Eleven Kutak Rock attorneys are named in the latest edition of Benchmark Litigation, a guide to America's leading firms and attorneys. The firm is included in Benchmark's list of Highly Recommended firms.
Thomas Dahlk, Bartholomew McLeay, Michael Mullin, John Passarelli and Robert Slovek are listed among the nation's Local Litigation Stars, and Vicki Buter, Matthew Enenbach, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, Richard Olmstead, Amy Van Horne and Marcia Washkuhn are named Future Stars.
Dahlk is in for his trial work involving complex business transactions. He has obtained successful verdicts in federal and state court and provides litigation strategy and multidistrict litigation management for clients in the banking, mutual fund and securities industries.
McLeay is noted for his extensive expertise in major commercial litigation including breach of contract, class actions, business torts and intellectual property. A peer calls him a "tenacious litigator."
Mullin is praised for his jury trial experience in insurance, products liability and personal injury matters, and also is noted as an expert mediator. A competitor has called him "the best mediator in the state."
Passarelli is included for his handling of complex commercial litigation concerning antitrust, intellectual property and information technology matters at both the trial and appellate levels.
Slovek is noted for his litigation work, both civil and commercial, in health care, insurance, products liability, toxic tort, personal injury and professional negligence.
Buter gets the nod for her work in state and federal court and before arbitration panels in numerous complex commercial and business litigation disputes. She has advised clients in securities, products liability and intellectual property matters.
Enenbach works primarily on product liability and personal injury cases. He represents designers, manufacturers, sellers, distributors, end users and employees in high exposure and complex matters throughout the United States.
Fitzpatrick assists clients with construction issues from the initial project planning stages to completion, including payment disputes, liens, changes, acceleration and impact claims, and claims for design or construction defects.
Olmstead's practice focuses on complex litigation in energy law and employment law. He also has served as lead or co-counsel in well over 100 appeals in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Van Horne focuses her practice on food product liability defense and insurance matters, including personal injury, wrongful death and general product liability disputes.
Washkuhn is head of the Omaha office's employment group and has extensive experience handling a variety of employment matters across the United States. She has defended actions filed under Title VII, FMLA, ADA, ADEA and LMRA, as well as various state laws.
Benchmark places Kutak Rock in its "Highly Recommended" category and notes the firm "has represented hundreds of state and local governmental units, a substantial number of Fortune 500 corporations, insurance companies, national real estate investors and developers, and national franchising enterprises."
Benchmark Litigation bills itself as "the only publication . . . to focus exclusively on litigation in the U.S." The lists of Local litigation Stars and Future Stars reflect only those individuals who were recommended consistently as reputable and effective litigators by clients and peers. Law firm recommendations are based on interviews with the nation’s leading private practice lawyers and in-house counsel.