June 12, 2014, Chicago – Reed Smith today announced the addition of five partners from K&L Gates to its U.S. Commercial Litigation Practice in Chicago. The group is led by K&L Gates’ former partner David A. Rammelt (pictured)
, and includes four other partners, M. David Short, Caroline C. Plater, Dawn M. Beery and James M. Reiland.
In a career spanning nearly a quarter of a century, Rammelt, a 1990 cum laude graduate of Indiana University Maurer School of Law, has appeared in more than a dozen jury trials and hundreds of courtrooms, including serving as lead counsel in jury trials in state and federal courts, permanent injunction and TRO hearings, and domestic and international arbitrations. He and his team members focus their efforts on complex business litigation, products liability counseling and litigation, intellectual property litigation, and sports litigation.
“Reed Smith is an incredibly well-managed firm and continues to execute on a growth strategy that serves both its clients and the firm. Over the years we have worked with and developed good relationships with many of the firm’s lawyers, in addition to sharing several clients,” said Rammelt. “The firm’s reputation for client service and delivering quality and value is perfectly aligned with our practice. Reed Smith is a leader in employing technology to manage matters, has embraced alternative fee arrangements, and supports that important component of practice today with a professional team that we look forward to working with.”
For the past five years, Rammelt and members of his team have served as National Litigation Counsel for Brunswick Corporation and its operating companies – including Life Fitness, Mercury and Mercruiser marine engines, and numerous boat companies, such as Sea Ray, Lund, and Boston Whaler. In this role, they have supervised or served as lead trial counsel in hundreds of cases nationwide. In 2010, Rammelt’s role as National Litigation Counsel and his fixed-fee portfolio model for Brunswick Corporation was featured in the Business Section of the Chicago Tribune.
Rammelt also represents clients in sports-related disputes, including former Chicago Bears All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher, in business and litigation matters. He also has represented sports marketing firms and professional hockey teams, and on multiple occasions has successfully appealed to USA Hockey and had suspensions issued by amateur hockey associations reversed.
Rammelt’s team has represented numerous medical device manufacturers in products cases and matters involving FDA compliance, adverse event reporting, the learned intermediary doctrine, warnings, preemption and the bulk-supplier doctrine.
“We are especially delighted by their track record in difficult products liability, warranty and consumer protection matters,” said Lorenzo Gasparetti, Co-Chair of the U.S. Commercial Litigation practice. “This combination is exciting because Reed Smith is known for its nationwide leading products liability practice, and they will add significantly to that practice. David’s team has incredible depth and breadth nationally in mechanical products work, and they will bolster our leading pharmaceutical and medical device products liability capability in Chicago and the Midwest.”
In addition to Rammelt, the team includes the following lawyers:
M. David Short, a 1995 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, focuses his practice on commercial litigation and product liability defense. He has litigated cases in federal and state courts throughout the United States, and has many years of experience managing portfolios of product liability matters for large manufacturers. In addition to providing overall strategic direction to clients in products liability matters, he serves as lead counsel at both the trial and appellate level. His practice includes representing clients in commercial, intellectual property, and employment litigation matters.
The practice of Caroline C. Plater, a 1998 graduate of DePaul University College of Law, includes complex commercial litigation and product liability litigation involving warranty, negligence, strict liability claims, unfair competition, trade secret, and contract claims. In addition to serving clients on commercial and product liability matters, she is a lead attorney managing warranty and product liability lawsuits for Brunswick. Her experience managing portfolios of warranty and product liability claims includes manufacturers of marine engines and 14 lines of boats.
Dawn M. Beery, who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and product liability litigation, is a 1998 graduate of Northwestern University School of Law. Her commercial litigation practice includes securities litigation, fiduciary duty litigation, construction litigation, antitrust litigation, and trademark and technology litigation. She also brings experience with unfair and deceptive trade practices cases, business tort cases, breach of contract cases, and partnership disputes. Beery has a national practice, having represented clients in state and federal litigations from coast to coast.
A 2002 graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, James M. Reiland’s practice concentrates on complex commercial litigation and arbitration. He represents manufacturers, financial services companies, and technology companies in a wide range of disputes, with an emphasis on breach-of-contract and breach-of-warranty claims; business torts such as fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference, and unfair competition; and related statutory claims. Reiland also brings significant experience defending manufacturers in product liability and consumer fraud lawsuits, including class actions.
“Attracting a group of this prominence clearly demonstrates the success Reed Smith has had in establishing its place in the Chicago market,” said Michael LoVallo, Reed Smith’s Chicago office managing partner. “The firm’s collegial team approach to client service, its culture, and its significant practice development support is very attractive to lawyers who want to grow their practices. This is a busy office and we look forward to having them aboard.”
