Experience

Illinois Appellate Court, First District

• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Staff Attorney

  • Nov 2019 - Present



Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP

• United States
• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate Attorney

  • Jun 2019 - Nov 2019



Illinois Appellate Court, First District

• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Law Clerk to Justice Joy Cunningham

  • May 2014 - May 2019



Kirkland & Ellis

• United States
• Law Practice
• 700 & Above Employee

• Litigation Associate

  • Jun 2011 - May 2014

  Contributed to representation of BP in litigation arising from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including 2013 federal trial in multidistrict litigation as well as personal injury actions in various state and federal courts. Drafted pleadings and briefs; managed pre-trial discovery; prepared for depositions of client’s representatives and depositions of adverse witnesses; developed trial preparation materials; formulated litigation strategy in personal injury actions. • Prepared trial outlines with respect to oil rig’s blowout preventer equipment and related federal regulations; designated corresponding trial exhibits and deposition testimony. • Drafted successful motion to reduce number of client’s employees subject to fact witness depositions and limiting length and scope of deposition topics. • Briefed successful motion to quash subpoena seeking production of documents related to settlement negotiations. • Drafted motions for summary judgment and pre-mediation statements, facilitating settlement in state court personal injury action. • Prepared corporate representative witnesses and employee fact witnesses for depositions, including witness preparation sessions and attendance at depositions. • Researched adverse expert witness’ prior testimony and developed deposition outline to obtain admissions undermining opinions offered in expert report; drafted corresponding Daubert motion to exclude expert’s opinions. • Assisted in compiling post-trial submission of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law following trial to assess liability for causing well blowout and oil spill. • Developed outlines for depositions of personal injury plaintiffs, resulting in obtaining key admissions undermining plaintiffs’ theories of liability and alleged damages. Show less



Dechert LLP

• New York, NY

• Litigation Associate

  • Sep 2005 - Jun 2011

  Performed a range of litigation tasks in variety of proceedings involving claims for product liability/personal injury, investor fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and other commercial disputes in addition to multiple pro bono matters. Authored pleadings, pretrial and dispositive motions, and appellate briefs in state and federal courts. Formulated responses to discovery requests and propounded offensive discovery; supervised document reviews and productions; took depositions and prepared partners to conduct additional depositions. • Served as primary brief writer in defense of investment fund manager facing lawsuits from investors as well as New York Attorney General for losses related to Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme; authored motions to dismiss proceedings in New York state court and bankruptcy court adversary proceeding. • Drafted brief to New York Appellate Division resulting in affirmance of dismissal of adversary’s complaint in action alleging improper use of proprietary information and unjust enrichment. • Prepared pre-trial and post-trial briefing in successful adversary proceeding in bankruptcy court establishing constructive trust on behalf of children due to parents’ breach of fiduciary duty with respect to family trust assets; attended trial of adversary proceeding and assisted in witness preparation. • Drafted various motions in limine for pharmaceutical product liability actions in state and federal courts. • Deposed plaintiff investor’s former employee in Madoff-related arbitration proceeding; deposed two employees of defendants in breach of contract suit between owners of two national fitness center chains; deposed daughter of plaintiff in product liability action. • Briefed and argued petition for stay of arbitration before two justices of the New York County Supreme Court. • Represented homeless families at administrative hearings to recover public assistance and food stamp benefits. Show less