Tom Vapaavuori

Erick Ponader is a member of the firm's Business group and received his undergraduate degree in chemistry and biology and his J.D. from Indiana University-Bloomington. He represents clients in commercial law and real estate development, acquisition, sale, leasing and financing. Mr. Ponader also advises and represents life science companies in all aspects from start-up forward, including entity structure and formation, financing and operations. He has extensive experience in the sale and purch...

Emery J. Mishky has extensive experience litigating through trial, and appeal, complex tort, dram shop, commercial, insurance coverage and contract actions. Many of Emery’s cases are in the areas of product liability, malpractice (legal, engineering, architectural, pharmaceutical, and medical), Home Owners Associations, broker errors and omissions, construction (defect and liability), employment, nursing home liability and insurance. He has tried over 50 cases before juries. Emery is ce...

Mr. Peel practices primarily in transactions, corporate formations, restructurings and financing, mergers and acquisitions, real estate leasing and acquisitions, and general estate planning. His clients include local and regional businesses and office and retail shopping centers. Mr. Peel received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Minor in Business Management from Brigham Young University, where he also received All-American honors as a member BYU's Men's Lacrosse team. He receive...

Todd Aidman devotes his practice to working with companies on a broad range of labor and employment matters. He is experienced in complex and class action litigation and regularly practices in the trial and appellate levels of federal and state courts, as well as administrative agencies such as the EEOC and DOL. Todd defends companies in a broad range of employment and labor disputes, including cases involving allegations of age, race, national origin, disability, sex discrimination, sexual a...

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

Steve Baron, a Baron & Budd shareholder, is an accomplished litigator known for his tenacity in pursuing justice for victims of corporate misconduct. He currently heads Baron & Budd’s mesothelioma and asbestos practice. As lead of one of the nation’s most aggressive litigation teams, Mr. Baron represents clients in cases that have resulted in some of the largest verdicts and settlements for people with mesothelioma and asbestos diseases, as well as clients who have been ha...

Erika Vasquez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. Erika, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Erika is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Matthew E. Yarbrough is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Matthew E., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John D. Cole is a litigator with broad experience across the spectrum of employment law and labor law. For more than 20 years, John has represented employers of all sizes in cases throughout the eastern United States. He has handled numerous cases involving virtually all aspects of employment law before various federal courts, federal and state administrative agencies, and the state courts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He has also handled employment arbitration cases before A...

Lydia Gobena’s passion for creativity permeates her broad global practice with innovative strategies for acquiring, enforcing, and assigning international intellectual property rights. From counseling clients on international trademark, industrial design, copyright, and unfair competition issues to litigating international and multicountry conflicts, Lydia gets results for her clients, including protection of nontraditional trademarks such as single colors and sound. Lydia has champione...