Today, Womble Bond Dickinson added one of Maryland’s most highly-regarded trial teams to its already exceptional Mass Torts practice. Ted Roberts, Brian Zemil, and Scott Richmond’s national mass tort work represents more than 80 years of combined court experience – particularly defending clients involved in asbestos-related litigation. Their experience and skill will serve existing clients preparing for the increased swell of litigation emerging from the pandemic. Ted Roberts, who along with the rest of this team come to Womble from Venable LLP, has represented clients in courts in multiple jurisdictions for nearly 30 years.
“We have admired the work of Ted and his team for several years and we couldn’t be happier to have them join Womble,” said Greg Horton, Mass Torts Practice Group Leader. “This team gives us substantial Mass Torts bench strength in Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic region in general. We also intend for this move to expand our national trial practice in toxic tort cases, which we anticipate will be critical as courts across the country return to pre-pandemic operations.”
Roberts’ current focus is defending clients against claims involving occupational and para-occupational exposure to asbestos. He has tried to verdict more than 18 asbestos cases as lead counsel or co-counsel,
“Brian, Scott, and I are very pleased to be joining Womble Bond Dickinson and we believe our clients are going to be as well,” Roberts said. “This firm has managed to do something few others have – be aggressive and supportive.”
Brian Zemil has national and lead counsel experience, managing complex, industry-wide, multijurisdictional cases in US federal and state courts. He has served as asbestos national coordinating counsel for two asbestos clients and lead counsel for a silica defendant. In Baltimore, Zemil has tried to verdict four asbestos lung cancer cases and successfully prosecuted contribution claims that saved a client $5 million.
Scott Richmond has a wealth of experience in the asbestos litigation, having defended dozens of clients, trying several cases in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and developing litigation strategies for clients facing thousands of cases in Baltimore. His product liability work also includes representing clients in matters involving benzene products, lead paint, mold, blasting explosives, fireplace inserts, and automatic doors.
“We are thrilled to welcome such a highly experienced team with proven litigation experience,” said Barry Herman, a member of the firm’s management committee and Office Managing Partner of the Baltimore office. “This is a fiercely competitive market. So the fact that a team of this caliber sees their future with Womble speaks volumes about what we have established.”
