Cecily Brick

Partner Melissa Crowe Schopfer joined Simmons Hanly Conroy in 2005 as an asbestos and mesothelioma attorney. In November 2012, she became an asbestos trial team leader, where her responsibilities include managing a team of attorneys and legal staff. She has worked on over 500 cases in the past 10 years and helped recover over $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of individuals and families impacted by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. She has represented clients ...

Member Dan Hoerner anchors the firm’s Lafayette, Louisiana office. He has been with Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett since it was founded in 1997 and practiced with the firm’s founders for five years prior to that. His practice is primarily litigation-based, with emphasis on admiralty and maritime law, general casualty and insurance defense, personal injury defense, property damage claims, employer and premises liability, and contract negotiations and disputes. He has succ...

Michael J. Warner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael J., who practices law in Moline, Illinois, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark R. Filipp is a shareholder and director at Kemp Klein in Troy, Michigan . He has more than 30 years of litigation experience representing businesses and management in complex disputes. His practice includes Commercial Litigation , Employment Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment . Mr. Filipp regularly represents companies in employment-related litigation in state and federal courts throughout Michigan, as well as before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employme...

Joanne advises clients on a wide range of state and local tax matters, with a focus on tax controversy, litigation, and planning. She represents businesses of all sizes—from closely held companies to Fortune 500 corporations—in disputes involving Michigan’s corporate income tax, sales and use tax, withholding, and individual income tax. Her practice also includes handling multistate tax issues and helping clients understand and respond to audits, assessments, and refund clai...

Ciara A. Miller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Ciara A., who practices law in McLean, Virginia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ciara A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Thomas J. Gibney concentrates his practice in the areas of human resources management in the private and public sectors, employment litigation, private and public sector labor negotiations and contract application, workers' compensation, and federal and state safety regulation litigation. He is a member of Eastman & Smith. Mr. Gibney is a frequent lecturer on the Affordable Care Act, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Occupational Safety and Health Act, Family and Medical Leave Act (FML...

Steve Afendoulis is a partner and past chairman of the trial practice group. He is a trial and appellate advocate with a focus in the areas of complex commercial; partnership, shareholder and LLC disputes; personal injury; real estate; and trademark and unfair competition. He is a certified facilitative mediator and is trained in advanced alternative dispute resolution.

Ian Cooper serves clients in employment, higher education, commercial, and tort matters. Ian regularly serves as lead counsel in significant cases, including class actions and other complex litigation and has tried numerous jury and bench trials in Missouri and Illinois. He has argued cases before the Missouri Supreme Court, the Illinois Supreme Court, the Missouri and Illinois Courts of Appeal, and the United States Courts of Appeal for the Seventh and Eighth Circuits and has briefed importa...

Mr. O’Brien grew up in the small rural Kansas community of Osage City, graduating from Osage City High School in 2004. From there, he attended classes at Butler Community College for two years while serving as a videographer for the Butler Grizzlies' nationally renowned football program. After Butler, Mr. O’Brien transferred to Emporia State University where he majored in History, a discipline that honed the research skills necessary to serve his ultimate goal of being a criminal ...