HOLLINGSWORTH - Key Persons
Born into a family of lawyers, Adam grew up with a healthy appetite for trial work, which, coupled with his experience as an Honor Counsel while at the University of Virginia, led to his desire to become a lawyer. His experience spans virtually the entire litigation process, and he has substantial first-chair experience representing clients at hearings, pretrial conferences, and mediation. Adam also has significant experience taking and defending depositions of fact and expert witnesses, and has prepared numerous dispositive motions, motions in limine, and appellate briefs.
Adam enjoys the collaborative nature of working with his clients and the opportunity he gets to develop creative solutions to the unique challenges presented by each case. He is a member of the defense team working on the serial litigation over Roundup herbicide, as well as a member of the team representing Sherwin-Williams in a public lawsuit related to environmental contamination. Known to hold himself to a high standard, Adam is a straight shooter and a solid addition to the firm's trial teams.
Prior to joining the firm, Adam defended corporate and individual clients in a variety of civil litigation matters, including employment, products liability, and whistleblower lawsuits before federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. In one representative matter, he investigated and negotiated the resolution of nationwide claims arising out of an E. coli O157:H7 infectious outbreak linked to a popular consumer product.
Adam received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where he won the David B. Newman, Jr. & Kathryn R. Newman Prize for Trial Advocacy and was a member of the Administrative Law Review and the Moot Court Honor Society. During law school, he had internships with the Honorable Michael L. Rankin of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and the Energy and Power Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Adam received his B.A. from the University of Virginia, where he graduated with a double major in History and Government and a minor in Economics. He was a member of the University of Virginia's Honor System and the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society.
When not practicing law, Adam enjoys working on his golf game and spending time with his wife and their pandemic puppy.
As a native of Brooklyn, New York, Aleksandra Rybicki is a "tell it like it is," big-picture thinker with a competitive drive to win. This perspective, combined with her passion for courtroom litigation, allows her to anticipate the path cases may take and be realistic with clients about potential outcomes.
Aleksandra practices in the firm's Complex Litigation, Pharmaceutical Products, and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups. Having represented individual and corporate clients in disputes involving complex commercial litigation, antitrust, employment, and professional liability matters in state and federal trial and appellate courts, Aleksandra has experience with all stages of civil litigation, including drafting complaints, responsive pleadings, discovery motions, dispositive motions, pretrial reports and motions, and jury instructions. She has represented clients at hearings, pretrial conferences, mediation, and at trial, and has first-chaired multiple civil bench trials and conducted corporate internal investigations involving employment and white collar matters.
Aleksandra's notable successes include obtaining summary judgment for an industrial manufacturer in a toxic tort case alleging asbestosis, and obtaining a full dismissal for a fire-suppression engineering company in a products liability and breach of contract case alleging a defective sprinkler system.
Aleksandra has also represented corporations in merger and civil antitrust investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, and has managed complex document productions in antitrust litigation.
With employment litigation experience that includes defending companies against discrimination claims in state and federal courts and administrative agencies in matters involving sexual harassment, whistleblower retaliation, restrictive-covenant disputes, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour violations, Aleksandra is also experienced in complex class action litigation defense, such as wage-and-hour collective actions.
Aleksandra earned her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, where she was Articles Editor for the American Intellectual Property Law Association Journal. During her last year of law school, she was a Rule 16 Prosecutor in the State's Attorney's Office, Prince George's County, Maryland, where she first-chaired multiple jury and bench trials to verdict. Following law school, Aleksandra served as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Sean D. Wallace of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland. She graduated summa cum laud e with a B.A. in Political Science from Adelphi University.
When not practicing law, Aleksandra treasures time with her two daughters and enjoys running and playing pick-up soccer to unwind.
As a perpetual learner with a passion for the law, Alexa Halkias found her calling as a trial lawyer. Described as dedicated to a fault and intellectually curious, she enjoys the evolutionary and ever-changing aspects of the law, as well as having the opportunity to advocate for clients.
Practicing in the firm's Complex Litigation, Pharmaceutical & Medical Device, and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups, Alexa was a member of the firm's 2022 Summer Associate Class. Her responsibilities include, but are not limited to, research, motions drafting, witness preparation, and analyzing discovery documents for the firm's litigation matters.
Alexa earned her J.D. from William & Mary Law School, where she was Lead Articles Editor of the William & Mary Law Review, a Legal Practice Fellow, and received numerous honors including the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Advanced Legal Research and the Gambrell Professionalism Award. During law school, Alexa was a legal intern in the Trial Division of the Missouri State Public Defender. She also served as a Research Assistant to Professor Paul Marcus. Alexa rounded out her law school experience working in the Elder and Disability Law Clinic and serving as Executive Board Member of Students Against the Death Penalty.
Graduating summa cum laude from West Virginia University with a double major in English and History, and a minor in Law and Legal Studies, Alexa was recognized as an Eberly Scholar and Eberly College Outstanding Senior in History, as well as awarded the Virginia Butts Sturm Undergraduate Scholarship. She served as a legal intern through the Governor's Internship Program with West Virginia Public Defender Services (PDS).
