JENNINGS HAUG KELEHER MCLEOD LAW FIRM - Key Persons
Alana Porrazzo is a commercial litigator whose primary practice areas include fidelity and surety law and construction law. Her practice emphasizes defending bond claims and bad faith allegations, litigating performance defaults, prosecuting subrogation and indemnity claims, and representing sureties in principal and Indemnitor bankruptcies.
Alana began her legal career at a private law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she represented sureties and contractors in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitrations, mediations, and administrative hearings. She joined Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod in April 2018.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Ann Conway represents clients in the areas of government relations and lobbying, fidelity and surety law, construction litigation, insurance law and insurance bad faith litigation, and mediation and arbitration.
She has represented clients in the New Mexico Legislature and before state and federal agencies for 35 years. Ann has represented individuals, construction companies, financial institutions, insurance companies and trade associations in direct actions, class actions, and as Amicus Curie in trial and appellate courts. She also serves as a court-appointed and private mediator and arbitrator in civil and construction cases.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Attorneys' Counsel
Job Titles:
- Lawyers Association, Member
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Benjamin Feuchter principally works in the areas of business and real estate law, and he handles both litigation and transactions for clients ranging from large national institutions to small businesses and individuals. Ben also defends clients in complex and sensitive tort matters, and he is widely regarded as a leading attorney in the emerging New Mexico cannabis industry.
Blake Whiteman's practice focuses in business disputes; construction and commercial litigation, including breach of contract claims, reputation management, and commercial leases; as well as family law, white-collar and other criminal law matters.Blake's business law practice involves representing small to medium sized businesses and health care professionals in Arizona in their various legal matters, including entity formation, partnership agreements, negotiation of commercial leases and contract disputes. He is also regularly called upon to defend professionals when facing patient complaints before the Board of Dental Examiners, Board of Medical Examiner or the Registrar of Contractors.
He has served as lead counsel in numerous jury and bench trials in complex commercial matters, real estate disputes and appellate court actions.
Through his family law and domestic relations law practice, Blake represents individuals involved in high asset divorce and community property cases. These cases may involve child custody issues, claims of wrong-doing, negligence, spousal relocation issues and Department of Child Services issues. In addition, he is sought by clients to assist in prenuptial agreements, sole and separate property agreements and various other domestic relations agreements in Arizona.
Formerly a Judge Pro Tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court, Blake is experienced in a wide range of trial court matters, including white-collar and other criminal law matters. His representation of clients in criminal matters in Arizona primarily involves high-profile cases and business clients facing felony or misdemeanor charges, accusations or indictments.
Blake is also a mediator and arbitrator, having acted as a court appointed arbitrator in numerous family law and civil cases. He has further acted as arbitrator in UM and UIM insurance disputes.
Blake has received an AV Peer Review Rating for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability from Martindale-Hubbell®.
Brian Myers represents clients in a wide variety of commercial litigation, including matters involving commercial lending, construction, and real estate litigation. His experience in representing entities and individuals in collection matters is extensive. Brian regularly employs various pre-judgment and post-judgment remedies on behalf of his clients, including replevins, garnishments, writs of execution, and judgment debtor examinations. Brian has represented numerous financial institutions and equipment leasing companies in actions to recover equipment and other assets/collateral through the use of pre-judgment Orders of Replevin. His experience involves working and coordinating with the U.S. Marshall's Office and various County Sheriff's Offices across Arizona.
In the area of construction litigation, Brian regularly represents general contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers in contract disputes; Prompt Payment Act claims; Mechanic's and Materialman's Lien foreclosures; and actions before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. His construction law practice includes nearly two decades of representing contractors in the fire and water restoration industry.
Brian's experience in real estate disputes has involved commercial and residential evictions, purchase contract disputes and representation of property owners in encroachment and property easement disputes.
Brian earned dual degrees from Arizona State University and is an avid Sun Devil fan. He earned his law degree from Whittier Law School in Los Angeles, California, in 1996 and is admitted to the State Bar of Arizona.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Brian Haverly's practice is focused on representing public utilities and businesses involved in the energy sector before administrative agencies. He has extensive experience handling complex matters before the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, including successfully obtaining approvals for the acquisitions of public utilities in New Mexico. Brian also advises entities involved in the renewable electric generation on regulatory requirements in New Mexico. He has represented clients in all phases of litigation, including jury trial and appeals.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Supreme Court of New Mexico Uniform Jury Instructions
Cassandra Malone's practice focuses on commercial litigation, employment law and litigation, water rights in New Mexico and appellate law services. As an experienced litigator, she regularly represents small businesses, corporations, business owners, general contractors, and subcontractors New Mexico in their commercial litigation and employment related disputes.
