Samantha L. Schilling

/in /by Samantha L. Schilling

Experience

Samantha Schilling joined Franklin & Prokopik as an associate in the Baltimore office workers’ compensation team. Prior to working at Franklin & Prokopik, Samantha worked for a Baltimore personal injury firm that represents plaintiffs throughout Maryland, DC, and Virginia. Since being sworn into the Maryland Bar in December of 2021, she focused on negotiating favorable settlements for her client’s injury claims.

Samantha lived and attended law school in Australia where she earned her Juris Doctor. Upon her return to the United States, she earned her L.L.M. in Law of the United States.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Spring 2023 – Grass Isn’t Always Greener in Workers’ Compensation

Winter 2023 – WCC Commissioner Maureen Quinn Appointed as Commission’s Acting Chair

Summer 2022 – District of Columbia’s Cannabis Employment Protections Amendment Act of 2022

Summer 2022 – First, It Was Driver Shortages; Now It’s increased Fuel

Activities

Samantha is a Member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the Negligence, Insurance & Worker’s Compensation Section, and Young Lawyers Section. She loves to travel and try new cuisines. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with her family and friends.

Michael P. Divver

/in /by Michael P. Divver

Experience

Prior to joining F&P, Michael was an assistant state’s attorney for the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office (“BCSAO”), where he prosecuted criminal cases and brought a significant number of those matters to a verdict following trial.  Michael joined the BCSAO as a law clerk and was eventually promoted to the juvenile division where he prosecuted felony matters in the Circuit Court.  As an assistant state’s attorney, Michael had the opportunity to handle a high-volume caseload and develop his trial presentation skills on a daily basis.

Michael graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. While in law school, Michael was elected student vice president.  Michael also served as a student attorney for the Environmental Law Clinic.  As a member of that clinic, Michael recorded hundreds of hours drafting memoranda on several local and international issues primarily involving air pollution agreements, land-use allocation, wastewater treatment regulations, and ash-disposal site compliance. Additionally, Michael interned with the United States Department of Transportation.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Winter 2023 – Billion Dollar Verdicts from Liability Cases

Winter 2023 – All-risk Property Insurance- Are Losses/Damage Caused by COVID-19 Covered?

Activities

Michael is a member of the Baltimore City Bar Association.  He is passionate about Florida State University athletics and the Baltimore Ravens. When he is not in the office, Michael enjoys snowboarding, rugby, or walking his two dogs with his girlfriend.

Joshua T. Carback

/in , /by Joshua T. Carback

Experience

Josh Carback is an Associate at F&P’s office in Baltimore, Maryland with a litigation practice spanning multiple state and federal jurisdictions. His broad range of experiences in written and oral advocacy include civil jury and bench trials, depositions, motions, and arbitration and mediations in complex commercial, construction, tort/casualty, insurance, and admiralty matters.

Before joining F&P, Josh served as a judicial law clerk in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County; the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland; and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Josh graduated with highest honors from Geneva College with a major in political science and dual minors in history and philosophy. He subsequently graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of law with honors.

In law school, Josh served on the executive board of Maryland Law Review and the Maryland Moot Court Board. He litigated as a student-attorney in the Maryland Gender Violence Clinic in both the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City and the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland. Josh interned for the Maryland Supreme Court and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. He also worked for International Justice Mission overseas and completed a work-study in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Winter 2024 – SCOTUS Clarifies Choice of Law in Admiralty Litigation

Fall 2023 – Pre-Hearing Third Party Discovery is Generally a “No-No” under the Federal Arbitration Act

Spring 2023 – Federal Courts Strengthen Corporate Disclosure Requirements

Winter 2022 – Enforcement of Red-Letter Clauses in Maritime Contracts

Fall 2022 – Another Threat to the Independent Contractor Status of Truck Drivers

Awards and Distinctions

  • Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2024

Associations/Organizations

  • The Selden Society, 2023

Activities

Josh was born in Baltimore, Maryland and split his childhood between Maryland and the United Kingdom. He enjoys creative and analytical writing, cinema, marathons, traveling, and spending time with people. He is the author of several scholarly law review articles addressing a broad range of topics including civil procedure, insurance law, criminal law, and international law.

To view Josh’s research, visit his author’s page on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN).

