Chicago, October 12, 2005, --Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP announces the addition of 11 new associates to the firm's Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Wisconsin offices. The new associates include the following:
Peter J. Frommer, 37, is experienced in representing national manufacturers in products liability, asbestos and toxic tort litigation throughout Florida. He also handles automobile and trucking transportation litigation, risk management matters, commercial litigation and other general liability litigation. Previously, he was an associate for six years with the Miami law firm of Ruden, McClosky, Smith, Schuster & Russell, P.A. Mr. Frommer received his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1997, where he was Valedictory Speaker, Chairman of Moot Court Board, Intra-School Moot Court Semi-finalist, Class Senator and Adams Class Director. While in law school, Mr. Frommer was a law clerk for the Michigan Tax Tribunal in Lansing, Michigan, where he drafted opinions, issued orders and reviewed small claims and adjustments on tax and real estate issues for the tribunal judges. Mr. Frommer is on the board of directors for The Chrysalis Center, which provides mental health and support services to children, adolescents and families of Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Andrew M. Schneiderman, 25, is a litigator who focuses his practice in the areas of products liability, toxic exposure, personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation and construction litigation. Before joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP as an associate, he was a law clerk with the firm. Mr. Schneiderman received his J.D., cum laude, from University of Miami School of Law in 2005, where he was a Moot Court Competition finalist and recipient of a three-year Merit Scholarship. During his undergraduate and legal studies, Mr. Schneiderman worked as a research assistant for Morgan, Angel and Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm specializing in historical research and public policy analysis; and as an assistant to the head controller for a not-for-profit organization in New York City.
Chicago, Illinois Office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
V. Brette Bensinger, 27, focuses her practice in the area of labor and employment law, representing both public- and private-sector clients. She also has experience working on medical malpractice and legal malpractice cases. Prior to joining Hinshaw as an associate, she was a law clerk with the firm. Previously, she was a judicial extern to the Hon. Judge Wayne R. Andersen, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Ms. Bensinger received her J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2005, where she was Student Editor of the Employment Policy Journal and the recipient of the CALI Award for Highest Grade in Class. During law school, Ms. Bensinger clerked in the Crime Victims Division of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and in Preliminary Hearings at the Cook County State’s Attorney Office. Ms. Bensinger graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in English in 2000.
Renee C. Choy, 25, focuses her litigation practice in the area of professional liability defense, representing design/construction professionals, real estate and insurance professionals in their E&O and malpractice matters. Prior to joining Hinshaw as an associate, she was a law clerk with the firm. Previously, she served as a judicial intern to the Hon. William Maki of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division. Ms. Choy has also worked as a paralegal for a Chicago-based law firm. Ms. Choy received her J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2005 where she was President of the Corporate Law Society. Prior to law school, Ms. Choy was a congressional intern in the Chicago office of the Hon. Richard J. Durbin, United State Senate (D-IL).
Max J. Kanter, 29, focuses his practice in the areas of general liability litigation and commercial litigation. He is also experienced in commercial real estate transactions and patent, trademark and copyright law. Before joining Hinshaw as an associate, he was a law clerk with the firm. Mr. Kanter received his J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2005. In addition, he received his M.S. in Biology, with distinction, from Loyola University of Chicago in 2001. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Kanter was a real estate agent for Baird & Warner in Chicago, and also for American Invsco in both Chicago and Houston. He holds an Illinois real estate license.
Conrad C. Nowak, 32, focuses his practice in the area of professional liability defense and commercial litigation. Previously he was a law clerk to the Hon. William D. Maddux, Presiding Judge of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County for two years. Mr. Nowak received his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2002, where he was Featured Articles Editor for Loyola University Chicago Forum of International Law, Assistant Features Editor of Public Interest Law Reporter and a Student Representative on the Loyola Business Law Advisory Board. While in law school, Mr. Nowak was a student attorney in Loyola’s Business Law Clinic. In addition, he served two summer internships, with the Chicago District Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of Illinois. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Nowak was a world-ranked professional tennis player for six years. He also served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve for nine years. He is the recipient of the Army Achievement Medal.
