WTO TRIAL - Key Persons
Alex Bransford represents clients in challenging commercial litigation nationwide. He also represents clients in governmental investigations at both the state and federal level, and counsels clients on various regulatory compliance issues. Prior to joining WTO, he served clerkships in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. While in law school, Alex participated in the Capital Punishment Clinic where he assisted with two death penalty cases, including one that involved a successful Batson challenge at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Annie Anderson represents clients in high-stakes product liability, toxic tort, and personal injury lawsuits involving car accidents and other high-exposure claims. She has negotiated favorable settlements for her clients and conducted depositions, fact investigations, and document and discovery management. Annie has also drafted winning dispositive motions and gained valuable experience drafting discovery motions.
Prior to joining WTO, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Rebecca Freyre of the Colorado Court of Appeals. During law school, Annie participated in a law clinic where she successfully argued motions before an Administrative Law Judge, conducted a deposition of a medical expert, and ultimately won the judgment for benefits for her client.
Brian Osterman strategically leads clients through catastrophic medical malpractice and complex commercial matters. He has focused experience winning early in litigation for clients facing high-exposure claims in challenging jurisdictions. Brian regularly takes on difficult cases-and achieves favorable outcomes-when prior strategies have not produced desirable results.
Bryan Cross defends clients in catastrophic lawsuits involving personal injury and wrongful death claims. A trial lawyer for the past 25 years, Bryan primarily defends Fortune 500 companies in state and federal courts throughout the United States and its territories. He frequently serves as SWAT counsel, including in product liability, trucking, and premises liability cases.
Bryan excels at defending matters involving catastrophic personal injuries, including quadriplegia and traumatic brain injury. He is frequently brought in shortly before trial to quickly organize and develop previously neglected files, identify and address strategic vulnerabilities, and minimize or eliminate downside risk in high-exposure cases.
Bryan is admitted to practice in Colorado, Michigan, and Texas.
Job Titles:
- Staff Counsel - Not Admitted in Colorado
Carol Hobbs serves on WTO's eDiscovery team where she handles projects across the firm's range of practices and industries. Prior to joining WTO, Carol worked on various complex eDiscovery projects including healthcare, antitrust, product liability, contract, and torts. She also worked as in-house counsel focusing on regulatory compliance for a Fortune 50 health insurance company, and as an associate in the securities litigation practice group for a national law firm.
Outside of her legal career, Carol has held nonprofit management roles including leading the stewardship team for a large university's office of development.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Inducted As Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers: Nine WTO Attorneys Are ACTL Fellows
- Managing Partner of Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell
Job Titles:
- Inducted As Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers: Nine WTO Attorneys Are ACTL Fellows
Cedric Logan represents insurance companies in high-stakes coverage disputes at the trial and appellate levels. Cedric works with leading insurers across all lines of coverage and approaches each claim on its own merits in order to help prevent lawsuits before they start. He secures outstanding results for clients on first-party and third-party claims, including bad faith actions.
When claims are disputed, Cedric has deep experience representing insurers in all aspects of litigation, including declaratory judgment actions, class actions, arbitrations, and mediations. Cedric also coaches adjusters and claims managers on issues such as claims handling, investigations, and their legal and policy obligations.
Outside of the courtroom, Cedric is a regular speaker and presenter on topics involving the insurance industry. He also has experience meeting with regulators, and has testified before lawmakers regarding proposed bills. Prior to joining WTO, Cedric practiced in the litigation department of an AmLaw 20 firm.
Celyn Whitt represents clients in commercial litigation matters nationwide. While in law school, Celyn worked as a judicial extern in the Colorado Court of Appeals and as a summer clerk at WTO. Through these experiences she gained dynamic experience in trial preparation, conducting research, and preparing for oral arguments. As a summer clerk, she also drafted a writ of certiorari to the Colorado Supreme Court in a product liability case. Celyn graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law with honors.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel - Colorado Practice Temporarily Authorized Pending Admission under C.R.C.P. 205.6
Christian Lee is one of WTO's lead e-discovery attorneys. He brings more than 15 years of experience driving innovation, quality and efficiency in litigation, investigations and regulatory matters. Christian coordinates case teams and works with legal service providers to ensure adherence to the highest process standards from case inception to conclusion.
Christian has extensive experience managing the EDRM process and leveraging data analytics, AI and other technologies in e-discovery software platforms. He routinely uses Relativity, Eclipse and other advanced tools to improve legal outcomes and cost-effectiveness while managing e-discovery budgets. Christian also consults on legal service vendor selection, develops guidance based on evolving e-discovery legal and technology best practices and implements client-focused process improvements.
