Premises Liability

Taking control in premises cases

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Overview

As a property owner, renter, contractor, or insurer, you face potential risk whenever a person comes in contact with your premises. If an alleged injury occurs, MG+M attorneys can quickly evaluate your exposure, develop strategies to limit damages, resolve disputes prior to trial, and represent you vigorously before judges and juries. We have successfully defended hundreds of high-risk premises cases involving slip and fall, inadequate security, equipment malfunction, toxic substance, and faulty construction claims, as well as claims arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Investigation
We believe that investigation is the key to success in premises claims. If the attorneys do not conduct an early or thorough investigation, critical evidence can be lost, including photographs that depict the condition of the scene when the incident occurred and statements from the key witnesses. We also believe in retaining investigators to surveil plaintiff to determine the seriousness of his or her alleged injury. Often times, effective investigation can force a plaintiff to dismiss the claim or resolve it for a nuisance value.   

Early evaluation and settlement
We believe in early evaluation of our claims to set a strategy for the defense rather than engage in extensive and unnecessary discovery without a plan for the resolution of the claim. If we determine early on that liability is clear, we believe in engaging with the plaintiff’s counsel in informal discovery to obtain the key facts necessary to determine our client’s potential exposure and work toward an early resolution strategy. 

Targeted discovery
When early settlement is not possible, we only engage in discovery designed to effectuate our overall defense strategy. Our experienced litigators are known for the kind of aggressive discovery that shuts down unwarranted, unsupported, or overbroad claims. We investigate thoroughly and efficiently, using the results to reduce claims and put settlement pressure on plaintiffs. If the matter cannot otherwise be resolved, the information we develop becomes an important part of our trial, arbitration or mediation strategy.

Top-tier trial skills
As courts increasingly require that certain types of premises cases be tried instead of resolved on motion, MG+M’s courtroom experience is a decided plus. Our attorneys have logged thousands of hours in court, working with renowned medical, scientific, causation, and damages experts to communicate complex information to judges and juries. Our compelling presentations and strong evidence lead to the best possible outcomes for clients.

