November 20, 2011
With great sadness, we announce the passing of our firm's founding partner, Kenneth J. Moran. Words cannot express the acute loss of such an exceptional lawyer, professional and gentleman. Ken will be sorely missed by his colleagues, his clients and the legal community. We at Moran Reeves & Conn are truly privileged to have worked with Ken, and take comfort in knowing that his influence, and the ideals for which he stood, will continue to live on at our firm.
A 1968 West Point graduate, Ken earned his M.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkely (1971) and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law (1978). Ken was a litigator with the law firm of McGuireWoods from 1978 until he left in 2000 to form the complex litigation firm that is now Moran Reeves & Conn PC. Ken earned a national reputation defending tire manufacturers in products liability litigation. He was a frequent lecturer on topics including complex litigation, products liability and risk management, and was very active in the Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC), the American Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute.
A devoted family man, Ken leaves behind his loving wife of 43 years, Linda Moran, three children, Patrick Moran of Los Angeles, California; Lisa Moran McMurdo and her husband, Thomas, of Charlottesville, Virginia; and, Megan Buchholz and her husband Christopher of Charleston, South Carolina. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Addie and Spencer. Ken was diabetic for many, many years, and one of his requests was that instead of flowers, he would appreciate donations made to the American Diabetes Association. http://main.diabetes.org/goto/ken_moran.
October 2011
Moran Reeves & Conn PC is pleased to announce the arrival of our newest associate, Madelaine Kramer. Madelaine received her B.S. in 2005 from Bryant University in Rhode Island and the following year received her MBA from the University Of Miami School Of Business. In May, 2011, Madelaine received her J.D. from the University Of Richmond School Of Law, where she earned the Cali Award (for earning the highest grade in her product liability class). Welcome Madelaine!
June 2011
Congratulations to our very own Marty Conn and Michelle Andino. They both competed at this weekend’s I Love the Tavern Triathlon. Marty went solo and had an excellent finish time for his first ever triathlon. Michelle and two of her friends formed a team called “Perfectly Paced” and finished 11th overall in the “Team Team” Award category!
Results can be seen by clicking here:
http://www.fasttrackcoaching.net/timing/Results/2011-I-LOVE-THE-TAVERN-TRIATHLON.txt
June 2011
Congratulations to our 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers: Eric G. Reeves (Civil Defense Litigation) and Martin A. Conn (Personal Injury Defense: Products). Eric and Marty were selected by their peers in a statewide survey of lawyers which also included an independent evaluation of each candidate, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Visit www.superlawyers.com, where lawyers can be searched by practice area and location.
June 2011
Lisa McMurdo will speak at the American Conference Institute's 4th Advanced Forum on Defending and Managing Automotive Product Liability Litigation in Chicago (June 22 and 23). Ms. McMurdo is co-leading a workshop on Formulating a Document and E-Discovery Plan and will also participate in a panel discussion on Evidence Preservation and Spoliation issues.
June 2011
Moran Reeves & Conn PC is proud to be a GOLD sponsor of the 5th Annual John Anthony Garret Memorial Golf Tournament which will take place on June 23rd. This event is sponsored by the Henrico County Bar Association, and all net proceeds will benefit Comfort Zone Camp.
May 2011
Eric Reeves and Marty Conn each led panel discussions at the VADA Spring Meeting Product Liability Section Seminar on May 20th. Topics included presentation of technical expert testimony to juries in complex cases, ever changing pleadings standards in Virginia courts and an in depth discussion with 4th Circuit Court judges from around the state related to expert and other evidentiary issues arising in product liability and toxic tort cases. The section meeting was well attended and the discussion was lively.
May 2011
Got an AV rating? Over the past few weeks, Dewayne Lonas was objectively rated by peers and recently received the AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale. Congratulations Dewayne.
May 2011
Brian Schneider recently argued for a group of corporate defendants for dismissal of a product liability suit in federal court in Philadelphia. He argued that plaintiff's case required dismissal under Virginia's "single disease" rule. On March 17th Judge Robreno of the U.S.D.C. in Philadelphia agreed and dismissed the case with prejudice! Kudos Brian!
A little more detail: In Kiser v. A.W. Chesterton, et al., the plaintiff originally filed in 1990 a claim for asbestosis in the U.S. District Court in Roanoke. That suit against a number of defendants – like all federal asbestos suits, was transferred to the Multi-District Litigation Panel in Philadelphia (“MDL”) – remained pending until the summer of 2010, at which time it was dismissed by Judge Robreno in the MDL. In 2008, before dismissal of his original action, the plaintiff was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Just a few months after dismissal of that first case, the plaintiff filed a second claim in federal court in Roanoke to recover for his mesothelioma. The second suit was against a new group of defendants. Like the first case, the second suit was also transferred to the MDL.
