Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani continues its strong 2026 hiring momentum with the addition of four lateral partners, John Ellis, Marc Lafer, Austin Pegues, and Daniel Weis, in its Irvine and San Diego offices. Their extensive experience and diverse practice areas strengthen the firm’s capabilities in Southern California and nationwide.
“The continued expansion of our team in Irvine and San Diego reflects the momentum we’re seeing across Southern California,” said Brandon Saxon, Regional Oversight Partner for the Southwest Region. “By adding talented attorneys with strong practices and deep market knowledge, we’re enhancing our ability to serve clients throughout the region.”
Ellis focuses his practice on general liability and complex torts litigation. An experienced trial attorney, he has successfully tried jury cases to verdict in courts across California, including Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Joaquin Counties. He is admitted to practice in California, the U.S. District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts of California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Lafer focuses his practice on commercial litigation and has experience handling automobile, premises liability, professional liability, public entity, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM), and examination under oath (EUO) matters. He is admitted to practice in California and the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California.
Pegues represents and defends employers of all sizes, including large corporations, mid-market companies, and insurers, in a wide range of California labor and employment matters. He is admitted to practice in California and the U.S. District Court for the Central, Southern, Northern, and Eastern Districts of California.
Weis focuses his practice on corporate civil litigation in insurance coverage, bad faith, and insurance defense, and complex defect matters. He is admitted to practice in California.
Learn more about GRSM’s offices nationwide and the exciting remote and hybrid opportunities in Southern California and across the firm’s 50-state platform.