As a commercial litigator, she assists clients in a wide variety of issues ranging from contract disputes, such as non-compete and nonsolicitation agreements, shareholder disputes, tax disputes, and negligence claims.
Cassandra's employment law and litigation practice involves representation of businesses in a wide range of employment disputes, representing the construction industry and business owners in harassment claims, discrimination claims as well as wrongful termination and FLSA claims. She also assists businesses with the
Cassandra serves as a member of the Supreme Court of New Mexico Uniform Jury Instructions - Civil Committee. She is also a board member of the New Mexico Women's Bar Association.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Chad Worthen represents clients in their estate and business planning matters. He also assists clients with estate and trust administration, including probate proceedings.
Chad Schexnayder has more than 35 years of experience in commercial litigation, in both state and federal courts, including U.S. bankruptcy courts throughout the country. His trial and litigation experience includes complex business disputes, surety and fidelity, construction law, construction litigation, bankruptcy, real estate disputes, residential construction defects, and personal injury defense. Chad currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Committee of the American Bar Association, Tort & Insurance Practice Section.
Chad has earned the Preeminent AV Rating with Martindale Hubbell®.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Chris Marquez represents a variety of clients in the fields of civil and commercial litigation, including business, financial, and property disputes.
Kim Lough devotes a substantial majority of his practice to litigation. He has extensive trial experience in complex construction and employment discrimination litigation, and other civil and administrative cases.
Kim's trial and litigation experience includes representing owners, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in trial, arbitrations and mediations. He has successfully defended employers in multiple employment discrimination matters. Kim has also defended contractors and others in defense of personal injury claims, OSHA complaints and Registrar of Contractor complaints. He has successfully prosecuted and defended claims of construction defects in commercial and residential construction.
Kim joined the firm in 1982 and became partner in 1989.
Kim has earned the AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale Hubbell®. He graduated from the University of Arizona.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
David Peterson's practice primarily focuses on litigation with an emphasis on tort defense, Indian law, and commercial litigation. He has defended tort claims including wrongful death and serious personal injury cases involving electrocution, acid burns and carbon monoxide poisoning. He has also defended cases involving slip and fall personal injury claims and property damage subrogation claims. David also regularly handles a variety of commercial litigation matters including breach of contract claims, insurance coverage and bad faith insurance practices claims, antitrust claims, and attorney malpractice defense.
David has extensive experience litigating Indian law matters in tribal, state, and federal courts. He is a member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association and has practiced in other tribal courts in New Mexico and Arizona including the courts of the Hopi Tribe, the Yavapai Apache Nation, and the Pueblos of Acoma, Isleta, Laguna, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Tesuque, and Zuni. Many of the Indian law cases David has handled involve jurisdictional issues including the extent of tribal, state, and federal civil adjudicatory authority and the extent of tribal authority to tax. Other Indian law cases included defense of individuals, corporations, and tribes against claims of wrongful death, personal injury, violation of constitutional rights, employment discrimination, and wrongful banishment.
Deron served as the managing partner of Keleher & McLeod from 2018-2021. He currently serves as the managing partner of Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod's New Mexico office.
Gary Van Luchene's practice is primarily comprised of litigation with an emphasis on complex tort litigation, complex commercial litigation, and class actions. His experience includes defending toxic tort claims and a variety of personal injury claims.
Gary's commercial litigation practice includes representing clients in cases involving complex insurance, healthcare and banking issues. He has defended wrongful termination employment cases involving multiple plaintiffs. He has extensive experience defending against class actions, including defending putative class claims alleging wrongful banking practices, civil rights violations and denial of healthcare benefits.
Gary is of record in two reported New Mexico Court of Appeals opinions involving class action issues. He holds an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell®.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Isaac's practice primarily focuses on representing clients in the areas of civil litigation, personal injury defense, insurance defense matters, and medical malpractice in New Mexico.
Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Isaac served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Megan P. Duffy at the New Mexico Court of Appeals. He graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law, cum laude, in 2021.