When she's not practicing law, Alexa spends time with her family, her identical twin sister who is also a lawyer, and her labradoodle. As a West Virginia native, she enjoys Appalachian history and trips to the state, as well as exploring in her new home of Washington, DC.
Alexandra Blankenburg credits competing as a varsity swimmer while at Vanderbilt University for her intense work ethic and unwavering self-discipline, both skills that allow her to be at the forefront of shaping change and making an impact on people's lives.
Practicing in the firm's Complex Litigation, Pharmaceutical Products, and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups, she is a member of the firm's team defending against serial litigation involving allegations of vision loss related to claimed exposure to an FDA-approved ophthalmology treatment. She is also a member of the firm's team defending a major EPC contractor against alleged breach of contract, professional negligence, and fraud claims in Arkansas Circuit Court arising from a nearly $1 billion agrochemical plant relocation and expansion project.
Prior to joining the firm, Alexandra served for two years as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Judge Karoline Mehalchick of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania where, among other things, she aided in oral argument preparation and evaluation, drafting judicial opinions, trial proceedings, and in litigation-related issues including discovery matters.
Alexandra received her J.D. from Tulane University Law School, where she was a Student Attorney for the Tulane Civil Rights and Federal Practice Clinic and was Senior Managing Editor of The Sports Lawyers Journal. During law school she worked as a Legal Intern for the Nashville Metropolitan Government Legal Department and the preceding year at the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, in Detroit, Michigan. Also, while in law school, Alexandra served as the head coach for the Forrest Crossing Swim Team.
Having received her B.A. from Vanderbilt University with a double major in Political Science and Communications Studies, Alexandra was on the Women's Varsity Swim Team. In 2012, she proudly competed at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in the 200m Butterfly.
When she's not head down on firm cases, Alexandra enjoys the opportunity to engage in pro bono work. She also enjoys running, spending time with her dog, and cooking.
Practicing in the firm's Pharmaceutical Products and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups, Andrew Hill follows the philosophy that "every day is a school day." A firm believer that you never stop learning and are continually in learning mode, Andrew seizes every opportunity to dive deep into research to build effective frameworks for the teams he supports. His responsibilities include, but are not limited to, legal research and writing, analysis of information for depositions and discovery, and a variety of work relating to the defense of mass tort claims in complex litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, Andrew worked extensively in document review and analysis, including in contract disputes, antitrust, and FDA-related litigation matters. Not only has he been exposed to a variety of subject matters, but his experience has taught him the value of being exceptionally thorough with good attention to detail.
Andrew received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where he was a Dean's Fellow at the Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law. During law school, he worked as an Intern for the Honorable Reggie B. Walton, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and as an Intern at the Prince George's County, Maryland State's Attorney's Office. Prior to law school, Andrew graduated from Skidmore College with a B.A. and double major in English and Government.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Producer
- Firm Partner
- Lead Counsel
Ann Marie Duffy is an accomplished trial lawyer who has broad experience in the defense of complex civil litigation. With nearly 20 years of experience, Ann Marie has represented companies in some of their most significant cases on a variety of claims including commercial disputes, construction claims, products liability, environmental tort, fraud, and intellectual property claims. In one of the largest cases she has tried, Ann Marie served as second chair in a patent infringement trial in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware in a case where total damages exceeded $2 billion.
Ann Marie's broad range of litigation experience includes working on highly complex cases with significant discovery and procedural issues. Her cases have routinely involved multi-national discovery efforts and extensive, in-depth investigations. Ann Marie also has extensive experience conducting comprehensive due diligence investigations for corporate transactions and negotiating and preparing complex agreements to protect commercial interests and facilitate compliance with private corporate obligations and governmental requirements.
In addition to her trial experience, Ann Marie has briefed and argued appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Judicial Department.
Currently, Ann Marie is lead counsel for a producer of PTFE and silicone coated fabrics, tapes, and belts, defending against claims of negligence, trespass, and nuisance for its use and handling of materials containing trace amounts of PFOA. Ann Marie is also a trial team partner defending a major engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor against alleged breach of contract, professional negligence, and fraud claims arising from the design, engineering, and construction of a nearly $1 billion agrochemical plant in Arkansas Circuit Court.
Firm partner Ann Marie Duffy is currently serving a 2-year term as President of the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL). NCFL is a speech and debate league that was formed in 1951. It is organized into regions that…
Known for her fierce dedication, empathy and meticulous attention to detail, Awa Sowe knew as a young girl she was destined to be a lawyer and that these skills would serve her well. From an immigrant family, Awa's exposure to lawyers and the legal system developed her curiosity to pursue involvement in pre-law societies through college and select classes focused on preparing her for a career in law.
Awa practices in the Complex Litigation, Pharmaceutical Products, and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups, and is a member of the firm's trial team representing Monsanto in the nationally publicized Round-Up litigation over the EPA-approved herbicide.
