Carroll, Burdick & McDonough Adds Six Attorneys in California

LOS ANGELES, CA, June 15, 2011 (Press-News.org) Carroll, Burdick & McDonough LLP, a preeminent litigation and business law firm practicing nationally and internationally, adds six associates: Scott Carr, Kelley Harvilla, Hong Le, Aaron Muranaka and Knut Woestehoff join the San Francisco office, and Amy Pennington joins in Los Angeles. Two additional associates will join the firm at the end of the month.

"Building on our successful international expansion last year and an improving national and global business climate, we continue to respond to evolving client needs. The additions of such exceptionally talented associates are one of the many steps we are taking as a firm to assist our clients in overcoming the challenges facing 21st Century businesses. We also are currently recruiting lateral partners in our expanding class action, complex litigation and financial institutions practice groups," said Vicki Freimann, the firm's Managing Partner.

Experienced in the defense of complex and class action litigation, Carr represents clients in claims relating to products liability, consumer protection, insurance coverage, California Business and Professions Code Section 17200 and other matters. Conversant in Spanish, he previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Norman K. Moon, United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. Carr earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law (2005) and his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, in history from the University of Oklahoma (2001).

Harvilla handles complex business litigation and insurance disputes. She also represents clients in intellectual property matters, as well as motions and discoveries. Harvilla previously served as a legislative intern for the Office of Congressman John Dingell. She earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School (2007) and her B.A., cum laude, in political science from the University of Michigan (2005).

Le's practice focuses on product liability. Currently, she handles U.S. litigation coordination for a major European automobile manufacturer, including directing and implementing litigation strategy and coordinating with the client to develop product liability defense. Le also coordinates pretrial defense management with national counsel for other major consumer products and automobile manufacturers in products liability actions. Fluent in Vietnamese, she earned her J.D. from University of California, Hastings School of the Law (2005) and her B.A. in economics and international studies with a concentration on Asia from the University of California at Irvine (2000).

Counseling clients on insurance coverage issues, Muranaka handles complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He is also experienced in the areas of breach of contract, class action, data breach, employment, trade secret and unfair competition. Muranaka earned his J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of Utah S.J. Quincy College of Law (2007) and his B.A., magna cum laude, in political science from Weber State University (2002).

As a native German and member of the firm's German Practice Group, Woestehoff focuses on defending U.S. and German companies in product liability claims. He also advises German and other international clients, including the renewable energy and IT sectors, in a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters. A member of the State Bar of Berlin, Woestehoff previously practiced law in Germany, where he represented energy clients. He earned his J.D. equivalent from Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, (2002) as well as his Dr. iur. (Ph.D. in Law), magna cum laude, and his LL.M. in international law from the University of Georgia School of Law (2006).

Pennington's practice focuses on commercial and general business litigation, representing major financial institutions in all aspects of creditor's rights and representing businesses in disputes involving contractual, tort, fraud and trade secret claims. She is a member of California Women Lawyers and Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. Pennington earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School (2005) and her B.A. in speech communications from California State University, Northridge (2000).

Founded in 1948, Carroll, Burdick & McDonough has approximately 75 attorneys. The firm represents local, national and international clients in a diverse litigation and business practice. The firm focuses in the areas of appellate litigation; complex insurance matters; products liability litigation; corporate, commercial and real estate transactions; real estate and construction litigation; complex commercial, business and tort litigation; mass tort litigation; labor and employment litigation; and intellectual property licensing and development. The firm has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento and international offices in Stuttgart and Böblingen, Germany and Hong Kong. On the net: http://www.cbmlaw.com.