Wade Clark Mulcahy – 2018 Year in Review

2018 was an exciting year for WCM.   First, we welcomed a new partner, Vito “Tony” Pinto as the new resident partner in our New Jersey office.  Tony brings 25 years of experience to WCM’s litigation practice, and possesses expertise in defense of premises liability, property damage, construction defect and environmental matters in state and federal courts. This year we also bid a fond farewell to Denise Ricci, our former NJ resident partner.   Denise has graduated to take up the noble endeavor of spending more time with grandchildren, in addition to other charitable works, and of course, we wish Denise all the best.

Also in 2018, the New York office promoted Vincent Terrasi to partner.  Vincent’s trial experience and willingness to help younger attorneys make him an invaluable resource to WCM.  Finally, each of WCM’s three offices saw an associate promoted to the role of counsel — Heather Aquino in New Jersey, George Parpas in New York, and Colleen Hayes in Pennsylvania.  Congratulations to all on their well-deserved promotions.

On the legal front, WCM continued to demonstrate what our website has long advertised — results.   In addition to various trial and summary judgment victories, and a litany of favorable outcomes in defense and coverage matters, WCM also had a significant victory at the New York Court of Appeals which has changed the landscape of social media discovery.  In February, Mike Bono, Brian Gibbons and Chris Soverow obtained a unanimous reversal of a First Department decision in Forman v. Henkin, and as a result, civil defendants will now have access to a plaintiff’s social media platforms, with relevance trumping a plaintiff’s privacy interests.  Our earlier post on the decision is attached here.

Dennis Wade and Mike Gauvin also created new law in a matter of first impression in New York, which will be of specific interest to art and specie insurers across the United States.  In DAE Associates, LLC v. AXA Art Ins. Corp., the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously agreed with WCM’s argument that a fine arts dealer’s “all-risk” policy insuring against loss or damage to works of art does not provide coverage for defective title.  This decision brings clarity to title insurers, that they will not be forced to pay title claims they never agreed to insure.

We look forward to continuing to serve our clients in 2019 — the 25th anniversary of Wade Clark Mulcahy! — and wish all our clients, colleagues, friends and family a happy and healthy new year.