Jack Cunningham's practice includes both prosecution and defense of personal injury cases, all types of professional malpractice cases, litigation of insurance coverage and bad faith issues, general commercial litigation, as well as general trial and appellate work. In addition, he represents clients in uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, commission and wage disputes, real estate broker and agent litigation, as well as homeowner's association litigation matters.
He graduated from the University of Arizona with highest distinction and earned his law degree from Arizona State University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1977. Jack joined the firm in 1977.
Jack earned the Preeminent AV Rating with Martindale Hubbell® and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America®, Southwest Super Lawyers and Arizona's Top Lawyers, for his legal skills for many years.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Counsel
- State Bar Admissions
James Csontos practices in the firm's surety and construction litigation section where he devotes a substantial portion of his practice providing legal advice and representation to owners, contractors, sureties and other members of the construction industry.
James also serves as corporate counsel to numerous small businesses, assisting them with various types of legal matters including business operations, contract questions and commercial litigation.
John Sinodis is the Chairman of the firm, the Managing Partner of the Arizona office, and a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He represents a broad range of asset-based lenders in all aspects of business finance including commercial litigation, asset recovery, loan restructuring, and secured transactions. John regularly advises business clients in litigation matters and bankruptcy.
John Browder's law practice focuses on professional liability defense, real estate, commercial litigation, and appeals. He frequently represents professionals before state licensing boards and departments.
Jorge has been an avid and competitive tennis player for nearly 50 years. He is a life-long member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and serves on the organizational Board of the Arizona Tennis Classic, an annual ATP professional challenger level men's tennis tournament that takes place in Phoenix in March.
Joseph Brophy is a commercial litigator whose practice areas include complex business disputes, creditors' rights, surety and fidelity law, bankruptcy, construction law, appellate and insurance defense. He represents individuals, businesses and institutional creditors, as well as sureties and contractors in state, federal and bankruptcy court actions, as well as in arbitrations and administrative hearings.
Joe joined the firm in February 2009 and became a partner in 2014.
Karen Gaylord's practice focuses on environmental and natural resources matter. She counsels members of municipalities, water providers, businesses and individuals. She has extensive experience in representing responsible parties in state and federal Superfund sites throughout Arizona. Karen has negotiated and obtained a variety of permits required for remediation of soils and groundwater, assisted with development of Brownfield properties, advised clients with cleanup of soils and groundwater, advised clients on the purchase or condemnation of potentially contaminated property, and handled wastewater treatment and reuse matters.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Kurt Wihl practices in the areas of litigation and real estate. He has been a lawyer with the firm since he was admitted to the New Mexico bar in 1984.
Kurt has appeared in all district courts in the State of New Mexico, the New Mexico Court of Appeals and the New Mexico Supreme Court as well as New Mexico, Nevada and Southern California federal courts, the Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. In addition, he has appeared before numerous state and federal administrative and regulatory agencies.
Laurence Sharlot practices in the areas of insurance bad faith, insurance coverage, insurance defense litigation (personal injury and property damage claims) and medical malpractice. He has successfully tried both jury and bench trials and has arbitrated more than 200 cases.
Laurence joined the firm in 1994 and became a partner in 1996.
He graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S. in finance in 1986 and University of Illinois Chicago Law School in 1990. He graduated with honors from University of Illinois Chicago Law School (top ten percent), was a member and author of the University of Illinois Chicago Law School Law Review and was honored as a lifetime member of University of Illinois Chicago Law School's Order of the Coif. Laurence is a 1994 graduate of Arizona's College of Trial Advocacy.
He began his legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Jefferson Lankford, Court of Appeals of Arizona from 1990-91.
Lidiya's practice focuses on representing small businesses, corporations and individuals in commercial litigation, civil litigation, personal injury defense, and insurance defense matters in New Mexico. Her commercial litigation experience includes representation of clients in real estate, and her experience in civil litigation involves the representation of HOAs or individuals in disputes with HOAs.
She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2020 and joined JHKM in 2022.
Mark Barker has established a construction and commercial litigation practice with an emphasis on surety and fidelity law, construction law and business dispute resolution. He also has a busy commercial transaction practice representing financial institutions and Arizona small businesses.
Mark assists surety clients with a variety of issues including investigation and resolution of performance and payment bond claims, takeover and completion of public, tribal and private projects, principal financing and collateral arrangements, quia timet and indemnity actions, salvage and subrogation claims.
Mark's representation of financial institutions includes the preparation of loan documents and related agreements for real estate acquisition, development and construction financing. His work for financial institutions expanded from primarily assisting with new loan transactions to representation, arising out of the strained relationships between lenders and borrowers resulting from Arizona's economic woes.
