In January 2025, maritime attorneys, Megan A. Sullivan and Jim Barbiere, provided a full day presentation to a client’s management team to offer an introduction to maritime law, potential improvements to the company’s policies and procedures, as well as compliance with Coast Guard and other legal requirements. The presentation, titled “Maritime 101,” is designed to […]
SMB&P’s Government Entities group recently obtained summary judgment in favor of a police officer who was required to use force in an attempt to detain an individual experiencing a mental health emergency. Police were contacted by members of the individual’s family after he exhibited signs of mental instability over several days. Officers attempted to make […]
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently affirmed a judgment in favor of local police officers obtained by SMB&P’s Government Entities team in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. After local church replaced its minister, the elders feared controversy at the next Sunday service. They hired officers […]
In October 2024, SMB&P maritime attorneys, Megan A. Sullivan and Jim Barbiere, organized and presented a series of “Maritime 101” learning sessions to 40+ managers, employees, in-house counsel, and claims personnel for a long-time client of the firm, offering an introduction to maritime law, how to protect the client from liability, as well as compliance […]
SMB&P has been named to the 2023 Tier 1 U.S. News “Best Law firms in Cincinnati for Commercial Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.
On January 13, 2018, a multi-barge breakaway occurred from the Jacks Run fleet in Pittsburgh, PA resulting in millions of dollars of loss and damage to the barges and a complex maze of litigation, which remains pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. In representing of one of the […]
SMB&P is excited to announce that the firm will be adding Jim Barbiere as an associate attorney beginning February 15, 2021. Jim has been an Assistant Prosecutor with the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office since 2017, where he has defended County employees and officials in civil lawsuits in state and federal court. Jim will be a […]
On February 13, 2019, the tow of the M/V Miss Dixie suddenly and without warning veered into the path of and collided with the tow of the M/V D. & R. Boney, causing severe damage to the lead barge in the M/V D. & R. Boney’s tow. On behalf of the M/V D. & R. […]
SMB&P represented a grandmother seeking to adopt her granddaughter without the consent of the child’s biological mother. SMB&P successfully argued that the mother’s consent to the adoption was not required due to the mother’s failure, after notice and a hearing, and without justifiable cause, to have more than de minimus contact with the child in […]
SMB&P’s litigation attorneys successfully defended a leading national property/casualty insurance company in a case in which the plaintiffs alleged they were entitled to coverage under the at-fault driver’s employer’s garage liability policy. SMB&P partner Katie Barbiere prevailed by filing a motion for summary judgment, successfully arguing that the policy did not provide coverage because the […]
