Brice Nengsu Kenfack
Partner – Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP

Description of field of expertise

Brice Kenfack is a partner in Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s General Liability Practice Group. Brice has a nationwide practice defending clients in product liability, construction, insurance, commercial and general liability disputes in state and federal courts. Brice represents a broad range of clients, including pharmaceutical companies, component manufacturers, senior living facilities, health and wellness companies and insurance companies. He represents clients at all stages of litigation from the intake of the case until trial. He develops case strategies; drafts motions involving complex legal issues and defends clients in related hearings, including dispositive and non-dispositive motions; conducts
depositions; including lay and expert witnesses, and represents clients in mediations and arbitrations.  Prior to joining Shook, Brice served as a judicial clerk to the Hon. Brian Miller in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Before attending law school, Brice played NCAA Division I basketball for Creighton University and later for professional leagues in Europe and the Middle East. He now channels the dedication and discipline that helped him succeed in basketball toward serving his clients’ needs effectively and efficiently.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

First determine the type of person and lawyer you want to be and what you are trying to achieve; when you do, try every day to become a better person and lawyer than the day before. But make sure to remain your authentic self throughout this process, if you don’t know what that is, find out.

Norma N. Bennett
Senior Counsel – Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP

Description of field of expertise

Norma is a seasoned litigator with more than 20 years of litigation experience. Her practice is focused on product liability, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and bankruptcy matters. 

Norma has defended clients in product liability-related matters involving thousands of plaintiffs and represented clients in complex commercial litigation matters, handling a range of business disputes including breach of contract, covenants not to compete, business dissolutions, and fraud and fraudulent misrepresentation claims. 

Norma has also handled employment litigation and policy matters, and defended clients in intellectual property and personal injury matters. 

Norma has significant experience conducting all phases of litigation and is skilled at managing, directing and coordinating complex litigation, supervising and directing teams of associates, paralegals, technical analysts and staff. She has also coordinated complex litigation through joint-defense groups and local counsel across jurisdictions. Additionally, Norma has considerable experience in representing clients in arbitration before the American Arbitration Association. 

Norma also brings more than two decades of management and leadership experience to her roles in litigation. Prior to joining the legal profession, she was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and sales representative for Ethicon, Inc., a leading maker of medical devices, surgical equipment and wound closure products.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Decide whether you want to be an expert in a particular practice area or to be a generalist. Both have their advantages. Focusing on one or two practice areas, you can become a subject-matter expert in those areas. However, as a generalist, you can build experience in several areas which allows you to stay flexible and weather changes in the legal marketplace.  Whichever road you choose, stay curious and keep your eyes open for opportunity. And when an opportunity presents itself, don’t be afraid to go for it, even if you have to pivot to do so. 

The practice of law is an honorable profession. But like anything, you will get as much out of it as you put into it. Do not be afraid to chart your own path.

Final thoughts…

Remember, it’s your career and you can, and will, get excellent advice from others. But, at the end of the day, you have to make the call. Stay true to yourself.

Robert R. Simpson
Managing Partner – Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP

Description of field of expertise

Rob is managing partner of Shook, Hardy & Bacon’s Hartford office and a seasoned trial attorney with extensive experience in product liability litigation. He focuses his practice on pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, as well as toxic tort cases. He has served as first- and second-chair trial counsel in more than 35 cases that have gone to verdict. He has also served in the roles of lead trial counsel, national counsel and local counsel for many global pharmaceutical and medical device companies. 

Rob handles nationwide litigation relating to products including anticoagulants, hip implants, pelvic mesh, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and atypical antipsychotic medications. His litigation practice includes multidistrict litigation, class actions, mass torts, and claims of unfair competition and false advertising.

In addition to pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, Rob is also active in defending automotive industry clients, including auto manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers, in product liability litigation and commercial litigation. He has litigated cases involving seat belts, air bags, ignition switches and other transportation litigation, handling all phases of discovery and trial work. He also handles employment and commercial disputes. 

Outside of the firm, Rob is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and is a trial instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the American Bar Association. Additionally, he frequently gives presentations on e-discovery, the use of technology in the courtroom, deposition techniques and litigation management.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

(1) Build a personal board of directors. You need to have a group of people (not just lawyers) who are invested in you and your well-being. You will inevitably run into key decisions in your life and you need sound advice; and (2) Invest in yourself – take the time to learn and master your craft. If your firm does not pay to go to a trial training or deposition fundamentals program, YOU make the investment. Take the time to read articles that deal with trial and deposition techniques. You want to make sure that you build your tool kit on effective strategies that will work for you.

Final thoughts…

Live by the 5 Ps – Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Alonzo L. Llorens​
Partner – Parker Poe

Description of field of expertise

Alonzo Llorens has substantial experience in corporate law and represents clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He focuses his corporate practice on capital markets and finance, mergers and acquisitions, securities compliance, corporate governance, minority business enterprise (MBE) certification, and structuring and navigating compliance with MBE transactions.