Matthew Sloan is an experienced commercial litigator whose practice areas include complex business disputes, creditors' rights, fidelity and surety law, bankruptcy, construction law, real estate disputes and construction defects. He represents individuals, businesses and institutional creditors, as well as sureties and contractors in state, federal and bankruptcy court actions, as well as in arbitrations and administrative hearings.
Matthew regularly handles large complex commercial matters involving construction issues, including the investigation and resolution of performance and payment bond claims, and the prosecution and defense of cases involving differing site conditions, lost productivity, acceleration, termination and construction delay claims.
In addition, Matthew helps lenders and lessors achieve the most favorable recoveries from distressed property and non-performing loans and leases. He has experience with the judicial and non-judicial foreclosure of real property collateral and litigating deficiency claims against borrowers and guarantors, as well as with judicial and non-judicial recovery of personal property collateral. Matthew regularly assists clients with negotiating short sales, forbearance agreements and deeds in lieu.
Matthew currently serves as a Judge Pro Tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Professionals in Courts across the State of Arizona
- State Bar Admissions
Michael Orcutt represents licensed professionals in courts across the state of Arizona and before regulatory and administrative bodies, such as the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, and the Arizona Association of Realtors®. His practice includes the defense of real estate agents and brokers, architects and engineers, law firms, insurance brokers, appraisers, and other professionals, through all stages of litigation, from pre-suit mediation to appeals before the Arizona Court of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. As part of this practice, Michael has obtained complete defense verdicts for licensed professionals in more than one dozen bench and jury trials in Maricopa, Pima, Coconino, and Yavapai Counties.
Michael serves as outside general counsel to several large real estate brokerage groups in Arizona, including both traditional home and luxury home market brokers and agents. In this role, he is frequently sought to advise on arising issues resulting from market trends and serves as a sounding board. He also represents property owners' associations as general counsel and in the defense of director and officers' liability claims.
Outside of his professional liability law practice, Michael represents individuals and entities in a wide range of commercial litigation matters, where he emphasizes providing cost-effective representation and exploring creative solutions to achieve the best possible outcome for his clients. He also has extensive experience handling all types of real property matters, including construction defects, easements, adverse possession, quiet title, partition, nuisance, and boundary disputes. Following the housing market downturn in 2008, Michael counseled hundreds of homeowners regarding short sale and foreclosure options, and he regularly litigated post-foreclosure lawsuits under Arizona's anti-deficiency statutes.
Additionally, he assists builders and investors in their commercial and large real estate transactions.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico / Texas
Paul Roshka has a national practice representing companies, their directors, officers, and employees during investigations and enforcement/disciplinary proceedings involving potential violations of federal and state securities laws, and other financial regulatory statutes and rules. He has handled matters initiated by virtually every SEC Regional Office and FINRA District Office, and their Home Offices in Washington, D.C.
Paul is a recognized bet-the-company litigator. He has defended brokerage firms, investment advisory firms, and their financial advisors, and prosecuted financial claims by individual investors in federal and state court, and in arbitrations and mediations in numerous jurisdictions. Paul has extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He is trusted by our clients to resolve their legal disputes. Paul is also a AAA arbitrator and serves as a mediator in cases involving complex issues related to securities, real estate, insurance, and the mortgage and banking industries.
Paul's passion for resolving complex disputes is equally matched by his passion for positively impacting his community. He has spearheaded numerous significant charitable efforts that have directly and positively impacted the lives of thousands of Arizona children and families. During Paul's three-year term as Chairman of Phoenix Children's Hospital's Board of Directors, he led the effort to move the young hospital from two floors of an existing health care provider to its own free-standing campus. Working with bond counsel and underwriters for the offering, and as a member of the Capital Campaign Committee, Paul helped the hospital raise the funds to purchase and renovate an existing hospital on 26 acres in central Phoenix. Today Phoenix Children's Hospital has six Centers of Excellence, nearly 1000 specialists, and provides outpatient, trauma, and emergency care across more than 75 subspecialties. Children and their families are no longer required to travel to hospitals in other states to receive world class health care.
