Colin Hackett, left, managing partner, and Meredith Stoma, partner, with Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith. Courtesy photos

Colin Hackett, managing partner in the Newark office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, got an early Christmas present, securing a "package deal" of six new hires with extensive liability and employment law experience for the growing office.

Partners Meredith Stoma, Petar Kuridza, Jeffrey Leonard and Erin O'Leary, and associates Elise Shamosh and Natalie Rankin, came on board this month. All but Rankin came from Morgan Melhuish Abrutyn in Livingston.

Hackett described Stoma as the firm's new "go-to person for professional liability" expertise. She arrives at California-based Lewis Brisbois as a partner after 25 years at Morgan Melhuish.

"It was a very hard decision for me, but a lot of clients are looking for a national platform, and Lewis Brisbois offered an excellent opportunity for that," Stoma said in a phone interview on Wednesday about her move. "My practice fits nicely with the firm. It has a great women's initiative program and there are several women in leadership roles in the firm, which was very attractive to me."

Since her first day on Dec. 2, "my clients are very happy with Lewis, and it's been a very smooth transition and really looking forward to the opportunity this firm represents," Stoma said. "My team all transitioned over here with me, with the exception of Natalie [Rankin], who just finished her clerkship."

Hackett, a member of the trial, general liability, products liability, complex business and commercial litigation, construction, and insurance coverage practices at the firm, among others, said Stoma will enhance the office as it broadens its practice offerings.

"The person we wanted was Meredith," Hackett said of Stoma, his fellow Seton Hall University School of Law alum. "She is the driver. We now have Meredith and another wonderful woman here, Mindy Miller."

He added that they "are of such stature" and "are the go-to people—Meredith for professional liability, and Mindy Miller for long-term health care."

Following the departures, Morgan Melhuish's attorney head count stands at 25, according to its website. The firm's Elliott Abrutyn and Henry Morgan didn't respond to requests for comment on the move.

Stoma had been in firm leadership at Morgan Melhuish. An attraction to Lewis Brisbois for her was that the firm's Newark's office, which opened in 2011, is growing. It now has about 50 attorneys, according to Hackett.

Another Seton Hall Law graduate, Jonathan Preziosi, started two weeks ago at the Newark office after 27 years as a commercial litigator for Pepper Hamilton in Princeton.

"We have a firm self-decree that no one has ever heard about," Hackett said. "We are the ninth-largest firm in the United States, with 52 offices nationwide. Meredith has a lot of clients and contacts. We offer that kind of footprint so we can expand.

"A lot of what we do is send clients to colleagues all across the country," Hackett added. "We have a go-to person for clients in New Jersey. If a client is having a problem in Texas or Minnesota, we have an office there, and now we have a group that does 'X' and 'Y.' They get the person they know.

"People have to take a leap of faith," Hackett continued. "We don't gobble up firms. We have competitors, but we offer rates that are lower historically to be competitive. That is why we can attract laterals, because our rate structure is lower and attracts clients. Once we get them to bite, they like what they see."

The full-service firm has grown substantially in the past decade. Eight years ago, Lewis Brisbois had about 600 attorneys. It now has approximately 1,500 attorneys in 52 offices in 29 states, according to the firm.

California has the most offices with four. Los Angeles is the firm's largest office and also its headquarters, with 350 attorneys, according to Hackett. New York City comes in second with 150 lawyers.

"Everyone is treated very fairly," Hackett said of the firm's culture and business model.

"It's not the top cats taking it all. You can't have that kind of sustained growth and bring this type of talent without that type of culture. When [laterals] see that, they want to be a part of it. It is a sharing culture."

Hackett said Lewis Brisbois is known for its work in professional liability and employment law.

"We are a litigation office—that's the bulk of our work," he said. "We are a full-service firm offering professional liability and commercial litigation. We are trying to get into different areas."

"We know who we want, like Meredith, and when we explain to them how the firm works, it works very well for them. When you can get people to understand our business model, it is the rare one that doesn't see [it] as an opportunity for them and more importantly, for their client," Hackett said.

Stoma agreed.

"Another client just called me and was looking for help [with finding another attorney] in another state," she said. "That kind of national footprint and resources [are] what this firm offers. I am very happy the team joined me. I could not do it without my whole team."

Kuridza and Leonard will focus on complex professional liability, personal injury and employment law cases out of the Newark office, while O'Leary, an experienced insurance defense litigator, will be based in the New York office, but will work closely with the Newark team, the firm said.

Shamosh, who has defended attorneys, architects and real estate brokers in professional liability matters, and Rankin, who just wrapped up clerking with Superior Court Judge William McGovern, will round out the team.