News

Hawkins Parnell Will Grow West Coast Presence with More than 50 Litigators

November 3, 2022 – Press Release

November 3, 2022 (Atlanta, GA) – Hawkins Parnell & Young is expanding its national defense litigation practice, effective January 1, 2023, with the addition of more than 50 attorneys. The lawyers, currently with Selman Breitman LLP, will join the West Coast locations of Hawkins Parnell in Los Angeles and San Francisco and add new locations in San Diego, Orange County, Seattle, and Las Vegas. This addition will deepen the firm’s bench with more than 160 lawyers in 17 cities nationwide.

“We look forward to welcoming this group of high-caliber litigators to Hawkins Parnell in January,” said the firm’s co-managing partner Ron Polly. “They are a perfect fit that not only complements our strategic growth across practices, industries, and markets but also blends into our collaborative and team-oriented culture.”

Neil Selman, the founder of Selman Breitman, said, “This is an exciting time for all of us. Selman Breitman will formally dissolve at the end of the year. The lawyers on the litigation side of our firm will join the highly regarded team at Hawkins Parnell while the insurance coverage lawyers of Selman Breitman will continue to advise clients under the new law firm of Selman, Leichenger, Edson, Hsu, Newman & Moore LLP.”

Selman added, “Both groups will continue to be invested in the success of the other and will certainly work together on many matters requiring the involvement of defense and coverage counsel. This decision was made collectively and amicably by firm leadership from both groups. All of us remain steadfast and collegial partners and will help each group to achieve its goals in a strategic and supportive effort.”

"This move supports the needs of our vast roster of clients and enables us to scale our infrastructure and dedicate more resources to growing in our target markets,” added Polly.

“Over the years, we have built a very large liability defense practice, and we sought a special place for us to land, where our team of more than 50 attorneys would stay together. We are delighted to join Hawkins Parnell in January,” said partner Elaine K. Fresch, who manages the construction defect practice at Selman Breitman and is currently the managing partner of the Las Vegas office. With an established equine law practice, Fresch is one of few in the country that fully understands the complexities of horse-related cases and claims as an experienced and awarded equestrian who actively competes.

“Elaine and I have been colleagues for more than 25 years, and it was important to our colleagues and us to work at a firm with a great reputation for toxic tort and other liability defenses. Hawkins Parnell is that firm,” said partner Jerry C. Popovich. Popovich currently serves as managing partner of Selman Breitman's Orange County office in Santa Ana, and his extensive litigation experience includes more than 70 trials. Additionally, Popovich is a Fellow with the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and an Advocate-level member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Todd Haas, partner in Selman Breitman’s San Diego office, added, “Our group is very excited to join Hawkins Parnell in 2023. Their national reputation is stellar, and I am eager to have their resources at hand for our clients.”

“After being respected defense colleagues with Hawkins Parnell for decades, I look forward to bringing my practice to a firm that understands so well the defense of clients in the complex world of toxic tort litigation,” said Mark Love, a partner in the San Francisco office and a Litigation Counsel of America Fellow.

"For decades, we have defended many industry leaders from various sectors in a range of litigation, including half of Fortune 500, and we represent dozens of corporate clients on a national basis as trial counsel and national coordinating counsel," said Polly. “This new, large group of attorneys will further boost our capabilities and synergies, which will benefit all clients.”

About Hawkins Parnell & Young

Hawkins Parnell & Young is a national defense litigation firm that has represented many of the largest and most well-known companies in high-risk litigation and business disputes. The 250-strong litigation team works with clients to develop winning defense strategies and, if necessary, try cases to verdict in all 50 states.