Alonzo also has substantial experience in the sports and entertainment industry, including advising athletes, actors, film production companies, authors, and sports leagues on corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, and other legal needs. Alonzo is a frequent speaker on numerous topics, including corporate finance, venture capital, film financing, crowdfunding, and MBE transactions.

Alonzo earned his law degree from Howard University School of Law, where he was managing editor of the Howard Law Journal. He earned his bachelor’s degree in international trade and finance from Louisiana State University (LSU).

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

First, you should not be deterred if you do not have either an undergraduate degree in business or an MBA. While having such a background helps, obviously, it is not a precondition for success in the corporate arena. Second, understand that there are multiple disciplines under the corporate/transactional umbrella. For example, there are mergers and acquisitions, securities law, corporate governance, international/cross border, fund formation, general corporate and many others. Try to get as much experience as possible in each discipline as you will begin to see that, although they are distinct, they are also interconnected. As such, knowledge in these various disciplines allows you to see the big picture and better positions you to provide the best legal service/advice. Finally, never be afraid to ask questions. You will be surprised to see how willing your colleagues are to do what they can in order to help you succeed.

Veronica Hayes Gromada
Partner – Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP

Description of field of expertise

Veronica is a partner in Shook’s award-winning Product Liability Litigation Practice, serves as co-chair of Shook’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practice, and was named as one of American Lawyer Media’s top 25 lateral hires of 2022. Veronica began her career as a consumer and products liability lawyer working on mass, class and single plaintiff matters for consumer goods, industrial and retail clients. Her 22-year career includes 17 years with global retailer Walmart, working a wide range of litigation including product liability and class actions. Ultimately, Veronica supervised one of the largest tort litigation portfolios in the nation and led two of Walmart’s largest in-house legal sections, including a cross-functional team with nationwide and some global responsibilities. At Shook, in addition to her litigation responsibilities, Veronica counsels clients on a variety of legal risk management strategies related to business functions, particularly supply chain issues and recalls. Her extensive in-house experience gives her a global in-house view that few have. When advising clients, she is able to strike the balance between managing legal, reputational and financial risks while aligning with what is important to a company’s business goals for its customers, employees and other stakeholders.  

Veronica is a proud HBCU alum of Thurgood Marshall School of Law (with honors) and served on the Board of Trustees of Voorhees University for ten years. Veronica was a 2022 Houston Business Journal – Women Who Mean Business honoree and served as a mentor for HBJ’s 10th Annual Mentor Monday as part of the national event coordinated by the 40 major business journals across the country.

Veronica continues her commitment to leadership and diversity through participation and support of a number of organizations, including Corporate Counsel Women of Color, WOC Entrepreneurs and the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession’s ongoing U.K.—U.S. Roundtable on Inclusive Leadership.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Don’t just make career decisions. Make life choices and be successful on your own terms. After 17 years in a Fortune 5 legal department, my decision to return to private practice baffled many. Yet, I needed those 17 years to become the lawyer and woman I am today—blessed with a vast corporate network, strong professional reputation, an adult child and the ability to travel while putting my needs first. Moreover, I’ve returned to private practice a more capable lawyer, shrewd businesswoman and confident leader.

Basically, you have one life. That’s why “work-life” balance is so difficult. Take a holistic approach to how you want to live—and define success—based on your station in life while planning your career in stages. ALWAYS have a long-term life and career plan with incremental goals along the way. Track your progress, milestones and plan for your continued professional growth.

Jerry D. Hamilton ​​
Managing Partner – Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP​

Description of field of expertise

Jerry Hamilton is a managing shareholder of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP (“HMB”) which is the largest black owned civil defense law firm in the country.  He has been nationally recognized as one of the Top Ten Defense Lawyers in the country by one of the largest insurance companies in the world.  He is a Board Certified Trial lawyer and also Board Certified in Admiralty & Maritime Law and also a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial honorary society composed of less than one half percent of lawyers in the United States.  He has been recognized as America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® — this is by invitation only and is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional trial attorneys in high value and high stakes legal matters and was selected as Lawyer of the Year for 2022 by Best Lawyers.  Jerry was re-elected in 2023 as a Top 100 Black Lawyer in the state of Florida. This honor is awarded by The National Black Lawyers association and given in each state or region to only 100 recipients with reputations for providing excellent legal representation in their respective practice areas. Jerry has a 90%-win rate at trial. 

HMB is consistently ranked among the top ten most diverse law firms in South Florida.  It is a proud member of the NBA and Jerry sits on the Board of Directors for NAMWOLF.   For the past 25 years, Jerry has dedicated his practice to defending his clients in complex litigation matters, including business litigation and other commercial disputes, class actions, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, product liability claims, insurance coverage and bad faith disputes, legal, medical and professional malpractice claims, maritime disputes, hospitality and transportation claims.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Find a good mentor in your Firm.   Invest the time to learn from them.  Insist on it.  Learn a practice area and learn it well.  Do presentations in that practice area and go to conferences in that practice area and network.  Stay involve and attend meetings such as the NBA.  Volunteer and work to rise to leadership positions in the associations.  Do these things and you will indeed succeed.