Marshall Dennehey has been named a finalist in four categories as part of The Legal Intelligencer and Law.com 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards. The categories include:
Attorney of the Year – Gary Samms, Esq., Finalist
Gary Samms has tried 210 medical malpractice cases over the course of his career and 20 in the past year alone. Known for his superlative cross-examination technique and ability to navigate highly contentious litigation, he is the go-to attorney for some of the region’s most well-known and prestigious hospital and health care systems when they are facing high-exposure and catastrophic claims
Litigation Department of the Year – Appellate Law, Finalist (and previous winner in 2024)
Under the direction of John J. Hare, Marshall Dennehey’s Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice Group has been retained to challenge the majority of so-called “nuclear” verdicts ($10+ million) that were rendered or pending in Pennsylvania courts in 2024. The group’s eight full-time appellate lawyers based in Pennsylvania have more than 150 years of combined appellate experience. They routinely handle post-trial and appellate matters, and they are also engaged to actively participate in and monitor trials in high-exposure cases to ensure that important legal issues are properly raised and preserved for post-trial motions and appeals.
Litigation Department of the Year – Product Liability/Mass Torts, Finalist
For almost five decades, Fortune 500 product manufacturers/distributors and their insurers have turned to our Pennsylvania Product Liability Practice Group and our Environmental & Toxic Tort Practice Groups to defend their litigation. Led by Bradley Remick and Vlada Tasich, our Product Liability group’s success can be attributed to its commitment to keeping abreast of ever-changing legal theories, judicial viewpoints and evolving technology impacting the product liability landscape. Our attorneys have successfully handled thousands of product liability matters in all jurisdictions across the state. Likewise, our environmental and toxic tort defense attorneys, led by Daniel J. Ryan, Jr. and Kevin Hexstall, defend toxic tort personal injury actions, environmental property damage claims, environmental remediations and insurance coverage disputes arising out of environmental or toxic tort matters throughout the Commonwealth.
Litigation Department of the Year – Professional Liability, Finalist
Nearly half of Marshall Dennehey’s Pennsylvania attorneys focus in the areas of medical and non-medical professional liability litigation. These attorneys are housed within our Health Care Department, led by Robin Snyder, and our Professional Liability Department, led by Craig Hudson. In 2024 alone, the combined departments handled 5,819 professional liability matters in Pennsylvania and closed 1,957 files—an average of 484 cases per month. The group is recognized throughout Pennsylvania for its trial success, strategic defense, and leadership in professional liability law.
The winners in the finalist categories will be announced at an awards dinner set for June 12, 2025 at the Hilton at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. More information may be found here: https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/2025/04/14/the-legal-intelligencer-announces-2025-pennsylvania-legal-awards-finalists-honorees/.
Marshall Dennehey’s Appellate, Professional Liability, and Health Care groups have all previously been recognized as Litigation Departments of the Year by The Legal Intelligencer.
