Washington Litigators Thomas T. Locke and Rebecca Woods Join Seyfarth Shaw as Partners

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2007) - - Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of America’s leading full service law firms, announced that Thomas T. Locke and Rebecca Woods have joined the firm in the Commercial Litigation Practice Group in its Washington, D.C. office.  Most recently, Locke and Woods were partners with Ross, Dixon & Bell, LLP.

Locke has significant civil litigation experience, including product liability, intellectual property, professional malpractice and environmental matters.  He has years of experience representing insurers on a wide variety of coverage issues, with an emphasis on general liability, bad faith, professional liability, mass tort and environmental matters.  Locke also advises insurers on a wide variety of coverage issues, with particular emphasis on general liability, bad faith, mass tort and property matters.  He has tried both bench and jury cases in federal and state courts.

Woods' practice focuses on complex civil litigation cases and she handles representative matters involving intellectual property claims, related antitrust claims, a variety of insurance coverage issues, and defense of employers in various employment discrimination matters.   

“Both Tom and Rebecca are extremely accomplished litigators whose intellectual property litigation expertise will provide additional strength to the firm’s IP/patent group which has recently expanded in our Washington, DC office,” stated Michael R. Levinson, Chairman of Seyfarth Shaw’s national Litigation Practice Group.  “They are both experienced, driven team players and I am pleased to welcome them to the group and the firm.”

Comprised of more than 180 attorneys in offices throughout the United States, Seyfarth Shaw’s litigation practice helps clients with every aspect of their dispute resolution needs, nationally and internationally. The firm’s litigators have significant depth and breadth of resources, a commitment to deliver high quality, cost-effective services and a detailed knowledge of clients’ industries and business concerns.  Their practice covers the full spectrum of litigation services, including trials and appeals in federal and state courts, in cases involving disputes over: intellectual property; real estate and construction; trade secrets and restrictive covenants; creditors' rights and bankruptcy; product liability and other torts; insurance; D&O securities; government contracts; antitrust and trade regulation; and other types of complex business litigation.

“The addition of Tom and Rebecca continues the thoughtful expansion of our Washington office,  strengthening our growing IP group and broadening our commercial and complex litigation capabilities on a national level,” noted Joseph R. Damato, Managing Partner of Seyfarth Shaw’s Washington, D.C. office.  “I enthusiastically welcome them to our firm.”

Locke received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico and earned his J.D. from George Washington University (Order of the Coif).  He is admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia and Maryland; he is a member of the Maryland Bar Association and the American Bar Association.  Woods received her B.A. (summa cum laude) from Ohio State University and her J.D. from Ohio State University – Moritz College of Law (Order of the Coif).  She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association.

“Rebecca and I are delighted to have the opportunity to join Seyfarth Shaw to enhance the firm’s commercial litigation and complex civil litigation practice in Washington, D.C. and to take advantage of its national platform and impressive reputation,” said Locke. “We appreciate the firm’s structure of team-work and commitment to client service and we look forward to working with our new colleagues in our new home.”

Seyfarth Shaw has over 700 attorneys located in nine offices throughout the United States including Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento as well as Brussels, Belgium.  Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of  business transactions, labor and employment, employee benefits and litigation.  The firm’s practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country’s business community. Clients include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities.  For more information, please visit http://www.seyfarth.com.

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