Lewis Brisbois’ Newark Office Adds Team of Six Professional Liability Attorneys

Newark, N.J. (December 10, 2019) – Lewis Brisbois has added a team of six professional liability and employment attorneys to its Newark office, boosting the firm’s capabilities in those practice areas in both the New Jersey/New York metro area and firmwide. Partners Meredith Kaplan Stoma, Petar Kuridza, Jeffrey Leonard, and Erin O’Leary are also joined by Associates Elise Shamosh and Natalie M. Rankin. Ms. O’Leary will be based in the New York office, but will work closely with the Newark team. The new team brings over a century of combined experience in professional liability and employment litigation.

“We’re very pleased to have Meredith and her team joining us,” said Newark Managing Partner Colin P. Hackett. “Meredith and the team she has assembled are the ‘go to’ for professional liability matters in the area. They have established an impressive network in the metro area and have a long list of client successes that demonstrate their formidable strength in professional malpractice matters.”

“Lewis Brisbois provides me with a great platform to expand my practice with the firm’s nationwide footprint, and bring the firm’s extensive resources to our current clients,” said Ms. Stoma.

In addition to their professional liability and employment work, the new team also has experience in complex commercial litigation, personal injury, premises liability, and appellate practice.

Attorney Overviews

Meredith Kaplan Stoma

Ms. Stoma has substantial and wide-ranging experience defending all manner of professionals – including attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, insurance producers and real estate agents and brokers – in professional malpractice actions through all phases of litigation in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. She also has extensive experience defending individuals and corporations in complex commercial, employment and personal injury matters. Ms. Stoma is also an accomplished appellate advocate, successfully arguing several matters before the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of New Jersey. She is also actively involved in her community, and has been a trustee of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey since 2006, and recently served a two-year term as the foundation’s co-chairperson. Ms. Stoma received her undergraduate degree from Tufts University in Mechanical Engineering, and her law degree, cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and New York, as well as the U.S. District Courts of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the U.S Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Petar Kuridza

Mr. Kuridza focuses his practice on the defense of complex professional liability, personal injury and employment law matters in the state and federal courts of New Jersey. He has substantial experience handling all phases of litigation and is an experienced courtroom advocate. He is also well-versed in defending attorneys in ethics matters. Prior to private practice, Mr. Kuridza served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Hudson County, handling a variety of complex criminal cases, including homicides, and tried a number of cases to verdict. He received his undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University and his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in New Jersey.

Jeffrey Leonard

Mr. Leonard represents clients in complex commercial, employment, personal injury and professional liability matters in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York. He has significant experience defending attorneys, architects, engineers, insurance producers, and real estate agents and brokers in malpractice actions. He also has a substantial practice defending business entities and individuals in employment discrimination matters. Mr. Leonard is also a skilled appellate advocate, and has successfully argued matters before the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of New Jersey. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Albany and his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law. He is licensed to practice in New Jersey and New York, and before the U.S. District Courts of New Jersey, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Erin O’Leary

Ms. O’Leary is an experienced litigator in the insurance defense field. Her practice includes defending, professional liability, mass tort, premises liability, trucking/automotive cases, property damage cases, and matters involving New York State’s Labor Law. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor at City University of New York, Lehman College, teaching Business Law to undergraduate students. Ms. O’Leary has also completed the Trial and Deposition Skills programs at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy at Hofstra University. She received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and her law degree from New York Law School, where she was Chief Articles Editor of the New York Law School Journal of Human Rights. She is licensed to practice in New York and before the U.S District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Elise Shamosh

Ms. Shamosh concentrates her practice on professional liability matters, where she defends attorneys, architects and real estate brokers. She also has substantial experience litigating general civil litigation, employment discrimination, products liability and premises liability matters. Ms. Shamosh received her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and her law degree, magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is licensed to practice in New Jersey.

Natalie M. Rankin

Ms. Rankin focuses on professional liability matters. Prior to private practice, she clerked for the Honorable William J. McGovern, III, J.S.C., spending approximately half of her clerkship year in the Law Division, Criminal Part (Sussex County) and Law Division, Civil Part (Morris County) respectively. She received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Florida State University and her law degree from William & Mary Law School, where she served as an Articles Editor for the William & Mary Business Law Review, Volume 9. Ms. Rankin is licensed to practice in New Jersey.