F&P Spotlight on Liability Associate Miranda Russell

/0 Comments/in /by F&P Spotlight on Liability Associate Miranda Russell

What is your favorite aspect of working at F&P?

Strong mentorship structure and having a great group of peer associates.

What’s your favorite restaurant/show/event in Baltimore?

Downtown Partnership Events (many people don’t even know they exist!), the Farmers Market, and Hippodrome shows.

What do you like to do outside the office?

I enjoy the outdoors doing activities such as camping, backpacking, and hiking.

Have you read any good books or seen any good movies this year that you would recommend?

I am currently reading “The Luminaries” and would recommend it. I would also recommend “The Goldfinch” – read it ASAP though because the movie just came out.

What is your favorite food?

Chicken biryani with an extra side of raita.

F&P Welcomes Four Associates in September

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Franklin & Prokopik welcomes three new liability associates and one workers’ comp associate to the firm this September.

Tiffany Vrabac joins the Herndon office focusing her practice on construction, insurance coverage, liability defense, product liability, and trucking and transportation. Prior to joining F&P, Tiffany worked as a litigation associate at an insurance firm in Florida. She represented insureds in bodily injury defense, property damage, complex litigation, and catastrophic cases.

Matthew West is the newest workers’ compensation associate in Baltimore. Matthew, a Baltimore native, is the first attorney in his family. After graduating from law school, Matthew completed a one-year clerkship with Magistrate Theresa A. Furnari in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. His hands-on experience has provided him with both a unique perspective and the ability to perform in the courtroom.

Joining Baltimore’s liability and trucking and transportation teams are David Fraser and John Simanski. David Fraser comes to F&P from the law firm of McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC where he concentrated his practice handling foreclosure cases. He represented banks and loan servicers in residential foreclosure cases, handling all aspects of the foreclosure process from pre-sale to eviction.

Before coming to F&P, John Simanski served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert E. Cahill Jr. in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. While in law school, John worked as an adjuster for Travelers in the Special Liability Group. Furthermore, John served as a law clerk at Rollins, Smalkin, Richards and Mackie, L.L.C.

Bert Randall and Tamara Goorevitz to Speak at Industry Events

/0 Comments/in , /by Bert Randall and Tamara Goorevitz to Speak at Industry Events

On September 18, principal Bert Randall will present “The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: Marijuana at Work” at the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA) Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA. This session will focus on the “legal” (or not) ramifications of marijuana use at work. Bert will also cover recent federal and state legislative and regulatory developments as well as focus on policy issues that employers must be concerned with when dealing with marijuana in the workplace.

SAPAA is a non-profit that provides information regarding substance abuse detection, how to meet the changing regulations by offering professional education in drug and alcohol testing, strategic planning, DOT developments, legal issues, and leadership. For more information on the conference, click on the link:

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.sapaa.com/resource/resmgr/2019_conference/SAPAA_2019_Annual_Conference.pdf.

Tamara Goorevitz, a principal with Franklin & Prokopik is slated to speak on Wednesday, September 18 at the Arkansas Trucking Seminar. Tamara will serve as a moderator for the 2:00 pm workshop titled, “Beyond the Basics: Best Practices for Effective Accident Investigation and Early Case Evaluation.” This seminar is for people who are associated with trucking litigation. The three-day event also features networking opportunities, a community service project as well as the educational breakout sessions.

The Arkansas Trucking Seminar is held yearly in Rogers, Arkansas and members of the trucking industry, in the United States and Canada, are welcome to attend. For more information about this event, click on the link http://www.walescomstock.com/arkansas-trucking-seminar/.

Imoh Akpan Appointed One of FDCC’s Committee Vice-Chair

/0 Comments/in /by Imoh Akpan Appointed One of FDCC’s Committee Vice-Chair

Franklin & Prokopik principal, Imoh Akpan, was recently appointed to the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel’s (FDCC) as Vice-Chair of the Premises and Security Liability Section for 2019-2020. His appointment will be effective on October 1. The Premises and Security Liability section supports attorneys who defend property owners against accident claims which take place on their property.

The FDCC is an international organization for defense counsel and has a more than 80-year history of dedicating its mission to “the principles of knowledge, justice, and fellowship.” To learn more about the FDCC visit its webpage at https://thefederation.site-ym.com/.

Bert Randall to Speak at Millennium Seminars in New Jersey

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Franklin & Prokopik principal, Bert Randall, will serve as a panel speaker on Thursday, September 12 at “Everything You Wanted to Know About New Jersey Workers’ Compensation.” This event is being held at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Starting at 11:00 am Bert, along with two other attorneys , will discuss “Comparing New Jersey Comp Law to Maryland, Delaware, D.C. and Virginia Laws.” A sample of topics that will be covered include how comp cases are settled in each state, how wages and rates are calculated and which penalties employers need to worry about.

