Foley & Mansfield today announced key additions to the firm’s national asbestos defense team. Joining the firm’s Chicago office as a partner is Thomas J. Burns from the Chicago-based firm of O’Connell, Tivin, Miller & Burns. Joining as Of Counsel is Robert H. Sands, former managing partner of the Chicago office of HeplerBroom, and Maura Yusof, formerly of Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen. All have extensive toxic tort experience, notably in asbestos litigation.
With significant trial experience and industry knowledge, Tom Burns has tried more than 100 asbestos personal injury cases to verdict as first chair and has successfully defended claims on behalf of clients as lead trial counsel in front of juries in numerous states throughout the U.S. He has also served as liaison counsel facilitating the defense of a number of product manufacturers involved in mass tort litigation. Burns is admitted to practice in Illinois.
Robb Sands has represented clients in state and numerous federal courts in multi-million dollar litigation and has provided litigation management, oversight, and coordination in thousands of cases for several Fortune 500 clients. Admitted to practice in California, Illinois and Missouri, he also has served as the lead settlement negotiator for cases pending in 14 states for multiple toxic tort clients.
Maura Yusof, admitted in Illinois, has broad civil defense and commercial litigation experience. In her civil defense practice, she has represented multiple corporate defendants in asbestos toxic tort litigation in venues throughout Illinois, including Madison and Cook Counties. In her commercial practice, she has represented taxpayers and a public governmental body regarding sales and income tax disputes, including the seminal case of Hartney Fuel Oil Company v. Hamer recently decided by the Illinois Supreme Court. Maura also has experience and has presented on emerging issues for employers’ compliance with medical cannabis regulations.
“We are excited to have these exceptional professionals on board as we continue to expand our national trial capabilities,” says Robert Brummond, Managing Partner of Foley & Mansfield’s Chicago office. “We look forward to providing our clients with more resources across a national platform,” he added. Foley & Mansfield expects its Chicago operations to significantly increase in size by the end of this year, Brummond notes. The office is located at 55 West Monroe Street in the Chicago loop.
Source: www.foleymansfield.com