Team
Of Counsel
Irvine
949 381 6101
Tiffany
Ackley
tackley@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
786 885 9403
Jessica
Aehnlich
jaehnlich@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Dallas
972 421 0128
Brooke
Allen
ballen@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4671
Gregory M.
Alvarez
galvarez@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Los Angeles
213 694 4216
Garth W.
Aubert
gaubert@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2806
Mary Katherine
Back
mback@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 625 4993
Alexander J.
Baker
abaker@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2310
Raghu
Bandlamudi
rbandlamudi@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8525
Stephanie M.
Batchelder
sbatchelder@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 929 1905
Matthew
Behboud
mbehboud@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 535 2869
Vikram S.
Bhatia
vbhatia@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1148
Alex P.
Blair
ablair@mgmlaw.com
Managing Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6802
Amaryah K.
Bocchino
abocchino@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 620 3044
Alexandra D.
Bourbon
abourbon@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 657 2100
Ryan W.
Browning
rbrowning@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8574
Joseph S.
Bussiere
jbussiere@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1156
Michael H.
Cantieri
mcantieri@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
212 364 2301
Uri S.
Carni
ucarni@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3416
Raúl J.
Chacón Jr.
rchacon@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8506
Stephanie M.
Chesney
schesney@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6800
Jason A.
Cincilla
jcincilla@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2874
Natasha A.
Corb
ncorb@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2805
Jennifer A.
Cormier
jcormier@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Providence
401 443 2102
Kenneth R.
Costa
kcosta@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 754 2488
Anthony
Danhelka
adanhelka@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
337 842 2500
David R.
Frohn
dfrohn@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 947 1300
Mary Kay
Glaspy
mglaspy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Walnut Creek
925 947 1300
David M.
Glaspy
dglaspy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8519
Brian D.
Gross
bgross@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Providence
401 443 2106
Kevin W.
Hadfield
khadfield@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2763
Stephen V.
Harrington
sharrington@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Hattiesburg
601 255 0259
Adam
Hays
ahays@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 376 1951
Maeghann T.
Hoal
mhoal@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8521
John T.
Hugo
jhugo@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
212 364 2311
Anna
Hwang
ahwang@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1158
William R.
Irwin
wirwin@mgmlaw.com
Of Counsel
Los Angeles
213 694 4214
Charles W.
Jenkins
cjenkins@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8522
Tracy A.R.
Jolly
tjolly@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
415 527 2828
Brent M.
Karren
bkarren@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 929 1907
Alan
Khlevnoy
akhlevnoy@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3412
Rebecca
Kibbe
rkibbe@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1157
Timothy L.
Krippner
tkrippner@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8304
Caroline B.
Lapish
clapish@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Wilmington
302 504 6804
William B.
Larson, Jr.
wlarson@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2802
Carrie S.
Lin
clin@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Wilmington
302 504-6806
Irina N.
Luzhatsky
iluzhatsky@mgmlaw.com
Associate
San Francisco
415 527 2782
Kelley T.
Mahoney
kmahoney@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4668
Krysta
Maigue
kmaigue@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8334
Kelly Martin
Malone
KMalone@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8800
John B.
Manning
jmanning@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3417
Gustavo A.
Martínez Tristani
gmartinez@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New York
504 799 0504
Chris O.
Massenburg
cmassenburg@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8516
Daniel P.
McCarthy
dmccarthy@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4669
Sean C.
McGah
smcgah@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8559
Jeffrey C.
McLucas
jmclucas@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
769 280 1341
Joel
Merchant
jmerchant@mgmlaw.com
Partner
San Francisco
415 527 2801
Anthony S.
Miller
amiller@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8303
Marissa L.
Morte
mmorte@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8504
Ryan M.
Murphy
rmurphy@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New York
617 670 8411
Jessica L.
Naegely
jnaegely@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1163
John D.
Nafar
jnafar@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Walnut Creek
925 953 9906
Lauren A.
Pagan
lpagan@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3421
Lucia V.
Pazos
lpazos@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8433
Katharine S.
Perry
kperry@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Miami
305 537 3413
Russell M.
Pfeifer
rpfeifer@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 754 2496
Daniel J.
Powell
dpowell@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Madison County/St. Louis
618 607 5325
Justin A.
Reinhardt
jreinhardt@mgmlaw.com
Associate
New Orleans
504 620 3054
Danielle M.S.
Riera
driera@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2880
Jeanette S.
Riggins
jriggins@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4676
Ryan L.
Rystad
rrystad@mgmlaw.com
Of Counsel
Walnut Creek
925 953 9913
Michael C.
Scanlon Jr.
mscanlon@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Los Angeles
213 694 4203
Dane W.
Schrader
dwschrader@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Boston
617 670 8502
Jordan L.
Schwindt
jschwindt@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Miami
305 537 3424
Stephanie M.
Selman
sselman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 535 2879
Meghan B.
Senter
msenter@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 754 2486
Nathaniel
Spilman
nspilman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Dallas
618 607 5328
Kevin M.
Stockmann
kstockmann@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 799 0502
Max
Swetman
mswetman@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8535
Jonathan F.
Tabasky
jtabasky@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Irvine
949 892 4666
Deborah J.
Taddeucci
DTaddeucci@mgmlaw.com
Partner
New Orleans
504 799 0505
Brandie M.
Thibodeaux
bthibodeaux@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Chicago
312 668 1155
Christopher K.
Triska
ctriska@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Irvine
949 892 4702
Tina
Van Dam
tvandam@mgmlaw.com
Associate
Chicago
312 668 1162
Gabrielle
Voulgaris
gvoulgaris@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Los Angeles
213 694 4206
Lindsay
Weiss
lweiss@mgmlaw.com
Partner
Boston
617 670 8528
Jennifer A.
Whelan
jwhelan@mgmlaw.com
Experience

Obtained a defense verdict for a nationwide restaurant chain in a trial in California, with a $4 million dollar settlement demand. Through fact and expert witness cross examination, MG+M attorneys were able to demonstrate that the plaintiff misrepresented how the incident occurred and the extent of her injuries. 

Obtained summary judgment for a retail client by demonstrating that the plaintiff’s employer maintained control over the plaintiff’s means and methods of work. 

Obtained summary judgment for a department store by demonstrating that the handicap ramp down which the plaintiff fell complied with building codes pertaining to marking and slope.

Obtained summary judgment for an industrial bakery by demonstrating it had no duty to the wife of an employee for chemicals used at the site. Summary judgment was affirmed by the California Court of Appeal.

Obtained summary judgment for our client, a landlord, in a personal injury case filed by a police officer in the Connecticut Superior Court for the Judicial District of Putnam. We successfully argued that pursuant to the common law "firefighter's rule," a landowner owes no duty of care to a first responder who enters the premises within the scope of his official duties.

Won a jury verdict in a seven-day snow-and-ice trial in Massachusetts, successfully defending a building owner, property manager, and janitorial/snow-removal service against more than $1 million in claims.

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