Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P.

The city may be filled with marathon runners, but the CLM Alliance (Claims and Litigation Management Alliance) Litigation Management Symposium is the place to be in Chicago this week. Excited to share what the subcommittees have been tackling and where we are going. Bob Kopka Rhonda Thompson #litigationmanagement #claims

🎀Honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month🎀 Last weekend Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P. sponsored its team to participate in the Susan G Komen - Race for the Cure 5k in Houston. The Susan G. Komen Foundation raises vital funds and awareness for breast cancer research, education, screenings, and patient support — making a lasting impact on countless lives. I’m truly grateful to be part of a firm that not only values excellence in the legal profession but also supports meaningful causes that strengthen our community.

As a civil litigation attorney, I spend a lot of my time defending companies and insurers whose bottom line will not even register the outcome of my efforts for them. I'm happy to defend my business clients; however, it's not the same as defending those without means. A few months ago, a talented fourth-year medical student at the University of Hawaii's medical school reached out to our office for help. Earlier this year, she had gone through a rotation at a Honolulu hospital, where she encountered an attending male physician who said and did things that made her feel uncomfortable and discriminated against as a woman. After consulting with her supervisors, she decided to submit a Title IX report to the University of Hawaii about her experiences. Before she heard anything from the Title IX office, she was served with a defamation lawsuit from the offensive attending physician, who demanded $500K in damages because she had dared to suggest his conduct was unprofessional and inappropriate. When she asked us for help, the student was about to graduate from medical school and begin her residency. Not surprisingly, she didn't have the financial means to fund a defense against the attending physician, who openly boasted about earning $600K a year. With his superior financial resources, the attending physician filed a lawsuit to silence the medical student. Wanting to help her, but mindful of the fact that our office is part of a for-profit business, I reached out to the Managing Partner of Thompson Coe, Shawn Phelan, about the situation. I'll never forget his immediate response: "We should do the right thing and help her." So we took on the case and ventured into uncharted waters. Defamation is not new to our office, but Hawaii's Anti-SLAAP statute, enacted in 2022, is. After educating ourselves about the new law, we brought a Special Motion to Dismiss under the statute, which the Court granted today. Our entire office -- Dawn T. Sugihara, Dunkin Walker, Kevin Costa, Patty Hori, and me -- was 100% invested in getting to this outcome. We also got an assist from Holly James from our Dallas office. Our client is relieved; hopefully, she will now finally be able to find some peace of mind. Thank you, Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P., and everyone at the Honolulu office, for making a difference.

Loved presenting this today for the DBA’s Entertainment, Art, & Sports Law section, with fellow Thompson Coe partner Tim Agajanian! Big thanks also to Mercedes-Benz for letting us host this event at their venue! Tim Agajanian Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P.

THE ART AND ❤️ OF COLLABORATION. Our entire New York Office was back in lower Manhattan for the second time in a handful of days on Tuesday, September 30. This time, at the Isabel Sullivan Gallery presenting a panel discussion on legal issues impacting fine art and collectible claims. Our New York Office collaborated with (and leaned heavily on) Dallas colleagues Jamie Baker and Rhonda Thompson, who were instrumental in planning and pulling off the event. We were also extremely fortunate for the support and hospitality of gallery owner, Isabel Sullivan, and gallery manager, Laura Pimlott. Surrounded by incredible contemporary paintings and art objects, we were able to learn from Jamie (an art historian and collector who is also barred in NY ) and Ingrid Golemi (one of my fantastic New York partners) many things, including: *the difference between art claims and those for other losses; *the impact AI is having on the art world; *the “hot” issues currently in litigation; and *how you might prove the value of something that is “priceless!” The gallery was filled to the brim with industry professionals and art lovers who kept the conversation going long after the formal presentation was concluded. And our hearts were also filled with gratitude for a savvy and engaged audience, committed partners and colleagues (some who traveled across the country to join us) and our firm Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P. , who sponsored this unique offering (including the cheese and wine we enjoyed throughout the evening). All came together—seamlessly demonstrating the art and the ❤️ of collaboration.

NEW YORK PROUD. Yesterday was a great day in New York City. The last Sunday of September is the designated day for the Tunnel to Towers 5K. Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons L.L.P. was represented by our New York City office A-TEAM, associates Jessica Naegely (our team leader) and Daniel Yuresko (NYC native and son of two NYC police officers). The Tunnel to Towers 5K is no ordinary race. It honors NYFD firefighter Stephen Siller’s journey from the foot of Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 and his ultimate sacrifice saving others at the World Trade Center. This event, capped at 30,000 particpants, is special to anyone with a connection to our city or what unfolded here on 9/11. I was hoping to run with Jessica and Danny, but am on the injured list. Although I could not participate in the way I hoped, I was beaming with pride when we met at the finish. I was proud of them for doing something hard (running through the longest underwater tunnel in North America packed with thousands of people is no joke), proud of our growing Thompson Coe New York family (we had quite a cheering section supporting our runners), and proud of the indomitable spirit of my adopted city. Living here can be daunting, frustrating, and even maddening. But days like yesterday showed me, once again, what a privilege it is to call this city my home.