Crowell & Moring Adds Prominent Commercial Litigation Partner in Orange County Office

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Feb 23, 2012, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that Steven D. Allison has joined the firm's Orange County office as a partner, where he will be a member of the Litigation Group. Allison is a proven litigator and trial lawyer with more than 17 years of experience in general commercial matters, as well as key substantive areas such as insurance, health care, intellectual property, and class action defense. He joins from Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Orange County, where he headed the firm's California Trial department.

Allison's litigation experience includes representing major corporations and prominent individuals on insurance coverage, health care, class action, and intellectual property matters, as well as in complex business litigation. He has extensive experience in representing insurers in insurance coverage matters, especially those seeking coverage for mass tort and environmental claims under historic insurance coverage programs. Allison also represents health care insurers on a wide range of matters, including coverage matters, bad faith suits, and claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

The move comes as part of Crowell & Moring's ongoing and significant expansion of the firm's litigation and trial prowess in California. In January, the firm's San Francisco office gained intellectual property litigator Mark T. Jansen as part of a four-attorney team to bolster work for generic pharmaceutical companies, and in 2011 the same office added a seven-lawyer health care litigation team led by William A. Helvestine. Also in 2011, the firm's Los Angeles office gained former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Christopher K. Lui.

"Steve's move is a key part of our plan to build one of the best trial practices in California, and he's an incredible asset to our clients, as well as his existing clients. He has extensive first-chair litigation experience, having successfully handled numerous trials, arbitrations, and appeals. Consistent with Crowell & Moring's tradition, he also brings remarkable firm and civic leadership experience," said Daniel A. Sasse, Antitrust Group partner who heads the firm's Orange County office.

In addition to Allison's insurance coverage practice, he also defends clients in class actions, with special emphasis on defending nationwide consumer class actions asserting false advertising, unfair competition, and related claims. He also represents clients in trademark, copyright, trade secret, right of publicity, and First Amendment cases, often in the entertainment and technology areas.

"I have worked across the table from Crowell & Moring attorneys for several years and seen first-hand that their client work is driven by a commitment to excellence and innovation. The firm has renowned litigation capabilities, and I look forward to being a part of that growing practice and being part of their highly respected insurance and health care teams," said Allison.

In addition to private practice, Allison is a committed civic volunteer in his community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Orange County United Way since 2006. For the past four years, he has chaired the United Way's Community Investment Cabinet, and is a member of the United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville Society and Bench & Bar Society. He also has served in various roles at the Public Law Center. Allison holds a J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Messiah College. While at Georgetown, he was a Notes Editor on The Georgetown Law Journal.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at http://www.crowell.com.

Contact:
Stephanie Holtzman
[email protected]
(240) 381-5392

SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP