Elizabeth P. "Liza" Kessler to Become Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day Columbus Office

Business Wire, Nov 21, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The international law firm Jones Day announced today that Elizabeth P. "Liza" Kessler, will take over as Partner-in-Charge (PIC) of the Firm's Columbus office effective January 1, 2009. Ms. Kessler becomes the fifth woman PIC to currently lead one of Jones Day's 14 US offices. She succeeds Fordham E. Huffman who has spent 14 years as PIC in Columbus. Mr. Huffman will lead a new practice group focused on insurance liability and coverage litigation. He will continue to serve on the Firm's Advisory Committee.

"Liza is not only an extremely talented lawyer and dedicated advocate for her clients, but also a leader on so many important Firm and civic initiatives," said Stephen J. Brogan, Managing Partner of Jones Day. "Ford has built a formidable presence in Columbus - now nearly 80 lawyers strong - and we have great confidence that Liza will enhance that presence and continue to provide the very highest service levels to our clients."

Ms. Kessler practices primarily in the area of product liability. Her significant litigation experiences include representation of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in complex product liability cases around the United States. Her trial representation includes a Sacramento jury trial entitled Lucier v. Philip Morris, et al. (2003), which resulted in a complete defense verdict on all claims after a four-month trial. In the years preceding the Lucier trial, plaintiffs had won six straight jury verdicts in tobacco product liability trials on the West Coast, each with punitive damages ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars. Ms. Kessler was trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds in Rose v. American Tobacco Co. (2005), the first smoking and health case to be tried in Manhattan. After a six-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of R.J. Reynolds. Apart from the smoking and health litigation, her product liability experience includes representations relating to paints, chemicals and recreational vehicles. That experience includes defending The Sherwin-Williams Company. She also serves as lead defense counsel for one of the world's largest clinical laboratories in cases pending in state and federal courts throughout the United States.

"Liza will be a wonderful PIC for the Columbus Office," Huffman said. "She is a talented lawyer, with broad experience and excellent judgment, and is committed to the Columbus community. I look forward to working with her in Columbus as we continue to build on our successes."

Ms. Kessler is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, is a Fellow of the Columbus Bar Foundation, and participates as a mentor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Her community involvement includes currently serving on the board of trustees for Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio, a reproductive health care provider and educator, as immediate past chair of the board. She is a Franklin County Commissioner appointee to the board of trustees for Veterans Memorial, serving as vice president of the board and as chair of the Audit Committee, and is a member of the board of trustees for Diamond Hill Funds, an equity and fixed income fund complex. Ms. Kessler is also a member of the board of the Wexner Center Foundation, a private, nonprofit partner of The Ohio State University board of trustees established to advance the interests of the Wexner Center for the Arts.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ms. Kessler received her JD from The Ohio State University.

Jones Day is an international law firm with 30 locations in centers of business and finance throughout the world. With more than 2,400 lawyers, including more than 400 in Europe, and 200 in Asia, it ranks among the world's largest law firms. Jones Day acts as principal outside counsel to, or provides significant legal representation for, more than half of the Fortune Global 500 companies.