Fifteen Lawyers Join Washington, D.C. Office, Two Join Los Angeles Office
Cleveland, OH, March 29, 2011—Baker Hostetler today announced that Robert G. Abrams, former co-chair of Howrey’s Global Litigation Practice, and a key group of 16 Howrey antitrust and environmental law attorneys, joined the Firm’s Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles offices. Joining Baker Hostetler’s Washington office are seven partners, four counsel and four associates with deep antitrust and environmental practice strengths. Joining the Los Angeles office are two partners with strong antitrust, commercial litigation and environmental experience. Abrams will become head of Baker Hostetler’s national antitrust practice.
Making the move to Baker Hostetler with Abrams are Gregory L. Baker, Robert J. Brookhiser, Joanne E. Caruso, Gregory J. Commins Jr., Gilbert S. Keteltas, Joanne Lichtman, Elizabeth B. McCallum and Terry L. Sullivan. All are joining as partners at the Firm.
“The addition of Bob Abrams and this highly respected team is another significant step forward for Baker Hostetler’s Washington and Los Angeles offices, our Firm and our clients,” said National Executive Partner Steven Kestner. “These attorneys bring the experience and client relationships that complement and broaden our national litigation team as we deliver the highest quality legal counsel on the most complex and critical issues facing clients today.”
“We are extremely excited about the opportunity to join a firm where we can work seamlessly with world-class lawyers on all of our clients’ most complex problems, across many disciplines,” said Abrams. “Baker Hostetler attorneys share a number of common clients with members of our group and we are delighted to be combining forces to continue to serve our clients.”
“Many of these litigation attorneys have spent their entire careers at Howrey and are held in highest esteem in areas involving antitrust, patent, trade secret and environmental issues. Each one brings the commitment to client service and dedication to the profession that are hallmarks of Baker Hostetler. They are a very good fit for us and we believe we are an ideal fit for them,” said Jeffrey H. Paravano, Managing Partner of Baker Hostetler’s Washington, D.C., office.
“We are thrilled to have both Joanne Caruso and Joanne Lichtman join our Los Angeles office,” said John F. Cermak, Managing Partner of Baker Hostetler’s Los Angeles office. “Their significant experience in commercial litigation and environmental law deepens and strengthens our strong team here in Los Angeles.”
“As a leading national Litigation firm, I am pleased to have this tremendous group of attorneys join Baker Hostetler,” said W. Ray Whitman, chair of Baker Hostetler’s Litigation practice. “They add additional capabilities and depth to our already deep bench of trial lawyers.”
Abrams brings more than 30 years of trial experience involving antitrust, patent, trade secrets, tortious interference and environmental issues. He has been lead counsel in numerous bench and jury trials and in governmental investigations initiated by the Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.
Greg Baker comes to the Firm with more than 26 years of experience litigating and trying antitrust, intellectual property and complex commercial cases. He counsels clients on a variety of antitrust issues, with an emphasis on product distribution issues.
With more than 30 years experience, Brookhiser represents clients in complex commercial and antitrust litigation and has handled matters for major corporations in a wide range of industries, including natural gas, petroleum, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.
Caruso brings extensive commercial litigation experience including complex commercial contracts, antitrust, unfair competition and unfair business practices, patent infringement matters, franchise relationships, real estate partnership disputes and insurance recovery. She was a member of Howrey’s six-person Executive Committee.
Commins focuses on complex litigation matters involving antitrust and product liability class action and intellectual property disputes. He was Co-Chair of Howrey’s Commercial Trial Group.
Keteltas is a trial lawyer who litigates complex commercial, tort and environmental disputes, with extensive background in tort risk reduction. He was Co-Chair of the Environmental, Product and Tort practice at Howrey.
Lichtman’s experience includes an array of complex commercial litigation, with particular expertise in consumer and antitrust class actions, product liability, false advertising, unfair business practices and a wide range of environmental litigation. She served as Co-Chair of Howrey’s Environmental, Product and Tort practice.
McCallum concentrates her practice on complex commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts concerning antitrust, breach of contract, fraud, insurance recovery and business torts. Her experience is at both the trial and appellate levels.
Sullivan focuses on complex civil and antitrust litigation and represents clients in the petroleum and heavy equipment manufacturing industries.
Joining Baker Hostetler as Counsel are: John F. Bruce, William T. DeVinney, Danyll W. Foix and Monica B. Lateef. Coming to the Firm as Associates are: Carey S. Busen, Evan M. Mannering, Bridget S. Merritt and Jocelyn R. Roy.
###
About Baker HostetlerFounded in 1916, Baker Hostetler is among the nation's 100 largest law firms with 700 attorneys coast to coast, delivering the highest quality legal counsel on the most complex and critical issues facing clients today. The firm has offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Costa Mesa, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and Washington, D.C. Its five primary practice groups are Business, Employment, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Tax. For more information, please visit www.bakerlaw.com.
Contact: Laura S. Scharf, Communications Manager216.861.6616