Alexandra M. Monaco

/in /by Alexandra M. Monaco

Experience

Alexandra Monaco is Franklin & Prokopiks’s newest associate in its Richmond office. She focuses her practice on liability defense in the Richmond Metropolitan, Central Virginia, Southeastern Virginia, and Hampton Roads areas.  Alexandra’s clients range from national companies to small businesses which she defends against premises, products, construction, commercial trucking, and transportation liability claims. She is also a contributor to F&P liability insights and blog articles.

During law school, Alex served as the Founder and President of the Health Law Society. Through the Veteran’s Advocacy Project, she devoted much of her time to assisting veterans in both the VA disability benefits appeals process and the Department of Defense discharge upgrade process.

F&P Blog and Insight Articles

Summer 2022 – Transportation Safety Amid the supply-Chain Issues of 2022

Summer 2021 – Can a Lawyer Ethically Partake In Ex Parte Communications With an Adversary’s Current/Former Employees?

Activities

Alex is a member of the Virginia Bar Association.  In her spare time, she enjoys the great outdoors and cooking.

Lindsey A. Lewis

/in , /by Lindsey A. Lewis

Experience

Lindsey Lewis joined Franklin & Prokopik as Counsel in June 2016 and focuses her practice on the defense of matters in Central and Southeastern Virginia, including the Richmond Metropolitan and Hampton Roads areas.  She previously was associated with the firm’s Herndon, Virginia office before locating to Richmond, Virginia, where she was an Associate at one of the Top 200 largest law firms in the U.S.   Prior to that, Lindsey began her career at a defense firm in the District of Columbia after clerking for the Honorable Michael P. McWeeny, Chief Judge of the Fairfax County Circuit Court.

Lindsey has extensive experience in civil litigation in the areas of automobile/transportation liability, employment, premises liability, and professional liability, including defense of medical malpractice and nursing home claims.  Her clients have ranged from multi-national companies to local small business owners.  She also has represented doctors, dentists, nurses, and other health care professionals in connection with investigations by the Virginia Department of Health Professions and professional regulatory boards.

Recent Reported Opinions

 BRENDA JOHNSTON v. WILLIAM E. WOOD & ASSOCIATES, INC., Virginia Supreme Court, Record No. 151160 (June 2, 2016) – The Virginia Supreme Court affirmed the Virginia Beach Circuit Court’s sustaining of Appellee’s Demurrer and dismissal of Appellant’s case with prejudice, upholding longstanding Virginia policy stating that no “advance” or specified length of notice is required when terminating an at-will employee.

TERESA PARKER v. WENDY’S INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, 41 F.Supp.3d 487 (E.D. Va. 2014) – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed with prejudice Plaintiff’s claims of negligent supervision and serving adulterated food in connection with a case wherein Plaintiff alleged that she choked on a foreign object.

Activities

Lindsey is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Professional Liability Section of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys.

 

Nirav Patel

/in /by Nirav Patel

Experience

Prior to joining Franklin & Prokopik, Nirav Patel was a staff attorney with the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Activities

In his spare time, Mr. Patel enjoys reading and spending time with his wife Alpa. Mr. Patel is an avid Toronto Maples Leafs fan and enjoys traveling.

Joshua M. Hoffman

/in , , /by Joshua M. Hoffman

Experience

Josh Hoffman has more than a decade of experience successfully representing and defending individuals and corporations against liability and other claims for damages.   He specializes in the defense of auto and premises liability claims.   In addition, Josh has substantial experience responding to and directing Emergency Response activities to protect and shield carriers and drivers from liability.  He has also handled countless matters for his clients in state and federal courts and is also experienced practicing before state and federal appellate courts.

Awards and Distinctions

Josh serves as the Vice-Chair of the Professional Liability Section of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys.

Activities

Josh is a member of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys and the Fairfax County Bar Association.   He was a representative of the Student Government and a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity while at Wake Forest University.

Jennifer R. Helsel

/in /by Jennifer R. Helsel

Experience

A principal at the firm, Jennifer Helsel joined F&P’s Herndon office in 2014 and has almost 20 years of legal experience. Jennifer concentrates her practice in workers’ compensation, representing employers, insurers, and TPAs in a broad spectrum of matters before administrative, trial, and appellate courts throughout Virginia.

Prior to joining F&P, Jennifer gained significant experience at an insurance defense litigation firm.  She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. During law school, Jennifer was on the moot court bar.

Jennifer has lectured on topics of law and procedure involving workers’ compensation issues for several carriers and presented at F&P’s WC seminars.

Activities

Jennifer is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Inns of Court, and the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, doing hot yoga, and hiking.

Lynn M. Fitzpatrick

/in /by Lynn M. Fitzpatrick

Experience

Lynn McHale Fitzpatrick is a principal of the law firm of Franklin & Prokopik, where she is a resident in the firm’s Herndon, Virginia office. She concentrates her practice in the area of civil litigation, especially the defense of state workers’ compensation cases.

Prior to joining Franklin & Prokopik, Ms. Fitzpatrick served as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas A. Fortkort (retired) of the 19th Judicial Circuit of Virginia.

Ms. Fitzpatrick has lectured extensively on issues of law and procedure involving workers’ compensation issues. She is admitted to practice before all state courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Since 2013, she has been a member of the Larson’s Workers’ Compensation National Advisory Board and was named to the Best Lawyers list for workers’ compensation.  In 2018, Ms. Fitzpatrick was elected a Fellow to the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers.

Awards and Distinctions

  • Member, Larson’s Workers’ Compensation National Advisory Board, 2013- Present
  • Virginia Workers’ Compensation American Inn of Court
  • Best Lawyers, 2018-2024, Workers’ Compensation
  • Virginia Lawyers Weekly, “Go to Lawyers” 2021
  • Selected to Virginia Super Lawyers for Workers’ Compensation 2023

Activities

Ms. Fitzpatrick is currently a member of the Commonwealth of Virginia Bar, the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, and represents Franklin & Prokopik in the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network.