Lewis Brisbois Hires Eleven-Strong Products Liability Team Across Five Offices

Los Angeles, Calif. (August 14, 2019) – Lewis Brisbois has welcomed a new team of eleven attorneys, including five partners, across several of its offices. The group will join Lewis Brisbois’ nationwide Products Liability Practice, and will focus primarily on automotive warranty matters.

Partners Thomas C. Regan and Christopher U. Warren join the firm’s Newark, New Jersey office, along with Associates Karley E. Kamaris and Brian C. Deeney. Partners Peter J. Van Zandt and Paul Efstratis join the San Francisco office, with Associate Taylor F. Sullivan. Partner Brian C. Vanderhoof and Associate Erica De La Sierra join the Los Angeles office, and Associates Matthew K. McCullough and Jonathan Won join Lewis Brisbois’ Sacramento and Orange County offices, respectively.

Mr. Regan specializes in the management and defense of large dockets of cases filed in multiple jurisdictions. Through the collaborative and creative development of alternative fee arrangements, he ensures that clients are receiving cost-effective and consistent work across matters. Currently, Mr. Regan and his team are managing a large portfolio for the Ford Motor Company.

“I was looking for a firm with a dynamic but stable environment where my team could thrive,” said Mr. Regan on why he joined Lewis Brisbois. “We knew several former colleagues who had moved to Lewis Brisbois and they confirmed that this was a firm where we could see that happen.”

The team was also drawn to Lewis Brisbois’ large national footprint, with locations in 50 cities across 27 states, and its diversity of practice areas. In addition to their products liability and automotive warranty experience, the new attorneys have worked with clients on a variety of legal issues including insurance matters, commercial litigation, medical malpractice, intellectual property claims, toxic torts, labor and employment law, financial services litigation, and much more.

“We are very excited that Tom and his team have joined us,” said Los Angeles Co-Managing Partner Steven R. Lewis, who also oversees the firm’s lateral recruitment efforts. “Tom has developed some truly creative solutions for clients with his portfolio-based approach, and we’re looking forward to applying his methods to other clients and matters across the firm.”

Attorney Overviews

Thomas C. Regan focuses his practice on the management and defense of large dockets of cases filed in multiple jurisdictions. He has advised on and provided clients with legal process mapping and systems to manage claims, implement internal response planning, and establish data collection protocols. A highly skilled commercial litigator with substantial first chair trial experience, Mr. Regan frequently represents corporate entities, from multinational Fortune 500 companies to closely held companies and individuals, against claims of serious and catastrophic injury that allegedly result from product liability or negligence and against claims of breach of warranty. He also has significant experience defending professional negligence claims, insurance and reinsurance coverage disputes, and general business litigation matters, and has represented private clients in estate and trust disputes. Mr. Regan received his law degree from Widener University School of Law and is licensed to practice in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Christopher U. Warren focuses his practice on defending personal injury and property damage claims associated with toxic torts, including those related to asbestos, mold, chemical exposure, lead paint, and heavy metals. He also handles environmental matters for domestic and international businesses in the chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, automotive, and energy industries, and public and private utilities before federal and state administrative agencies and courts across the nation. Mr. Warren also has extensive experience with professional liability, commercial litigation, medical malpractice, general liability, nursing home and long term care, and condominium and town home association matters. He received his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, where he was a member of the mock trial team, and is licensed to practice in New Jersey and New York.

Karley E. Kamaris focuses her practice on a wide variety of defense litigation including premises liability, products liability, automotive, and catastrophic injury. She has represented corporate clients and insurance carriers in state and federal courts from inception through trial. Ms. Kamaris began her career working as a criminal defense attorney before moving to an insurance defense firm where she gained experience in general litigation defense, while maintaining her criminal law practice in the form of municipal prosecution. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University and her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. Ms. Kamaris is licensed to practice in New Jersey and before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Brian C. Deeney focuses his practice on premises liability, product liability, commercial auto, and wrongful death. He has represented insurance carriers in a variety of matters in federal and state courts, and in alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Deeney also experience in medical malpractice, insurance defense, bad faith claims, premises liability, and auto litigation matters. A graduate of Villanova University School of Law, he is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