Thomas L. O'Carroll, 33, is a litigator who focuses his practice on the defense of catastrophic personal injury matters, with an emphasis on defending health care professionals in medical malpractice matters. He is also experienced in handling products liability and construction injury litigation. Additionally, Mr. O'Carroll has extensive appellate practice experience, including briefing and arguing cases before the Illinois appellate courts and the Illinois Supreme Court. He has written two amicus curie briefs before the Illinois Supreme Court. Prior to joining Hinshaw and developing a defense practice, Mr. O’Carroll worked as a plaintiff's attorney for eight years with the Phillips Law Offices in Chicago. Mr. O’Carroll received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in 1997, where he was a member of DePaul Law Review, editor of the Journal of Health & Hospital Law and an Executive Board Member of DePaul Moot Court Society. He was also the recipient of Best Brief for the 1995 Intramural Moot Court Appellate Competition and the 1997 recipient of the Class of 1962 Scholarship Award for Academic Achievement.
Patrick P. Devine, 34, is an experienced trial attorney who focuses his practice in the defense of civil lawsuits arising out of accidents, with a particular emphasis on defending brain injury claims. Previously, he was a trial attorney with Eberhard & Gastineau, P.C., where he was recruited to open the firm's Mishawaka, Indiana, office in 2004. Mr. Devine was also a trial attorney for four years with the Law Offices of Citizens Insurance, also in Mishawaka, where he was the recipient of their Citizens/Allmerica Exceptional Performance Award in 2001. Mr. Devine received his J.D., with honors, from DePaul University College of Law in 1996, and was a member of the Order of the Coif and recipient of the CALI Award for Excellence in Advanced Trial Advocacy.Mr. Devine is the successor trustee to the Anna C. Gamble Charitable Foundation, a private charitable trust. He is involved in assisting the trust with selecting recipients for charitable gifts.
New York, New York Office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Concepcion A. Montoya is a trial lawyer who focuses her practice in the areas of legal malpractice defense and employment litigation. Previously, she was an assistant corporation counsel for five years in the Special Federal Litigation Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, where she defended the City and its municipal employees in federal civil rights actions. During her tenure with the Corporation Counsel, Ms. Montoya received the “Legal Rookie of the Year 2000-2001 Award.” In 2004, she received the “Municipal Affairs Award” for outstanding achievement in the New York City Law Department from the Municipal Affairs Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Ms. Montoya earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2000, where she was Associate Managing Editor of the Journal of Law and Policy, a top finalist for the Joan Offner Touval Scholarship (Best Brief, First Year Class), Dean’s Merit Scholar and a Fellow for the Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Program. Prior to graduating from law school, Ms. Montoya was a summer associate with Farrell Fritz, P.C. in Uniondale, New York; and an intern with the Center for Democracy Studies as well as the Federal Litigation Clinic of BLS Legal Services Corp. Ms. Montoya is an Associate of the Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court. In addition, she is a member of the Litigation Committee of the Asian American Bar Association.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Office of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Noah D. Fiedler, 35, is an experienced litigator who focuses his practice on representing private and public clients in commercial litigation matters, real estate litigation, and municipal regulatory, land use and planning issues. Previously, he was a litigation associate with Godfrey, Leibsle, Blackbourn & Howarth, S.C. in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Fiedler served as the executive director of the Apartment Association of South Central Wisconsin, where he provided advice to its board of directors and represented the Association and its members before local, county and state government. In 2000-2001 he was appointed by the Governor of Wisconsin to the Lead Paint Technical Advisory Committee, and was instrumental in crafting a progressive lead paint law for Wisconsin. Mr. Fiedler's prior experience also includes working as an associate from 1996 to 1999 with the law firm of Murphy & Desmond, S.C., where he was one of four attorneys retained by then-Governor Tommy Thompson to draft implementation contracts for Wisconsin Works, the first welfare alternative program of its kind. Mr. Fiedler received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995. He is an active member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, where he is a member of the Litigation Section, Real Estate Section and Young Lawyers Division.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a national law firm with 475 lawyers in 25 offices coast-to-coast. The firm offers a full-service practice, with an emphasis in commercial and defense litigation, corporate, environmental, employment and construction law, as well as the representation of professionals in their liability matters. The firm provides services to a range of clients in financial services, construction, health care, not-for-profit, insurance, legal, manufacturing, real estate, transportation and other industries. 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.