It was the plaintiff’s contention before the MDL Court that a 1985 amendment to Va. Code § 8.01-249 – which changed the date of accrual for asbestos cases from the date that a plaintiff is “hurt” to when a diagnosis is actually communicated to the plaintiff – converted Virginia from its long-standing “single disease” rule. Under that rule, the statute of limitations for all of a plaintiff’s asbestos-related disease begins to run upon the diagnosis of the very first asbestos-related injury. Plaintiff instead asserted that under the 1985 amendment, Virginia is now a “two disease” jurisdiction, meaning that a new statute of limitations begins to run upon the diagnosis of each successive asbestos-related injury. Brian asserted that the plaintiff's case required dismissal under the “single disease” rule. Relying in part on Caudill v. Wise Rambler, Inc., 210 Va. 11, 168 S.E.2d 257 (1969) and Joyce v. A. C. & S., Inc., 785 F.2d 1200 (4th Cir. 1986), the defendants argued that nothing in the 1985 amendment changed the “single disease” rule as it has existed in Virginia for nearly a century. On March 17, 2011, Judge Eduardo Robreno, of the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, held that nothing in the 1985 amendment to § 8.01-249 affected the well-established “single disease” rule in Virginia. The Court granted the defendants’ motion and dismissed the case with prejudice.
May 2011
Once again, Moran Reeves & Conn is proud to be a sponsor for I Love the Tavern Triathlon. . The Triathlon is scheduled for June 26th beginning at 7:00 a.m. The big winner will be Comfort Zone Camp; CZC is a nonprofit bereavement camp that transforms the lives of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Also, NEW this year: Please bring a blanket (slightly used will do) for the post race picnic (1) to sit on and (2) then donate to a local charity. For more information, click here.
May 2011
Congratulations to Brian Schneider, recently appointed to the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys’ Legislative Affairs Committee.
May 2011
Congratulations to Stinson Mundy. Stinson has been elected to serve as Chair of Membership for the Metro Richmond Women's Bar Association (MRWBA). To learn more about the MRWBA, click here.
January 2011
Our warmest congratulations to Brian Schneider. Not only has Brian received Martindale Hubbell’s highest rating (AV), but he and his lovely wife, Liv, welcomed Anderson James Schneider to their family on December 28th.
October 2010
At the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys’ Fall Meeting, held October 13 to 15, Eric Reeves, along with Brian Schneider, gave a presentation "Recent Developments in Products Liability Litigation."
October 2010
Congratulations to Eric Reeves. Eric was recently named Chair of the Products Liability & Toxic Tort Section of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys.
September 2010
Congratuations to MRC shareholder, C. Dewayne Lonas, for achieving a defense verdict on behalf of the firm's client, CNH America LLC, in a product liability wrongful death action filed by Donald Culkin, Administrator and Personal Representative of the Estate of John Thomas McCray, Jr. The Loudoun County jury reached its verdict after approximately three hours of deliberations.
September 2010
From September 21-23, 2010, Kenneth J. Moran attended the International Tire and Exhibition Conference ("ITEC") meeting for tire and rubber manufacturers and their suppliers in Cleveland, Ohio, where Mr. Moran gave an address entitled: "Discovery in the Post-BP Oil Spill Era." To learn more about 2010 ITEC, visit www.itec-tireshow.com.
June 2010
Moran Reeves & Conn PC congratulates Stinson Lindenzweig Mundy (Rising Star, General Litigation) who was selected by her peers in the Virginia Super Lawyers. The selection process includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluations of candidates, as well as peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Up to five percent of the lawyers in the Commonwealth are named to Super Lawyers and no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. Visit www.superlawyers.com, where lawyers can be searched by practice area and location.
June 2010
Four years and counting: Moran Reeves & Conn PC is happy to be a Gold Sponsor of the upcoming I Love the Tavern Triathlon. Please join us on June 27th at Robious Landing Park off of James River Road and cheer on your favorite tri-athlete. The race benefits Comfort Zone Camp, where grieving children can remember their loved ones at a safe camp environment. To learn more about Comfort Zone Camp, click here. And, in case you are wondering, it isn't too late to register for the triathlon. I Love the Tavern Triathlon is a USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned event. Click here to learn more about how to register.
June 2010
Congratulations to our staff (Ashley Driscoll and Michelle Andino) who took first place in the category "legal mixed" on June 17th at The Sports Backers inaugural Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler at Innsbrook Office Park. See the results here. This event benefited Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, Inc. which is a non-profit organization created to improve the health of children through leading a regional effort to increase physical activity and healthier diets.
June 2010
Join our staff (Ashley Driscoll and Michelle Andino) on June 17 at The Sports Backers inaugural Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-miler through Innsbrook Office Park. Runners and walkers will make their way through the beautiful Innsbrook Office Park. Water stations will be located at the start, in two places along the course and at the finish. This event benefits Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, Inc. which is a non-profit organization created to improve the health of children through leading a regional effort to increase physical activity and healthier diets.
May 2010
The Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys recently held its annual Spring Meeting in Richmond, Virginia May 13 - 14, 2010 where our attorneys gave a presentation entitled "Current Developments in Virginia's Asbestos Litigation." The VADA is comprised of over 850 attorneys; to learn more visit their website as www.vada.org.
June 2009
Moran Reeves & Conn PC is proud to sponsor the "I Love the Tavern" Triathlon, benefiting Comfort Zone Camp, for the third consecutive year. This great event will be held on June 28, 2009 and will begin at 7:00 a.m. at Robious Landing Park. This triathlon will include a 750 m swim in the James River, followed by a 18.8 mile road bike and a 5 k run. Moran Reeves & Conn PC not only sponsors this race, but will have employees who will participate in this event. For more information on the I Love the Tavern Triathlon, click here.
May 2009
Moran Reeves & Conn PC is a proud sponsor of the 3rd Annual John Anthony Garret Memorial Golf Tournament. This event is sponsored by the Henrico County Bar Association, and all net proceeds will benefit Comfort Zone Camp.