Millennium Seminars are designed for insurance professionals and practitioners to help them to develop and improve the skills necessary to handle workers’ compensation claims.

For more information about the event, please visit the website at https://www.capehart.com/event/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-new-jersey-workers-compensation/.

Jennifer Banach Re-Appointed to Maryland State Bar Association Committee

/0 Comments/in , /by Jennifer Banach Re-Appointed to Maryland State Bar Association Committee

Counsel Jennifer Banach has recently been re-appointed to serve on the CLE and Publications Committee for the Maryland State Bar Association. Jennifer works in F&P’s Hagerstown focusing her practice on liability defense and workers’ compensation and employers’ liability.

Jennifer has served on this committee since 2012. Last year she authored a publication, in conjunction with the MSBA, entitled “The Maryland Model Jury Selection Questions for Maryland Criminal and Civil Trials.” The committee also works to create a certification program for attorneys who have expertise in a variety of practice areas.

The MSBA is a member organization that serves to represent attorneys in Maryland and to promote professionalism and diversity. To learn more, please visit the website at www.msba.org.

F&P Principals Named Best Lawyers for 2020

/in , /by F&P Principals Named Best Lawyers for 2020

The Best Lawyers in America recently released the recipients of the 2020 Best Lawyers designation.  Franklin & Prokopik is proud to announce that three of its principals have received this honor. Lynn McHale Fitzpatrick, resident in our Herndon office, was recognized for Workers Compensation Law – Employers for the third time as was Baltimore firm president Bert Randall along with Employment Law – Management.  Ralph Arnsdorf, also of our Baltimore office, received recognition for the first time in Litigation – Construction.

The Best Lawyer recognition is a peer review process where leading lawyers evaluate colleagues who are practicing in the same geographic area as well as the same legal practice area. The candidate is then selected based on feedback analysis and eligibility checks.

For more information on Best Lawyers, please visit the website at https://www.bestlawyers.com/.

Bert Randall to Present On Workplace Violence at Florida RIMS Conference

/in /by Bert Randall to Present On Workplace Violence at Florida RIMS Conference

Franklin & Prokopik principal, Bert Randall, is slated to speak at the 44th Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference on August 1. The event will be held at the Ritz Carlton in Naples and aims to provide the latest industry trends and insights from respected insurance professionals and risk managers, FL. Bert will be presenting, along with Lance Ewing from Cotton Holdings Inc., on “The Rules of Engagement. Dealing With Workplace Violence.” In addition to the topic Bert will be speaking on, attendees can also join educational sessions related to opioid abuse, emergency management, legislative updates, social media, sexual harassment in the workplace, workers’ compensation and more.

RIMS (the risk management society) hosts this conference yearly to keep insurance professionals and risk managers up to date on what’s trending in the industry. Each session is lead by respected leaders in the fields of risk management and insurance. To learn more about this organization or the conference, please visit the website at www.rims.org.

F&P Bids Farewell to a Firm Founder, Welcomes Home a Friend

/in /by F&P Bids Farewell to a Firm Founder, Welcomes Home a Friend

It is with mixed emotion that we announce that Kara Miller, one of F&P’s founding attorneys, will be leaving the firm.  She has headed our Easton office since its opening.  For 20 years, Kara has served as not only a fantastic lawyer, but a wonderful colleague, leader, and friend.  She will be dearly missed and we wish her the best as she pursues other interests and opportunities.

The Easton office will now be led by former F&P attorney, Jennifer Hare.  An Eastern Shore resident, she was associated with the firm from 2011 to 2013 before taking a senior in house position at a major insurer.  We are thrilled to welcome her back and know her experience and savvy will help make the transition as smooth as can be!

“I am excited to be re-joining the F&P team and look forward to leading the Easton office that Kara has formed over the last two decades,” says Ms. Hare.

Jenn returns to F&P after, as noted, working as a senior staff attorney for The Hartford Affiliated Insurance Companies for the past six years.  She will be concentrating her practice in workers’ compensation and employers’ liability, representing employers and insurers before the Workers’ Compensation Commission and courts throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Imoh Akpan to Speak at Diversity for Success Seminar

/in /by Imoh Akpan to Speak at Diversity for Success Seminar

Franklin & Prokopik principal, Imoh Akpan, is slated to speak at the Diversity for Success Seminar and Corporate Expo on June 19. Imoh is participating in a Law Student Forum where a future generation of lawyers will discuss overcoming challenges and improving their chances for success after graduation. The seminar is sponsored by the DRI and will be held at the Sheraton New Orleans from June 19-21. The DRI is comprised of defense attorneys and in-house counsel and provides resources for attorneys to assist them in giving their clients top-notch service.

For more information about the DRI, please visit the website at www.dri.org.