Prior to joining Hollingsworth LLP, Awa worked for the National Veterans Legal Services Program, representing veterans and their families in a class action against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
While earning her J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Awa worked as a Research Assistant on international law matters, including drafting portions of the professor's forthcoming law textbook on international human rights. She also served as a Legal Intern at Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she assisted in drafting an appellate brief regarding the constitutionality of a provision in the state domestic violence law disparately impacting same-sex partners. Awa graduated from Elon University with a B.A. in Political Science.
Attending law school in New Orleans is responsible for shaping Awa's passion for trying new cuisines. This, combined with her love of traveling and spending time with friends, allows her to do all three at the same time-traveling with friends to experience new places and new cuisine together.
Brett Clements knows firsthand the commitment and tenacity required to be a successful litigator as he attended law school at night while working as a law clerk by day. A self-described personal jurisdiction nerd and science junkie, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for his high-caliber work in both Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants (2023-2024) and Product Liability Litigation-Defendants (2024).
Brett practices in the firm's Complex Litigation and Toxic Torts & Products Liability groups and is a member of the firm's trial team engaged in the serial litigation over an EPA-approved herbicide. He has defended clients in high-profile multidistrict litigation, mass torts, consumer class actions, and individual products liability cases alleging significant losses. He offers strategic counseling from case inception through trial, including on complex discovery issues, major dispositive motions, tactical trial preparation and, when appropriate, thoughtful resolution of cases.
Brett is also experienced in expert depositions on complex and novel scientific issues, and in all facets of eDiscovery, including document collections, negotiation of ESI protocols, review strategy, and oversight of productions. Recognizing the interplay between the future of litigation and new technology, he closely follows developments in products liability and eDiscovery, focusing on the scientific and technical aspects of these fast-paced areas of law.
Prior to joining the firm, Brett represented clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, consumer products, and technology. His experience included the following:
Served on the national coordinating counsel team for a large mass tort defendant.
Defended consumer products and automotive companies in complex class actions alleging economic loss damages, particularly those involving marketing claims and product recalls.
Defended an electronics manufacturer in fire, tort, and breach of warranty claims.
Brett regularly represents pro bono clients through The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and serves as a Legal Clinic Ambassador. He finds this pro bono work both a challenging and rewarding part of his practice.
He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and his B.A. in English and Government from Georgetown University. He served from 2005-2007 as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) in Washington, DC.
To escape the rigors of law, Brett enjoys running and putting his culinary talents to work.
Growing up at NATO headquarters in Belgium, Brett learned quickly how to adapt and work with people from all backgrounds and languages. His unique perspective and communication skills have served his clients well, whether it be winning arguments before state and federal judges on key issues; deposing critical witnesses in complex litigation; representing clients in government investigations; or handling national and international arbitrations. Recently, he served on the trial team that secured a complete defense verdict for Firm clients Sotera Health and its subsidiary, Sterigenics, in a 28-day jury trial in the Circuit Court for Cook County, Illinois. This high-stakes case, part of a larger mass tort litigation, involved personal injury claims relating to ethylene oxide emissions from a medical device sterilization facility that Sterigenics previously operated in Willowbrook, IL. Brett recently served as the lead attorney in an arbitration representing an international development organization concerning a distribution contract in western Africa. His arbitration experience also includes involvement in three prior matters before the American Arbitration Association, all of which were client victories. He currently represents an NFL team in complex litigation arising out of its operations, including suits concerning the scope and enforceability of ticketing contracts.
Among his recent work, Brett represented an agricultural company in nationwide product liability litigation where he managed the day-to-day litigation strategy and discovery in 10+ cases. Several of his successful depositions resulted in the dismissal of legal claims or moved cases out of plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions. He has written dozens of legal briefs (including successfully defending an appeal before the Fourth Circuit) covering a wide range of matters, and argued and won critical motions before both federal and state judges. In addition to his complex civil litigation and arbitration experience, Brett has represented clients under criminal and civil investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, including successfully defending an energy company under investigation for alleged criminal violations of the Clean Air Act, which resulted in the government deciding not to pursue felony criminal charges against the client. He also represented a healthcare client under investigation for alleged violations of the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute, where he made defense presentations to the U.S. Attorney's Office and Main Justice.
Following law school, Brett completed a two-year clerkship with the Honorable Thomas W. Phillips at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He gained considerable knowledge on a wide range of civil and criminal matters, including product liability actions, breach of contract disputes, the False Claims Act, employment discrimination, and criminal sentencing, and he was the lead law clerk for six criminal trials. Prior to clerking, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Judge Lee H. Rosenthal at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. While in law school, Brett was the Executive Editor of The Georgetown Immigration Law Journal.
participated in a Baylor University Law School webinar, presenting on "Expert Witness Management: Rule 702 Amendments." Eric is a long-time proponent of amending Rule 702. Since 2014, he has advocated for, written…
Judge Ana C. Viscomi of the Middlesex County Division of New Jersey Superior Court granted firm client Avon Products, Inc. ("Avon") summary judgment on all claims alleged against it. The previous day, Judge Viscomi had issued…