Shook Announces New Class of 2026 Partners

Shook is proud to announce the promotion of 21 attorneys to partners. The promoted attorneys have shown unwavering dedication, exceptional legal skills, and relentless commitment to achieving outstanding results for the firm’s clients. The following attorneys are new partners at Shook, effective March 1.

Norma Bennett (Houston) is a seasoned litigator with more than 15 years of litigation experience. She focuses her practice on product liability, commercial litigation, intellectual property and bankruptcy matters, appearing before state and federal courts in Texas and elsewhere.

Greg Boulos (Miami) focuses his practice on product liability litigation and has considerable experience serving as lead counsel for global construction, cosmetic, chemical and consumer product companies in asbestos and talc cases pending in a variety of jurisdiction, with an emphasis on Florida state and federal cases.

Aimée Tecla Canty (Tampa) is an experienced litigator representing clients in both state and federal courts across the nation. She focuses primarily on representing clients in complex product liability matters, as well as handling general liability litigation matters.

Ilana Cohen (New York) practices general litigation before state and federal courts and represents her clients in matters ranging from complex multi-jurisdictional disputes to civil securities fraud actions and boundary-pushing product liability cases.

Nalani Crisologo (Los Angeles) focuses her practice on product liability matters, specializing in developing and advancing creative arguments to limit class action and opt out litigation exposure. She also manages defense efforts in parallel class action opt out cases.

Matt Culp (Kansas City) practices in the firm’s General Liability Litigation Group. He has personally tried, managed and settled hundreds of personal injury cases in federal and state courts and has successfully litigated multiple cases to verdict and has led multiple trial teams.

Ian Hansen (Chicago) is a member of Shook’s business litigation group and has acted as lead strategist, researcher, and drafter on all manner of briefing at the trial and appellate levels. He has taken and defended many depositions, including corporate-witness and expert depositions.

Cailynn Hayter (Kansas City) defends clients in complex product liability actions, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical drug and technology litigations. She has been a key member of case work-up and bellwether trial teams for mass tort litigations.

Karyn Ihara (Los Angeles) serves as a counsel and has experience in breach of warranty, class action and product liability matters. Her practice has consisted primarily of defending automotive companies in consumer actions in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration.

John Johnson, III (Washington, D.C) focuses his practice on product liability litigation with a special interested in FDA and regulatory guidance. He works with companies to develop solutions for complying with the laws administered by various federal and state agencies.

Shane Kolding (San Francisco) has experience in all aspects of civil litigation, in both federal and state court and focuses his practice on product liability litigation. He served one year as a legal research attorney at the San Francisco Superior Court, where he conducted research for judges.

Katherine Landfried (St. Louis) is a distinguished litigator focused on the defense of environmental, toxic tort, and complex product liability cases. Her extensive experience also includes meticulous trial preparation and a particular focus on preparing corporate witnesses for the courtroom.

Melina Manetti (San Francisco) focuses her practice on defending companies in class actions and product liability litigation. She also represents clients facing complex commercial litigation issues and business disputes in financial services, insurance, commercial real estate and other industries.

Jason Mudd (Kansas City) represents clients in federal district courts nationwide, focusing on the litigation of complex intellectual property disputes, with an emphasis on patent litigation. He has been involved in deposition practice in numerous countries and continents around the world.

Jimmy Park (Los Angeles) represents business clients in commercial litigation matters including representing major Global 500 companies in consumer warranty litigation. His experience includes a secondment with a major automotive distributor managing product liability cases.

Emily Pedersen’s (Kansas City) work includes defending companies in litigation involving business contracts, consumer credits disputes and employment-related issues. Her practice also includes client counseling in electronic contracting and harassment/discrimination claims.

Sheldon Poole (Hartford) primarily defends corporate clients in product liability and environmental toxic tort litigation. He has experience in representing high profile product manufacturing clients in multi-district litigation and handling complex personal injury and property suits.

Katelyn Romeo (Philadelphia) has worked in product liability and pharmaceutical litigation extensively, where she has represented international manufacturers in a wide variety of multidistrict litigation, serving as lead in successful mediations and trials.

Fred Rudesheim (Philadelphia) is a seasoned litigator who serves clients nationally as a member of the firm's General Liability Litigation Practice Group. Before joining Shook, he served on active duty in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps.

Bradley Thomas (Kansas City) practices intellectual property law, with a focus on patent prosecution. He practices across a wide variety of technologies and counsels clients on the management of large national and international patent portfolios.

Bill Walberg (Kansas City) focuses his practice on product liability litigation in both individual and complex litigation. He has served on numerous case teams and trial teams in the defense of personal injury and wrongful death matters in state and federal jurisdictions across the country.