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Six Motley Rice associates promoted to Senior Counsel

Motley Rice is pleased to announce that six of the firm’s Mt. Pleasant, S.C.-based, associates have been promoted to Senior Counsel. The attorneys selected have experience working in the firm’s various practice areas, including aviation and transportation, medical drugs and devices, occupational diseases, asbestos exposure, anti-terrorism and human rights, the historic BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill litigation as well as the current opioid litigation.

Attorneys selected to Senior Counsel are:

“These lawyers have significant tenure with the firm. During their tenure, they have exhibited loyalty to our clients and demonstrated an extremely strong work ethic,” said Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice. “I am honored to recognize them for their work and look forward to seeing them continue to grow.”

James R. Brauchle, a former U.S. Air Force navigator, represents victims of aviation disasters and passenger rights violations in cases against the airline industry. With more than a decade of courtroom experience that includes both bench and jury trials, Jim has handled civil, domestic, and criminal defense cases from pre-trial practice through trial, post-trial motions and appeals. He has represented people in both commercial and private plane crashes, including supporting the firm’s work in Bavis v. United Airlines Corporation et al., the last aviation security case to be resolved in the nearly decade-long consolidated litigation, In re September 11 Litigation, involving 56 of the 96 families who opted out of the Victim Compensation Fund in an effort to force accountability and generate answers related to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

John C. Duane, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, applies his experience prosecuting criminal matters to his work representing clients harmed by defective medical devices, implants and drugs, as well as a variety of cases related to negligence, defective products and vehicle incidents. Most recently, John has been involved in the IVC filter, transvaginal mesh and hip replacement litigations. He is also a member of the firm’s opioid litigation team, supporting clients in both the multidistrict litigation and state-filed matters.

Jeanette M. Gilbert has spent her career as an advocate for people who, through age or illness have no voice for themselves. She has spent the majority of the past 13 years at Motley Rice representing people harmed by toxic asbestos exposure. Her advocacy for them continues through asbestos bankruptcy litigation and managing their claims processing. This includes analyzing complex bankruptcy documents and advising clients and co-counsel lawyers on the claims facilities and asbestos personal injury trusts established by the bankruptcy courts for the benefit of asbestos victims.

Robert T. Haefele possesses more than twenty years practicing in complex civil litigation, including asbestos, tobacco and other mass tort and product liability litigation. His area of primary emphasis involves anti-terrorism and human rights, analyzing and litigating complex, domestic and international matters to meet clients’ goals of justice and accountability while simultaneously achieving positive social change. Robert’s current focus is on aiding the more than 6,500 family members and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks Motley Rice represents. He is co-liaison counsel and an active member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for Personal Injury and Death Claims in In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, U.S.D.C., S.D.N.Y., MDL 1570, lawsuits filed by Motley Rice’s clients and others seeking to expose and bankrupt the alleged financiers and other supporters of al Qaeda terrorist activity.

Lisa M. Saltzburg is an integral part of Motley Rice’s team of attorneys that represents dozens of governmental entities, including states, cities, towns, counties and townships in the National Prescription Opiate Multidistrict Litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors for alleged deceptive marketing and other business practices that contributed to the opioid crisis. She was also a key member of the BP Oil Spill litigation team, and helped people and businesses in Gulf Coast communities file claims through the claims programs established by the two settlements reached with BP. Lisa also served on the trial team for the Florida Engle tobacco litigation.

Jennie Scudder-Levin primarily represents clients harmed by environmental contaminants and is also involved in the firm’s medical device and opioid epidemic litigation. Her current casework includes advocating for thousands of women who have suffered severe adverse effects allegedly caused by the permanent contraceptive device, Essure. She served on the team litigating on behalf of 10 California cities and counties regarding harmful exposure to lead paint and continues that advocacy now for people injured by white lead carbonate products in Wisconsin.