Chicago, IL – In a significant expansion of its litigation team, Norton Rose Fulbright has welcomed Joshua Lee and Edward Casmere as partners in its Chicago office, where they will also serve as Co-Heads of Litigation and Disputes. Their hiring marks a significant move for the firm, noted for their expertise in product liability, consumer disputes, and environmental mass tort litigation.
Lee and Casmere, distinguished for their roles in shaping legal strategies in complex and high-stakes cases, come from Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila, a litigation firm they helped establish in Chicago. Their cumulative decades in the legal field span a broad gamut of specializations, from pharmaceuticals and genetic engineering to chemical exposure issues.
The two lawyers have a professional rapport that extends over two decades, collaborating on a variety of challenging legal disputes. Their areas of expertise include intellectual property disputes, class action lawsuits on consumer fraud, constitutional law issues including the First Amendment, as well as matters related to employment, labor and even emerging fields such as cryptocurrency.
Jeff Cody, U.S. Managing Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, expressed optimism about the Chicago legal landscape, stating that the city offered plentiful opportunities which the firm plans to capitalize on as a part of its broader growth strategy across the Midwest.
Steve Jansma, U.S. Head of Litigation and Disputes at Norton Rose Fulbright, commended the new appointees for their trial acumen and substantial contributions to their clients’ most consequential legal challenges. “Josh and Ed bring with them an impeccable record and a profound ability to lead,” Jansma said. He highlighted that the firm has experienced significant growth in Chicago, fully expecting the new co-heads to bolster that trajectory further.
From his perspective, Lee shared that the growing complexity and scope of regulatory scrutiny make Norton Rose Fulbright an ideal platform, which is recognized for its prowess in product liability lawsuits and its comprehensive global network. “The decision to join the firm was clear cut,” he said, convinced of the value the firm’s extensive resources would offer his clients.
Casmere echoed these sentiments, aligning his forward-looking practice with the global reach and reputation of Norton Rose Fulbright. “I am eager to work alongside my esteemed colleagues in Chicago and worldwide to tackle our clients’ biggest challenges,” he stated, recognizing the firm’s established excellence in litigation and dispute resolution.
Their deep-rooted experience is well recognized in the legal community with Lee being included in “The Best Lawyers in America” list for 2024, specifically noted for his expertise in mass tort litigation and class action defense, among other honors. Casmere has also been recognized by both “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Crains Chicago Business” as a notable litigator and trial attorney.
Lee, with licenses to practice in multiple states including California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and holds an undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University. Casmere, meanwhile, is licensed in Illinois, Missouri, and New York, and his academic credentials include a magna cum laude degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Illinois State University, supplemented by advanced training from the Harvard Negotiation Master Class at Harvard Law School.
Their arrival at Norton Rose Fulbright not only marks a significant bolstering of the firm’s litigation capabilities in Chicago but also underscores the firm’s determined stride towards greater national and international legal prominence.