Lewis Brisbois Expands Bi-Coastal Products Liability, Toxic Tort, Asbestos Capabilities With Addition of 12 Attorneys

Los Angeles, Calif/Boston, Mass. (May 5, 2025) - Lewis Brisbois has expanded its products liability, toxic tort, asbestos, and trial capabilities in California and New England with the addition of 12 attorneys from Pond North LLP. The group includes Pond North’s principals, Frank Pond and Christine North, as well as six additional partners and four associates. These lawyers have joined Lewis Brisbois’ Products Liability, Asbestos Litigation, and Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation Practices.
 
Mr. Pond will be resident in Lewis Brisbois’ Los Angeles office, while Ms. North will split her time between the Los Angeles and Boston offices. Partners Michael Graham, Marissa Gittler, and Russell Schatz, as well as Associates Richard Hogan and Alexandria Oguntula also have joined the Los Angeles office. Partners Margreta Vellucci, Nancy Erwin Buck, and James Buck, with Associate Arthur Bailin, have joined Lewis Brisbois’ Boston office. Associate Aadil Muhammad will be resident in San Francisco.
 
With 36 and 30 years of experience, respectively, Mr. Pond and Ms. North – along with their team – have deep experience in the areas of asbestos and toxic tort, environmental and mass tort, and products liability. They have tried hundreds of matters and taken dozens of cases to verdict, consistently achieving favorable results for their clients. They regularly defend clients that include Fortune 50, Fortune 500, and smaller companies across various industries. In addition to their litigation work, the team serves as trusted legal advisors to clients, with Mr. Pond serving as national coordinating counsel for several clients.
 
In discussing their decision to join Lewis Brisbois, Ms. North explained that she and Mr. Pond have worked with Lewis Brisbois’ attorneys previously, including when representing co-defendants. “All of our experiences with Lewis Brisbois’ lawyers have been completely positive,” she recalled. She also noted that Pond North’s clients and Lewis Brisbois’ clients had shared interests, while the attorneys at both firms had similar trial capabilities, describing, “This is a very natural fit because our clients have mutual interests. Our trial experience and our willingness to go to trial also meshes well with Lewis Brisbois.” Mr. Pond agreed, noting that his team often “parachutes into trial on short notice” at the request of clients, just as Lewis Brisbois’ trial attorneys have done for their clients.
 
In addition, Mr. Pond explained that he was “really looking forward to” the extensive resources of Lewis Brisbois, noting, “We see this as a huge growth opportunity.” He described that developing “meta strategy and giving clients advice is what we do best,” and that working with additional attorneys who could assist with client matters would allow his team to focus more on clients’ high-level strategy. 
 
“Frank, Christine, and their team have a wealth of toxic tort knowledge and experience as well as significant trial prowess,” Chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation Practice Scott Masterson said. “We are thrilled that they have joined us.”
 
Los Angeles Co-Managing Partners Jana Lubert and Kathleen Walker expressed excitement at the new team’s arrival, noting, “We know that the addition of these accomplished attorneys will enhance our office and several of our practices nationwide. We look forward to working with and learning from all members of Frank and Christine’s team.”
 
Boston Managing Partner Kenneth Walton agreed, stating, “We are excited about the arrival of this exceptional team of attorneys. The experience that they bring to the firm will benefit our clients across many industries and throughout our nationwide network. We are thrilled to have them on board.”
 
In addition, San Francisco Co-Managing Partners Christopher Nevis and Julian Pardini noted, “We are pleased to be working with such a talented group of attorneys who excel in developing client strategy and who share Lewis Brisbois’ standards for client service. We look forward to the contributions that these lawyers will make to various practices at the firm.”
 
Mr. Pond earned his law degree (J.D.) and Master of Laws (L.L.M.), with honors, from Georgetown University Law Center and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. He is admitted to practice in state and federal court in California, New York, Arizona, and Colorado. Mr. Pond also is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Washington State, as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court of International Trade.
 
Ms. North earned her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School and her undergraduate degree, with honors, from Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service. She is licensed to practice in state and federal court in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California, including before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.