National Law Firm Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Appoints Four Attorneys to Capital Partnership
The national law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is proud to announce the election of the following attorneys to capital partnership:
David A. Grossbaum (Boston / Providence) concentrates his practice in the areas of professional liability defense and insurance coverage. He represents legal, real estate and insurance professionals, accountants and securities brokers/registered representatives in liability cases. As national and regional coverage counsel for several clients, Mr. Grossbaum’s insurance coverage work has involved matters throughout the country. He has also handled personal injury, fidelity, products liability cases, and contract surety matters. Mr. Grossbaum is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, the American Bar Association (ABA) Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, and the Rhode Island Bar Association’s Insurance Committee and Ethics and Professionalism Committee. He is also a member of the ABA Litigation Section. Since 2005, Mr. Grossbaum has been named annually as a “Super Lawyer” in the area of Professional Liability: Defense by Massachusetts Super Lawyers magazine. In addition, he holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability.
Mary J. Hess (Chicago) practices primarily in the area of tort litigation, defending personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, premises liability actions involving construction defect and mold, and product liability and criminal attack cases. She has resolved cases through traditional litigation, as well as arbitration and mediation. Ms. Hess is a key member of a national defense team for one of Hinshaw’s largest self-insured clients, requiring pro hac representation in the states of Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. She has also served as a consulting attorney in environmental cases involving indoor air quality, “sick building syndrome” and multiple chemical sensitivity. Ms. Hess’ national client base ranges from Fortune 500 businesses to privately owned companies. She currently serves as Hinshaw’s Hiring Chair, co-chairs the firm’s Education Committee for associates, and is an instructor for Hinshaw University, a training program for associate attorneys.
Craig T. Liljestrand (Chicago) has extensive experience litigating toxic tort, products liability and environmental cases including those involving multidistrict litigation. He is recognized for his legal skills in the areas of asbestos, silica, welding fumes, lead paint and occupational disease claims. Mr. Liljestrand also counsels and advises clients on toxic tort issues in purchase and sale agreements for commercial real estate. His national client base includes Fortune 500 companies, industrial product and equipment manufacturers, contractors and premises owners. In 2005, he was selected by his peers and named by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine as one of the top "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch." Mr. Liljestrand is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the American Welding Society. He is additionally vice chair of Hinshaw’s Toxic Tort Specialty Group and is an instructor for Hinshaw University, the firm’s training program for associate attorneys. Mr. Liljestrand frequently authors articles concerning toxic tort and environmental litigation. One such piece was referenced and cited to by the Supreme Court of New Jersey in Matter of Musick, 143 N.J. 206, 670 A.2d 11 (1996). His article, “Silica and the ‘Sophisticated User Doctrine’ – Avoiding Legal Sand Traps under the Duty to Warn,” was published as a chapter in the Defense Research Institute’s “Exploring Toxic Tort and Environmental Liability Claims.” Mr. Liljestrand holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability.
John E. Sebastian (Chicago) focuses his practice on matters concerning fidelity and surety bonds, construction and commercial litigation. His legal experience, combined with an undergraduate degree in Construction Engineering Technology and numerous years of professional experience in the construction industry and with an insurance company enables him to thoroughly counsel and protect his construction industry clients. Active professionally, Mr. Sebastian has played an active role in the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Construction Forum and Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section’s Fidelity & Surety Law Committee. Currently, Mr. Sebastian is one of the associate editors of the Construction Litigation Subcommittee’s Construction Lawyer Quarterly and the editor-at-large of the ABA Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Newsletter. He also contributed to the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education book, Construction Law in Illinois, the ABA publication, Payment Bond Manual, Third Edition, and has lectured on numerous construction, fidelity, and surety topics. Mr. Sebastian has been rated by Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a national law firm with 475 lawyers in 25 offices. The firm offers a full-service practice, with an emphasis in litigation, corporate and business law, environmental, labor and employment law, professional liability defense, and wealth preservation and taxation matters. The firm provides services to a range of for-profit and not-for-profit clients in industries that include construction, financial services, health care, insurance, legal, manufacturing, real estate, retail and transportation. Firm clients also include government agencies, municipalities and schools.
Hinshaw was founded in 1934. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, and maintains offices in 12 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.