Sedgwick Elevates Four Attorneys to Partnership

SAN FRANCISCO, December 29, 2009 - Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP has announced it has elevated four attorneys to the firm’s partnership. London attorney Sarah J. Hills, San Francisco attorney Gail Kavanagh, Los Angeles attorney Robert Kum, and New York attorney J. Gregory Lahr join the more than 130 partners at the international litigation and business law firm.

“The elevation, in today’s legal environment, of these exceptionally talented attorneys reaffirms Sedgwick’s strength and ongoing commitment to its clients and all its professionals.” said Firm Chair Michael Tanenbaum. “In 2008 Sedgwick commemorated its 75th anniversary; expanded its geographic footprint to the southeast; and added highly skilled attorneys to its offices throughout the United States and abroad. Each of these accomplishments demonstrates our commitment to providing our clients with the highest quality legal services throughout the United States and around the globe.”

Based in the firm’s London office, Sarah J. Hills offers insurance and reinsurance expertise to clients in Europe, Bermuda and the United States. Hills handles assignments in most classes of business including general liability, directors and officers liability, products liability, professional liability coverage, personal accident and workers compensation. In addition to her litigation services, Hills also advises clients on complex insurance and reinsurance claims, and underwriting and claims reviews. She earned her LPC (1996), with distinction, from the College of Law, Store Street, London, and her LL.B. (1995), honors first-class, from the University of Manchester.

Gail Kavanagh, based in the San Francisco office, has more than fifteen years of legal experience. Her practice encompasses a broad range of real estate and commercial transactional work and litigation, including real property, title and contract disputes; commercial torts; eminent domain actions; commercial landlord-tenant matters; trademark and copyright protection; and employment actions. She is admitted to practice in California, and earned her J.D. (1991) at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, after receiving her B.A. (1988), cum laude, from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Robert Kum works in the firm’s Los Angeles office, and represents clients throughout the United States, and has successfully tried and defended various multinational corporations in complex environmental, toxic torts, and products liability litigation. Kum is admitted to practice in California and the District of Columbia, and is a member of the American Bar Association, and the Defense Research Institute. After earning his B.A. (1991) at the University of California at Berkeley, he received his J.D. (1996) from the Pepperdine University School of Law.

New York attorney J. Gregory Lahr litigates complex commercial disputes, insurance coverage matters, and counsels clients on a variety of employment issues. His clients represent a cross section of industries and include insurers, airlines, employment staffing companies and recruiters, and environmental contractors. He has also established corporate structures, negotiated vendor contracts and provided counsel on intellectual property and production and manufacturing issues within the fashion and retail sector. Prior to earning his J.D. (1997), cum laude, from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, he received his B.A. (1993) from Providence College.