Prior to joining WTO, Christian served at an AmLaw 50 firm in New York.
Job Titles:
- Legal Advisory Board Member
Job Titles:
- Attorney Community Circle / Member, 2023
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Trust Account Foundation / Member of Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- WTO Partner Fred Yarger on Federal Ruling on COVID - 19 and Religious Freedom
Craig May has appeared in litigation in 28 states, and his clients range from Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and medical device firms to leading ski resorts to independent oil and gas companies. Craig's practice involves product liability, mass torts, personal injury, employment, and complex commercial disputes.
From building winning trial themes to identifying favorable resolution strategies to defending big decisions on appeal, Craig truly appreciates collaborating with clients to address litigation and business challenges. His clients include renowned ski areas, midsized and large oil and gas companies, and nationwide pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Across this dynamic range of industries, Craig has developed a reputation as being quick to learn his clients' businesses and priorities.
In addition to his extensive trial and arbitration experience, Craig has authored appellate briefs in numerous state and federal courts of appeals as well as the United States Supreme Court.
Ellen Herzog handles sensitive and catastrophic torts cases for clients across industries. Her experience includes defending companies in class and mass tort actions and focuses on cases involving alleged physical or sexual abuse. Ellen has significant trial experience across multiple states and serves as the Vice-Chair of DRI's Sexual Torts Defense Committee.
Before joining Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell, Ellen served as a judicial law clerk to The Honorable Randy Crane of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. She is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and Georgetown University.
Emily Linehan represents clients facing complex claims across a range of practices and industries. In addition to serving as second chair in multiple mediations, her experience includes drafting dispositive motions and supporting documents-including successful oppositions. Emily also has experience in individual and class action matters involving discrimination claims, ERISA, and sexual violence.
Erin F. Tatman defends clients against professional liability and product liability lawsuits. Her clients include individual healthcare providers, healthcare organizations, lawyers, and law firms. Erin also defends corporations against product liability claims, class actions, and personal injury. Colorado Super Lawyers has named Erin a Rising Star for five straight years.
A chemist by training, Erin is at home debunking plaintiffs' bad science and developing scientifically sound defenses for her clients.
Prior to joining Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell in 2013, Erin served as a judicial law clerk to The Honorable Jerome A. Holmes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Erin has also worked as a land assistant for a large oil and gas company in Colorado and as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health Imaging Probe Development Center and Laboratory of Computational Biophysics.
Fred Yarger, the former Solicitor General of Colorado, represents clients in high-stakes appeals and complex litigation nationwide. He has been on the front lines of dozens of precedent-setting cases in a wide range of legal areas. His appellate experience spans multiple states and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, where he has argued as counsel of record multiple times. In trial courts, Fred develops sophisticated strategies that protect his clients' interests and seek to favorably shape the law.
In every case, whether at trial or on appeal, Fred partners with his clients to find creative ways to advance their business priorities. In addition to his trial and appellate successes, Fred's government experience helps him advocate for clients before state and federal regulatory and investigative agencies. Fred also maintains an active pro bono practice; for example, he currently represents an inmate subjected to excessive force by a group of prison guards trained to employ military-style tactics against inmates in a county jail.
Fred's written advocacy has been recognized by top appellate and Supreme Court litigators; he is a three-time winner of the National Association of Attorneys General "Best U.S. Supreme Court Brief" award. In 2018, Law Week Colorado named Fred a Top Litigator, and the Denver Business Journal recognized him in its annual "Who's Who in Energy" for his successes litigating issues affecting the oil and gas industry. Before joining WTO, Fred was a partner in an AmLaw 20 firm.
Gabrielle Schneiderman represents clients in challenging commercial litigation matters nationwide. She has gained valuable experience handling legal research and drafting critical motions, including motions to dismiss and motions for preliminary injunction. Prior to joining WTO, Gabrielle served a judicial clerkship in the Colorado Supreme Court.
Galen Bellamy represents major manufacturers in consumer class action and product liability litigation and appeals. His clients include sophisticated companies such as Whirlpool and Toyota. Galen's appellate experience includes successful petitions and amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court and petitions and briefs in over half a dozen U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Galen has represented both international and domestic clients in state and federal courts across the U.S. He excels in developing creative strategies and building strong legal foundations to resolve complex commercial disputes and consumer class actions. He has also represented corporate clients in connection with investigations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and has helped conduct internal compliance investigations.
Galen's civil litigation clients have included institutions from accounting, automotive, consumer goods, insurance, and manufacturing industries.
Before joining WTO, Galen was an associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in the firm's Washington D.C. and San Francisco offices. Galen also clerked for The Honorable Edward E. Carnes, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Defense Research Institute