Scott H. Phillips

/in , /by Scott H. Phillips

Experience

Scott Phillips has broad experience in all aspects of civil litigation, having represented large and small companies and individuals in various state and federal courts.  For nearly 30 years, Scott has litigated and tried cases before judges and juries.  Scott handles all aspects of case management and analysis, including witness depositions, expert witness development, settlement negotiations, trial, and appeal.  His practice includes the defense of toxic tort claims (including asbestos, radiation from cell phones, and alleged defective/unsafe pharmaceuticals), aviation accidents,  and claims involving trade secret/non-compete covenants, commercial leases, wage and hour violations, injunctions, construction defect, and mechanic’s liens.  Scott has also briefed and argued numerous cases in appellate courts.

Scott serves as National Coordinating Counsel for a nationwide supplier of various types of equipment and coordinates the company’s defense of asbestos lawsuits nationally.  In this capacity, Scott has taken and defended hundreds of depositions of expert and fact witnesses, challenged the admissibility of expert witness testimony and prevailed in extricating his clients from cases at the summary stage.  Scott has also represented manufacturers of boilers, pumps, and valves in asbestos litigation.

Scott has achieved an A/V rating from Martindale Hubbel, the highest possible peer review for ethics and legal ability.

Activities

Scott is an active commercial instrument-rated pilot and a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight East, which provides air transportation to patients in need of medical care.  Scott is a life-long Johns Hopkins lacrosse fan – go Jays!

Stephanie M. O’Neill

/in /by Stephanie M. O’Neill

Experience

Stephanie O’Neill joined Franklin & Prokopik’s Baltimore office in September of 2021 and focuses her practice primarily on workers’ compensation.  Before joining F&P, Stephanie served as the Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Angela M. Eaves, the administrative judge of the Circuit Court for Harford County.  In that position, Stephanie assisted a total of 12 judges with preparing their daily dockets, wrote multiple opinions, and performed legal research on complex issues.

During law school, Stephanie served as a Staff Editor for the University of Baltimore Law Review and was a law scholar for contracts.  Stephanie was a member of the Royal Graham Shannonhouse III Honor Society, worked as a research assistant for Professor Angela Vallario, and as a law clerk for Landsman & Ronald, LLC.  In addition, she practiced as a Rule 19-220 Student Attorney at the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office and volunteered as a co-coordinator for the Baltimore City District Court Re-entry Project with the Honorable Nicole Pastore.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Summer 2023 – Maryland Voters Approved a Constitutional Amendment Renaming Two Appellate Courts

Summer 2022 – Say It or Waive It? – Does failure to expressly reserve a third-party lien constitute a waiver of subrogation rights

Winter 2022 – Is There a Time Limit on When a Medical Provider Can Seek Payment?

Activities

Stephanie is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and the Baltimore County Bar Association.  Outside of the office, she can be found spending most of her time with her German Shepherd or exploring local restaurants.

Marleigh A. Severe

/in /by Marleigh A. Severe

Experience

Marleigh Davis knew she wanted to focus her career in litigation after clerking for the Honorable Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.  Marleigh was an Associate Comments Editor with the University of Baltimore Law Review and a Rule 19-220 Student Attorney in the Juvenile Justice Project clinic during law school.  Marleigh was also a research assistant for Professor Barbara Babb.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Spring 2023 – What’s Under That Cap? D.C. CRB Addresses What Benefits are Included in the 500 Week Cap

Summer 2022 – District of Columbia Council Resolution PR24-0783, “Parity in Workers’ Compensation Recovery Emergency Declaration Resolution 2022”

Winter 2022 – Credit for IME No – Show Fees Increase

Awards and Distinctions

  • Selected to Maryland Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2024

Activities

Marleigh can be found outside of work playing with and walking her dog, and exploring the city with her friends.  Marleigh also loves spending time with her family, traveling, and reading novels.

Jessica D. Corace

/in , /by Jessica D. Corace

Experience

Jessica D. Corace concentrates her active litigation practice in the area of liability defense, including construction, commercial transportation, auto, premises liability, and general civil litigation.   She has represented a number of builders, developers, and contractors in various types of disputes related to claims of construction defects throughout the state of Maryland and Washington D.C. Jessica currently serves as editor of F&P’s liability insights and blog articles.

Jessica also has extensive litigation experience in toxic tort, personal injury, and breach of contract matters and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants throughout her career. In addition, Jessica previously served as in-house counsel for a healthcare consulting company in Annapolis.

Jessica has been practicing since 2010 and is a member of the bars of Maryland, District of Columbia, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and District of Columbia.

