Cristiana I. Stoica

Margaret Oertling Cupples writes briefs and motions, and manages other lawyers who write them, in civil appeals and commercial litigation. As litigators and their clients know, a vanishingly small percentage of cases actually get to trial; for the rest, a great brief is the way to win. As national legal writing counsel in major litigation for 3M Company, Margaret’s individual contributions and her strong collaboration with colleagues have brought significant value to 3M for two decades....

Charlie Sanger advises clients in the areas of commercial finance, real estate and creditors' rights. Charlie represents owners, investors, manufacturers and commercial developers in the acquisition, development and disposition of various types of projects, including the sale of distressed businesses. He represents commercial lenders and developers in all phases of purchasing, developing and constructing various types of real estate projects. A significant portion of Charlie’s practice ...

Cole Richins advises banks, other financial institutions, equipment lessors, and corporate entities in restructuring matters, corporate bankruptcies, foreclosures, and collections. Cole routinely represents administrative agents in connection with the negotiation and documentation of secured and unsecured senior syndicated financing transactions, and banks and other financial institutions in front-end secured and unsecured middle market financings. Cole also has considerable experience in rep...

Gary Zausmer has over 35 years of experience in litigation and client representation in multiple areas, including contract, fraud, real estate, energy, insurance, regulatory, health, technology, and financial disputes. His trial, arbitration, and appellate record includes the defense, prosecution, and favorable disposition of contract and tort cases in state and federal courts, including published decisions in favor of his clients. Gary also counsels clients on developing litigation success a...

Tonya is chair of the Litigation & Disputes practice group. She represents clients in complex civil litigation, products liability, insurance coverage and hospital property tax exemption matters. Her practice includes defense of state and federal products liability matters and representation of policyholders in insurance coverage matters, as well as the defense and prosecution of complex commercial litigation. She also counsels clients on complex risk management and insurance issues acros...

Stephanie J. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Stephanie J., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Keith Covington is a partner in the firm’s Birmingham, Alabama office where he practices labor and employment, immigration, and construction law. Keith counsels employers on a wide variety of topics, including labor relations, union avoidance, equal employment opportunity, OSHA compliance, disability accommodation, non-compete agreements, and issues relating to employee discipline and termination. His immigration practice includes worksite compliance and obtaining employer-based non-imm...

Michael A. Dempsey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael A., who practices law in Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ben is a highly experienced and respected mediator and arbitrator dedicated to guiding parties through complex legal challenges toward efficient and equitable resolutions. With over six years of experience serving as a neutral, Ben has successfully facilitated settlement discussions in a wide array of lawsuits, including intricate business disputes, civil claims by government agencies, and cases involving severe personal injuries. Before dedicating his practice to dispute resolution, Ben buil...

A special counsel at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, civil rights attorney Stuart Andrews brings determination and intensity to every case. He’s devoted decades to bringing about systemic reform and giving lower-income South Carolinians greater access to the courts, both through the clients he's represented and the policies he's helped put in place. Through his former practice at a large regional law firm, Stuart established the firm's first structured pro bono program. The effort earned...