Class Action Defense Litigator and Strategist Moves to Shook

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shook, Hardy & Bacon welcomes Partner Michael Shortnacy who joins the firm's newly formed Complex Litigation Strategic Counseling Practice. Shortnacy is a problem-solver who defends clients across market sectors with a focus in the automotive, pharmaceutical, consumer products, and food and beverage industries, in their most complex and sensitive class action and mass tort litigation. He is a recognized leader in high-stakes, coordinated proceedings in state and federal court, and is an important addition as Shook deepens its focus on mass tort and complex litigation strategic counseling.

"Michael's experience serving as lead counsel in complex litigation is complemented by his acumen in discovery strategy," said Patrick Oot, who advises the C-suite and co-leads Shook's Complex Litigation Strategic Counseling Practice. "This powerful combination plays an integral role as part of an overall trial strategy."

"Michael was an integral part of our core Los Angeles Class Action team when we were at a prior firm and having him join us at Shook is a welcome reunion and greatly enhances our growth plan in the Los Angeles and West Coast market," said Los Angeles Managing Partner Michael Mallow, who co-leads Shook's Class Action and Appellate teams.

Shortnacy has extensive experience counseling clients in all aspects of discovery in complex, bet-the-company litigation and investigations. He is a fierce advocate for clients on critical issues related to discovery, including routinely avoiding or outright defeating motions and discovery practice that threaten to cloud or overtake defenses to the merits of cases.

"In courtrooms and boardrooms, Shook is well-respected for its trial practice and defense of consumer class actions, and I'm excited to join such a talented group of lawyers," said Shortnacy. "Patrick and I share a common vision of the importance of discovery strategy as an offensive tool to fight back against well-funded and well-organized plaintiffs. And I'm looking forward to reuniting with Michael Mallow, Mark Campbell, Rachel Straus and Darlene Cho in Shook's Los Angeles office where I will practice. This is a true win-win."

Shook's litigation and trial teams represent most of the world's leading health, science and technology companies on just about every type of claim. ALM selected Shook as a finalist for the Litigation Department of the Year – Product Liability in 2023. Best Lawyers awarded Shook the 2024 Practice Group of the Year for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants.

Shortnacy earned his law degree from American University, Washington College of Law, cum laude. He is active in the Los Angeles County Bar Association where he is a member of the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section, and where he co-chairs the Rules and Legislation Subcommittee. In 2022, the Los Angeles Times B2B Magazine named him a Visionary for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility and he earned the Minority Attorney of Influence honor from the Los Angeles Business Journal. Previously, California Super Lawyers selected him as a Rising Star.

Shook currently has California offices in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco.

To speak to a Shook attorney, contact the Director of Communications Heather McMichael, [email protected], 816.389.0419.

About Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Founded in 1889, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. has 19 offices in the United States and London, with attorneys and professional staff serving clients in the health, science and technology sectors in areas ranging from product liability defense and commercial litigation to intellectual property prosecution and litigation, environmental and toxic tort, privacy and data security and regulatory counseling.

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SOURCE Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.