From left, Cristina Ciminelli, Todd Cavanaugh, Thomas Borncamp, Steven Smelser and James Yukevich
every case as if it will go trial because they know there are no half-measures in
litigation.
"When we look at the case, we look at everything," Yukevich said. "We look at the
facts, we look at the experts, we look to see if there is liability on behalf of our
clients while understanding that case may not always be resolved in court."
Attorneys at Yukevich Cavanaugh specialize in the defense of Fortune 500 companies
in complex product liability cases that include automobiles, construction equipment,
tires, automotive friction products, helmets and industrial machinery.
Yukevich Cavanaugh staffs at least two partners on every trial, each armed with a
strategy honed in the fire and forge of experience. Yukevich describes himself, and
the attorneys he works with, as prepared, focused and strategic in their methods.
"Even if you know our playbook, you can't stop us from running our plays," he said.
For the clients they represent, the firm believes that defense counsel cannot be actively
engaged on the other side. Yukevich says that although him and his firm's attorneys
understand what it's like to be a plaintiff, he believes that the firm's most effective
position is rooted in defense.
"What that boils down to is when we try a case, we really believe a product is not
defective in design," he said.
In pursuit of resolving high stakes product liability cases, the firm has developed
a unique intersection of knowledge between law, engineering and medicine. Last year,
Yukevich Cavanaugh was featured by the Daily Journal for receiving one of the top
defense verdicts of the year with a case involving helmets used in high school football.
In that case, a high school football lineman suffered serious brain injuries after
being hit by an opposing player. Yukevich Cavanaugh successfully defended the helmet
maker, Riddell.
"These companies are highly recognized," Cavanaugh said. "They have a brand and an
identity to protect and they have a lot of experience in the products they make."
In a separate case filed in 2013, the firm is defending the engine manufacturer for
an industrial-sized wood chipper after an accident involving an explosion that killed
one person and seriously injured three others.
Many more of their clients however, are automotive manufacturers, including Ford Motor
Co. In 2011, a family sued for the death of their mother after alleging the right
rear tire, the vehicle and the seatbelt were all defective and caused her death. Trial
is scheduled for early February 2016.
Inside the firm's office, more than 40 pictures of courtrooms all across the nation
hang in the hallways. Each represents a place where the firm has taken a trial to
verdict. For the attorneys at the firm, the photographs are more than a reminder of
their victories, they are a reminder of the principles that have brought the firm
success.
"We try our hardest to protect our clients that produce outstanding products," Cavanaugh
said.
- RYAN VAN VELZER
#261330
For reprint rights or to order a copy of your photo:
Email
Jeremy_Ellis@dailyjournal.com
for prices.
Direct dial: 213-229-5424
Send a letter to the editor:
Email: letters@dailyjournal.com