Press Releases

NEW YORK (September 30, 2020) – Expanding national law firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced the launch of two offices in Norwalk, Connecticut and Jersey City, New Jersey – marking the firm’s 14th and 15th locations across the country. The firm will now have ten attorneys serving clients in the tri-state area in all aspects of insurance defense litigation.

CHICAGO (August 4, 2020) – Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today the launch of its first Chicago office and the hire of two attorneys to lead the new branch. Scott Ruksakiati will act as branch managing partner with Mark Shanberg as senior counsel.

SAN DIEGO (May 28, 2020) – Leading civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today the promotion of Sitar Bhatt, Kathryn Lee Colgan and Andrew Smith. Bhatt joins the firm’s partnership in Phoenix, and Colgan in the San Diego and Orange County offices. Smith, meanwhile, was named branch managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office.

NEW YORK (May 28, 2020) – Leading civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced Mike Coffey as a new partner in its New York office, which handles litigation throughout the Tri-State area of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, as part of the growing firm’s Complex Trial Team.

SEATTLE (May 7, 2020) – Leading civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced Bryan D. Scholnick as the new managing partner of its Seattle office, overseeing litigation throughout the states of Washington and Oregon.

SAN DIEGO (March 5, 2020) – Increasing the ranks of its Complex Trial Team, civil defense law firm Tyson & Mendes LLP has promoted four attorneys – Michelle Campbell, Codie Dukes, Reece Román and Morgan Van Buren – to Partner. Dukes, Román and Van Buren join the firm’s San Diego partnership, while Campbell is now based in the firm’s rapidly expanding Orange County and Los Angeles offices.

LOS ANGELES (February 10, 2020) – Marking another victory for nationwide civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP, a motion for summary judgment has been granted by Hon. Deidre Hill in favor of an elementary school district in Los Angeles, which was being sued for the unlawful sexual acts of a former employee.

Scottsdale, Ariz. (November 19, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today the purchase of a building in Scottsdale that will serve as the new home of the law firm’s office in the Grand Canyon State starting early next year.

LOS ANGELES (October 11, 2019) – Leading civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today it has added Kara Pape as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

SAN DIEGO (August 29, 2019) – As a result of its unprecedented growth over the last two years, Tyson & Mendes is launching a national recruiting campaign, “Reimagine Your Future,” to promote career opportunities within the firm.

SAN DIEGO (September 10, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today the hire of Robert Modica as Managing Partner of the firm’s first New York office, which will open on October 1 in New York City.

SAN DIEGO (August 5, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP has expanded to Orange County with a new office that will be led by new Managing Partner Richard Somes. The location will allow the leading insurance defense firm to increase its complex litigation work in the region for a wide array of clients.

SAN DIEGO (August 2, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP was recently recognized as one of the “Best Firms for Minority Attorneys” by Law360. The national legal publication ranked the civil defense firm headquartered in San Diego as #16 in the “50-149 Lawyers” category and #5 for minority equity partners.

SAN DIEGO (June 06, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP was recently recognized by Law360 as one of the “Best Law Firms for Female Attorneys.” The national legal publication ranked the civil defense firm headquartered in San Diego as #12 in the “50-149 Lawyers” category.

SAN DIEGO (June 3, 2019) – Civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP announced the promotion of Jessica Heppenstall to partner in its San Diego office. Ms. Heppenstall has been with Tyson & Mendes since 2013, most recently serving as Senior Counsel.

SAN DIEGO (May 28, 2019) – Fueled by its exponential growth, Tyson & Mendes LLP will become one of the first medium-sized law firms to launch a student loan repayment program. Tyson & Mendes recognizes student debt from law school and undergraduate studies can be one of the biggest stressors for lawyers. The firm hopes to ease that burden for its attorneys through the launch of a new student loan assistance program in partnership with Gradifi.

SAN FRANCISCO (May 6, 2019) – Civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP added Patricia K. Conway as a new partner in its San Francisco office. Conway joins Tyson & Mendes after making a lateral move from her position as partner at Vasquez Estrada & Conway LLP, where she worked for the last 18 years.

SAN FRANCISCO (April 18, 2019) – Following a 5-week jury trial, a San Francisco County jury on April 18, 2019, found an airport shuttle service and one of its drivers not liable for injuries the plaintiff alleged he suffered while riding on an airport shuttle. Attorneys in Tyson & Mendes LLP’s Northern California office, Partner Jim Sell and Senior Counsel Brian Johnson, represented the two defendants and secured a full defense verdict in a case in which the injured plaintiff sought $22 million in damages. “We successfully framed this trial around responsibility,” Mr. Sell said. “By acknowledging and accepting our client’s responsibility for providing accessible safety features in our vehicles, we exposed plaintiff’s refusal to accept any of his own responsibility for his injuries.”

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (April 17, 2019) – Following a three-week trial, a San Bernardino County jury on April 10, 2019, found Chino Hills Ford not liable for a serious car accident which allegedly caused seizures to a child. Tyson & Mendes LLP attorneys Kristi Blackwell and Christopher Schon represented Chino Hills Ford and secured a full defense verdict in which the injured plaintiff sought more than $7.4 million in damages.

SAN DIEGO (March 11, 2019) – Following a two-week trial in San Diego, a California Superior Court jury has found accountant Roy Hosaka and his firm, Hosaka Nagel & Co., not liable in a $2 million malpractice case. Tyson & Mendes attorneys Dan Fallon and Garry McCarthy represented Mr. Hosaka and Hosaka Nagel & Co. in the high-stakes professional malpractice case, which alleged fraudulent nondisclosure and breach of fiduciary duty.

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 28, 2019) – Tyson & Mendes LLP announced today that Partner James Sell has been named its fourth equity partner – joining Founding Partners Robert Tyson and Patrick Mendes as well as Mina Miserlis as stakeholders in the growing civil defense firm.

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 2, 2018) – After a 3-week trial, a California Superior Court jury in San Bernardino has found a physician in Upland, Calif. not liable in a $1.7 million medical malpractice case. Tyson & Mendes attorney Susan Oliver represented Dr. Mark L. Alwan in the high stakes case, which alleged wrongful death and professional negligence.

SAN DIEGO (Sept. 13, 2018) – Marking a two-time victory for San Diego-based defense firm Tyson & Mendes, a San Diego appellate court upheld on Sept. 11 a judgment in favor of Carlsbad’s Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, which was being blamed for the devastating 2014 Poinsettia fire.