Peter J. Van Zandt has represented businesses and individuals in litigation defense for the past 25 years. He has tried more than 50 civil cases to verdict both in state and federal courts and has successfully resolved more than 300 cases. Mr. Van Zandt represents financial institutions faced with consumer class and individual actions arising from origination issues under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). He also handles mortgage loan servicing issues arising from consumer claims under various state and federal acts, and defends automobile finance companies and manufacturers against aggressive consumer litigation with an emphasis on Rees-Levering Act, Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and Song-Beverly Act (Lemon Law) warranty claims. Mr. Van Zandt received his law degree from San Francisco Law School and is admitted to practice in California.

Paul Efstratis concentrates his practice on high exposure commercial and consumer breach of warranty cases for automotive manufacturers. He handles matters involving alleged violations under the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) and consumer fraud-based litigation in both state and federal court. Mr. Efstratis also represents and defends multinational real estate investment companies, hotel operators, resorts, and commercial/residential landlords in a variety of disputes including wrongful evictions, unlawful detainers, and lien disputes and provides advice and counsel on a variety of other legal issues. He received dual undergraduate degrees in history and environmental economics from UC Berkeley, and his law degree from Loyola Law School – Los Angeles. He is admitted to practice in California.

Taylor F. Sullivan focuses her practice on products liability, commercial transportation and employment litigation. During law school, Ms. Sullivan worked for the United States Attorney’s Office, Civil Division, where she wrote summary judgment motions, motions to dismiss, and settlement conference statements. She also worked for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, where she wrote and argued numerous motions in court. Ms. Sullivan has experience with California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), discrimination and harassment claims and wage claims and often works with employer to ensure compliance with California’s many labor laws. She received her law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law and is admitted to practice in California.

Brian C. Vanderhoof focuses his practice on intellectual property, commercial, and business litigation. Many of his cases have involved multimillion-dollar disputes with complex legal and factual issues. In his intellectual property practice, he litigates disputes involving copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets, defamation, unfair competition and rights of publicity for corporations, small businesses, and individuals. Mr. Vanderhoof’s complex commercial and business litigation experience involves disputes arising out of claims for breach of contract, fraud, tortious interference and breach of fiduciary duty. He has also defended clients involved in individual and class action litigation implicating federal consumer protection statutes and related state law claims. A graduate of University of La Verne College of Law, he is admitted to practice in California and Nevada.

Erica De La Sierra focuses her practice on products liability, transportation and consumer financial services defense. She also has experience in medical malpractice litigation and published an article focused on the confidentiality of the Medical Information Act. Ms. De La Sierra received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the UC Irvine, and her law degree from Loyola Law School – Los Angeles, where she worked for the school’s Center for Conflict Resolution as a certified mediator. She is admitted to practice in California.

Matthew K. McCullough handles issues involving business litigation and products liability. A well-rounded litigator, he has represented clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local entrepreneurs in matters involving real estate, construction, insurance, and products liability. Mr. McCullough has hands-on experience litigating complex civil cases at all stages, including pre-litigation procedures, law and motion, discovery, depositions, mediations, arbitrations, and trial preparation. He received dual Bachelor’s degrees in political science and Italian from Brigham Young University, and his law degree from the Unveristy of Pittsburgh. Mr. McCullough is currently pursuing a Certificate in Leadership and Management from the Wharton Business School. He is admitted to practice in California

Jonathan Won focuses his practice on products liability and the transportation industry. He has experience litigating cases at all stages, including taking and defending depositions, leading factual investigations, writing dispositive motions, managing all aspects of discovery and cross-examining witnesses at trial. Prior to joining a law firm, Mr. Won worked as an in-house attorney for Travelers Insurance Company, advising on all manner of workers’ compensation litigation. He also clerked in the Organized Crime Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and worked on a team to prosecute conspiracy murder cases. Mr. Won received dual Bachelor’s degrees, with honors, in political science and Asian studies at UC Berkely, and his law degree from the University of Southern California where he served as Content Editor of the Southern California Review of Law and Social Justice.