Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani continues its strong 2026 hiring momentum with the addition of eight lateral partners, Brett Baer, Janelle Covington, Allison Friedman, Angie Lee, Derek Lim, Rebecca Martino, Vanessa Pouladian, and Stephen Watkins in its Northern California offices. Their extensive experience and diverse practice areas strengthen the firm’s capabilities in Northern California and nationwide.
“As the firm continues its momentum following its recognition as the sixth-largest law firm in the nation, we are pleased to welcome eight outstanding partners to our Northern California offices,” said Mollie Burks, Northern California Regional Oversight Partner. “Their combined experience enhances our ability to meet the evolving needs of our growing client base across Northern California and nationwide.”
Baer focuses his practice primarily on environmental and toxic tort matters. He brings additional experience across a broad range of practice areas, including government contracts, business transactions, real estate, and construction disputes. He is admitted to practice in California, the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of California.
Covington focuses her practice on insurance defense and civil litigation, with an emphasis on medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability, motor vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury, and other high-exposure personal injury matters. For more than a decade, she has represented hospitals, healthcare providers, health plans, manufacturers, distributors, and businesses, with particular experience handling claims involving severe and permanently disabling injuries. She is admitted to practice in California.
Friedman focuses her practice on litigation defense matters involving medical malpractice, long-term care facilities, and healthcare agencies. She is admitted to practice in California and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Lee focuses her practice on bankruptcy, estate planning, and civil litigation matters. Her practice encompasses Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy matters, estate planning, personal injury litigation, and general counsel services to businesses on matters involving intellectual property, employment, contracts, and data privacy. She is admitted to practice in California, Georgia, Hawaii, and Washington.
Lim focuses his practice on business disputes and complex civil litigation matters, including transportation, employment, premises and product liability, construction, and commercial litigation. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Martino focuses her practice on complex insurance coverage, bad faith litigation, real estate, and catastrophic injury matters. With more than two decades of experience, she represents individuals, insurers, and companies of all sizes in state and federal courts. She is admitted to practice in California and the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.
Pouladian focuses her practice on complex civil litigation. She has more than a decade of experience handling high-stakes disputes, including catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, real property, landlord-tenant, ADA, insurance bad faith, and contractual matters. She is admitted to practice in California.
Watkins focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes, including class actions. He represents companies in high-stakes litigation and advises businesses on risk management, operational strategy, and key legal matters affecting their day-to-day operations. He is admitted to practice in California and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California.
Learn more about GRSM’s offices nationwide and the exciting remote and hybrid opportunities in Northern California and across the firm’s 50-state platform.