Paul reorganized Phoenix Children's Hospital's Foundation and served five terms as the Foundation's Chair. He has also chaired Phoenix Suns Charities, the Children's Cancer Center, the Phoenix Zoo's Wildest Club in Town, and the Wildest Ball in Town. Paul has been on the Boards of the Salvation Army, Xavier College Preparatory School and Southwest Human Development which is the Arizona Easter Seals affiliate and an organization that seeks through its 40 programs to create a positive future for every child. He currently serves on the Board of AIM Youth Mental Health based in Carmel, California, an organization dedicated to finding and funding promising youth mental health research.
R.J. Lamb is a civil litigator. He represents individuals and businesses of all sizes, including financial institutions, sureties, insurance companies and their insureds, construction contractors, and leasing companies. R.J. has vast experience successfully litigating all aspects and stages of a civil lawsuit, including pleadings, discovery, motion practice, mediations, arbitrations, jury trials, and appeals.
He achieved multiple successful jury verdicts for his clients, including a several hundred-thousand-dollar award to the firm's surety client and multiple defense verdicts in favor of the firm's insurance clients. He has also had success on appeal, including successfully representing the firm's surety client in the appeal that resulted in the published decision of S & S Paving & Const., Inc. v. Berkley Reg'l Ins. Co., 239 Ariz. 512, 372 P.3d 1036 (App. 2016). In that decision, the Arizona Court of Appeals found that a surety on a payment bond for a public construction project may not be sued for bad faith.
Ronnie Hawks's practice focuses on environmental and regulatory matters involving a wide variety of state, federal, and tribal environmental programs, including:
Federal and state Superfund laws
Solid and hazardous waste regulations; and
Surface water and groundwater quality under the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Arizona's Aquifer Protection Permit program, and similar laws.
He joined the firm's environmental law practice as a partner in 2012.
Ryan's legal practice focuses on commercial and business litigation, including civil appeals.
He represents real estate investors and financial institutions in various types of disputes, including commercial real estate litigation, contested business collections, and contested residential foreclosures. Ryan has handled the defense and prosecution of a variety of commercial disputes, including employment defense cases, disputes between businesses, and internal disputes among business owners.
Ryan has handled various jury trials and final arbitration hearings involving commercial tort and employment claims. Over the years, he has also assisted many businesses with their outside general counsel and local counsel needs, including employment advice and contract negotiation matters.
Early in his legal career, Ryan served as a law clerk with U.S. District Court Judge James O. Browning of the District of New Mexico. Prior to joining JHKM, he spent collectively over seven years as a litigation associate with a national Am Law 100 firm and a regional Am Law 200 firm. Ryan joined JHKM in 2020 and was elected partner in 2022. He is a published legal scholar who in his spare time authors law review articles for law journals and other shorter publications.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Sean Olivas' practice focuses on the defense of tort, employment and civil rights claims.
Much of Sean's practice involves defending employers in the gamut of employment litigation, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, NMHRA and other civil rights matters. He frequently teaches employment law seminars and served as the Chair of The State Bar's Employment Specialization Committee for 10 years. He is a past Chair of the City of Albuquerque's Personnel Board and currently serves on the Bernalillo County Labor Relations Board.
Sean practices extensively in federal and state courts throughout New Mexico, as well as before administrative tribunals. He has also handled appeals for clients in the Tenth Circuit, the Federal Circuit, the United States Supreme Court, as well as in the New Mexico Appellate Courts.
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Job Titles:
- State Bar Admissions: New Mexico
Tom Domme's practice focuses on representing public utilities and businesses in energy and regulatory matters including representing clients before the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission. Tom also specializes in business litigation.
Between 2009 and 2021 Tom was Vice President of External Affairs and General Counsel for New Mexico Gas Company - the largest natural gas utility in the state with 540,000 customers. As Vice President of External Affairs, Tom was responsible for and supervised all regulatory, governmental, and community affairs for the Company. Tom was directly responsible for all regulatory filings by the Company including rate filings, and compliance filings. Tom was involved in all governmental interactions for the Company including engagement with the legislative and executive branches of the state government and most local governments throughout the state. Additionally, Tom acted as lead negotiator with Native American Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations in New Mexico including numerous rights-of-way and business and tax agreements with Native American communities throughout the state.
As General Counsel, Tom was responsible for and supervised all legal matters for the Company and appeared as lead counsel on all substantive matters involving the Gas Company and was actively engaged in the Company's significant business matters including two acquisitions of the utility in the last decade, and significant litigation including tort litigation, class action litigation, and all matters of business litigation.
Tom retired from the Gas Utility in 2021 and returned to the private practice of law.