alike.
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