COLUMBIA, S.C. (November 9, 2026) – Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP announced today the expansion of its national litigation practice with the addition of 17 attorneys, including eight partners, from Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP. Led by nationally-recognized litigator and crisis litigation strategist Patrick Oot, the group includes prominent partners Jamie Brown, Chris Cotton, Veronica Gromada, Kimberly Priest Johnson, Jay Schleppenbach, Tom Sheehan, and Adam Shoshtari. The expansion also establishes the firm's new Kansas City, Missouri, office, which Cotton will lead as office managing partner.

The partners will be located across seven offices: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. The expansion builds on Nelson Mullins' strategic growth in key markets nationwide to serve clients across the country and significantly enhances the firm's capabilities in multidistrict litigation, complex commercial litigation, products liability, science-driven litigation, eDiscovery, government investigations and white-collar defense.

"This is a significant addition to our national litigation practice and an important milestone in the continued growth of Nelson Mullins," said Jim Lehman, managing partner of Nelson Mullins. "Patrick and his colleagues bring exceptional talent, sophisticated experience and longstanding client relationships. Their arrival strengthens our MDL and crisis litigation practice, increases our presence in key markets, establishes an important presence in Kansas City, and reinforces our commitment to delivering experienced legal services to clients nationwide."

The group has extensive experience advising Fortune 500 companies and multinational organizations on high-stakes litigation, regulatory and reputational matters. Its attorneys hold national leadership roles in multidistrict litigation (MDL) and coordinated mass tort proceedings. In these roles, they manage large dockets of related cases across federal and state courts, from early bellwether strategy through trial and global resolution. Notably, the group's attorneys hold leadership roles in In re Hair Relaxer Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3060) and In re Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation.

The team also has deep experience on science issues for a range of clients, led by Tom Sheehan. Its lawyers have worked closely with epidemiologists, toxicologists, cancer researchers, and other experts to address some of the most significant litigations that have faced companies over the last 20 years. The group is also known for its discovery capabilities and its leveraging of technology. It designs and manages large-scale, defensible discovery programs, including AI-driven discovery, privilege advocacy and cross-border data issues, that control cost and risk in high-volume litigation.

The group's work spans class actions, products liability, government investigations and crisis response. The group represents clients across a broad range of industries, including life sciences, consumer products, financial services, technology, retail and transportation. They frequently develop and carry out enterprise-wide litigation and risk management strategies.

"Nelson Mullins offers an exceptional platform for our clients and this team," said Patrick Oot, chair of the firm's National Complex Litigation and Strategic Counseling Practice Group. "When a company faces a crisis, whether a product recall, a government investigation or a wave of litigation, the decisions made in the first days often shape the outcome for years. The firm's impressive bench of first-chair trial lawyers, related resources, collaborative culture and national reach align closely with our approach to handling complex and crisis litigation. We're excited to bring our experience to Nelson Mullins, collaborate with colleagues across the firm, and continue developing innovative solutions for the clients we serve."

"Patrick and his team have built an impressive practice handling some of the most complex and consequential litigation matters across the country," said Mark Jones, leader of Nelson Mullins' Litigation Practice Group. "Their experience leading multidistrict litigation, developing science-based defenses, and running sophisticated discovery programs complements our existing strengths in products liability and government investigations. It significantly expands the depth of our national litigation bench. We're excited about the opportunities this creates for our clients and the depth of our practice."

Oot joins Nelson Mullins from Shook, where he served as co-chair of the firm's Complex Litigation Strategic Counseling Group and chair of its Government Investigations and White-Collar Practice Group. He focuses on crisis litigation strategy, advising companies and their boards and general counsel when litigation, regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk converge. That work includes coordinating the response across parallel proceedings, government inquiries and public communications. His career spans private practice, government service and in-house leadership. He served as senior special counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and held senior litigation and e-discovery leadership positions at Verizon, giving him a nationally recognized perspective on discovery in large-scale litigation.

The following partners joining Oot are:

Jamie Brown (Washington, D.C.) brings more than 25 years of experience in private practice, government, consulting and in-house counsel roles, handling complex litigation, regulatory investigations and matters involving information and technology. She focuses on information law, e-discovery, cross-border investigations, emerging technologies and strategic approaches to managing litigation and regulatory risk.

Chris Cotton (Kansas City) will serve as office managing partner of the firm's new Kansas City office. Cotton’s experience includes nationwide products liability litigation involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products, asbestos, and other claims. His work includes litigation strategy and coordination of defense activities, management of litigation portfolios, case development, expert witness preparation and depositions, and representation of clients on multiple trial teams.

Veronica Gromada (Houston) brings extensive experience in product liability, mass torts, class actions and complex litigation, including 17 years as in-house counsel at Walmart managing nationwide litigation portfolios and risk management initiatives. She focuses on multidistrict litigation, discovery strategy, e-discovery and information governance, advising clients on litigation risk and developing efficient, defensible litigation processes.

Kimberly Priest Johnson (Dallas) brings her expertise as a former United States magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Texas to help clients successfully navigate mass tort and multidistrict litigation, as well as intellectual property matters and white collar and corporate/governmental investigations.

Jay Schleppenbach (Chicago) brings more than two decades of experience in private practice and government handling complex white collar criminal matters, regulatory investigations and enforcement proceedings. He advises corporations, boards of directors and executives on matters involving securities laws, financial fraud, public corruption, antitrust, healthcare fraud and customs and trade enforcement.

Tom Sheehan (New York) a litigator and epidemiologist, he brings deep science-based experience to the group's products liability, mass tort and MDL practice, with primary emphasis on the defense of pharmaceuticals and biologic products.  Leading expert and Federal Rule of Evidence 702 strategies that successfully shut down litigation through exposing general causation issues.

Adam Shoshtari (Los Angeles) has extensive experience managing complex, high-stakes litigation, including multidistrict litigation, class actions, mass torts and product liability matters. He advises major life sciences, financial services and consumer goods companies on pre-trial litigation strategies, information governance, data privacy, artificial intelligence and technology-related risk management.

The addition of this group reflects Nelson Mullins' continued investment in expanding its national litigation capabilities and attracting leading legal talent. The new Kansas City office further strengthens the firm's reach in the Midwest and creates more opportunities for collaboration across its national platform. With the addition of the group, Nelson Mullins now has over 625 attorneys in its litigation practice across 39 offices.

Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins is a full-service Am Law 100 firm of more than 1,100 attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals with offices across the United States. For more information, go to www.nelsonmullins.com.

###