Awards and Distinctions

  • MSBA and The Daily Record Leaders in Law, Generation J.D. 2022
  • MSBA Construction Law Section Council at Large member, 2023-2025

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Fall 2021 – Home Improvement Restitution and the Unexpected Battle of Semantics

Publications

Maryland Bar Journal – Billable Hours: Tips to Succeed (Volume 4 Issue 1, pg. 32)

Activities

Jessica is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, and Anne Arundel County Bar Association and sits on the board of the Greater Crofton Chamber of Commerce. She is also a Steering Committee Member for the DRI Construction Committee and a committee member of the Attorney Grievance Commission Peer Review. Jessica regularly volunteers with the Anne Arundel Country Bar Association’s Lawyer in the Library program. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys running, playing sports, cheering for Penn State, and spending time with her family and friends. Jessica is a native of Montgomery County, Maryland.

Jessica B. Pupkin

/in /by Jessica B. Pupkin

Experience

Jessica Pupkin concentrates her litigation practice primarily in the area of liability defense. She has represented clients in a variety of civil litigation matters including accident/injury/tort claims. Jessica has always been passionate about a career in litigation, however, she knew she wanted to focus her career in civil defense after clerking for the Honorable John S. Nugent in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

During law school, Jessica served as the Emerging Issues Editor for the University of Baltimore Journal of International Law.  Also during law school, Jessica was a judicial intern to the Honorable Cynthia H. Jones in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and an active member of the Women’s Bar Association.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Summer 2023 – The Applications and Limitations of the Subsequent Negligence Doctrine

Winter 2023 – Trucking Industry Fighting Back Against Fraudulent Claims

Awards and Distinctions

  • Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2024

Activities

Jessica is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, as well as the Baltimore City Bar Association. Being a Syracuse graduate and a Baltimore native,  she is passionate about all things orange and an avid Ravens fan.   In her spare time, Jessica can be found exploring the city with friends and family or hiking around Maryland.  She also enjoys cooking, playing the drums, and reading a good book.

Kara K. Parker

/in /by Kara K. Parker

Experience

Kara Parker concentrates her litigation practice in the areas of workers’ compensation & labor and employment law, focusing on the interests of employers and insurers.

Before joining F&P, Kara worked primarily in tax, estates & trust law, and planning. She has extensive experience working with institutional clients and individuals in the areas of business succession planning and generational wealth transfer.  She attained a bachelor’s degree in economics from The College of William and Mary in 2007 and was also a member of the Division 1 Women’s Lacrosse team (2003-2007).

In addition to her litigation practice, Kara is a frequent contributor to various F&P webinars and presentations regarding workers’ compensation, employment law, and employer liability for a variety of both regional and national audiences.

A University of Baltimore School of Law graduate, Kara was admitted to the Maryland State Bar in 2018. She is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution, the Bar Association of Baltimore City, and the American Association for Justice.  Kara is also a certified mediator.

Awards and Distinctions

  • Selected to Maryland Super Lawyers, Rising Stars for Workers’ Compensation 2023-2024

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Spring 2024 – Maryland Employers: Are You Paying Too Much for Medical Records and Mileage?

Spring 2022 – Child Support & the WCC – HB650: A Solution Everyone Can Agree On

Winter 2022 – Summary Denial of a Motion to Reopen or Modify Is Not Appealable or Subject to Judicial Review

Fall 2021 – For Whom the Statute of Limitations Tolls?

Summer 2021 – Changes to SIF/UEF Assessments Set to Expire on June 30, 2021

Spring 2021 – D.C. Department of Employment Services Issues 2021 Stakeholder’s Letter Regarding Changes to Administrative Hearings Division (AHD) Procedures due to SARS-COVID-19 Restrictions

Activities

Kara is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution, and the American Association for Justice.  She is a former Division 1 student-athlete as well as an award-winning visual artist working primarily in the mediums of pencil, watercolor, and acrylics.

Kara lives in Annapolis, MD, and enjoys spending time outside hiking, biking, and spending time with friends, family, and french bulldog “Taybur.”

Jennifer F. Hare

/in , /by Jennifer F. Hare

Experience

Jennifer Hare represents employers and insurers in a variety of workers’ compensation matters before the Workers’ Compensation Commission and courts throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.  She returns to Franklin & Prokopik in 2019 after working as a senior staff attorney for The Hartford Affiliated Insurance Companies for the past six years.  She was an associate with F&P from 2011 to 2013.  During her prior tenure at F&P, Jennifer spoke at F&P seminars as well as outside events.  In addition, Jennifer has experience doing plaintiff work, enabling her to provide insight and knowledge into the approaches taken by both sides.

Awards and Distinctions

Super Lawyers, 2024

Activities

Jennifer is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the MSBA Section on Negligence, Insurance, and Workers’ Compensation, Anne Arundel County Bar Association, and the Charles County Bar Association.  In her leisure time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, two westies, running and gardening, and enjoying life on the Eastern Shore.