Schnader Welcomes Michael Sena, Andrew Kates, and Wayne Cox to the Firm, Strengthening its Litigation Services Department

Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP is pleased to welcome Partner Michael Sena and Associates Andrew Kates and Wayne Cox to its Litigation Services Department, all three of whom work in the Firm’s New York office.

Stephen Shapiro, co-chair of the Litigation Services Department, is confident that Michael, Andrew, and Wayne will make an immediate, positive impact at Schnader, “We are ecstatic to deepen the already formidable Litigation Services Department’s bench of front line trial lawyers with the addition of Michael, Andrew, and Wayne.”

Michael Sena comes to us from Herzfeld & Rubin, bringing over 35 years of experience in toxic tort defense, product liability, and commercial litigation. He also represents several defendants in asbestos litigation, including automotive, equipment, and product manufacturers.

Andrew Kates also joins us from Herzfeld & Rubin, where his practice concentrated on product liability/toxic tort (clients included automobile manufacturers), general liability, and premises liability.

Wayne M. Cox comes to us from Cullen and Dykman, where his practice consisted of commercial, construction, and insurance coverage litigation as well as general tort litigation including premises liability, labor law, property damage, and the litigation of various commercial matters, including contractual disputes.

Firm chairman Ken Puhala is excited about the expansion of Schnader’s team, “I am delighted that Michael and Andrew have joined us. They are a fantastic addition to our renowned automobile manufacturers’ toxic tort team. Wayne’s inclusion as an experienced litigator in a wide-range of matters has also been a welcomed addition to our team.”

Mr. Sena received his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in the states of New York and New Jersey, where he has tried over forty (40) cases in the state and federal courts. He is also admitted to practice in U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; U.S. District Courts for the E.D.N.Y., S.D.N.Y., and the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. He has litigated a wide range of product liability cases, including construction defects, chemical burns, fires, explosions, mechanical products, and other toxic exposures, such as benzene, lead, and additional substances. He has written extensively on lead paint and successor liability and has lectured several insurance groups and others on toxic tort litigation.

“Michael is an accomplished trial lawyer who is called upon to handle trials even outside his primary practice area. We are thrilled that he is trying cases now as a Schnader trial lawyer.” said Puhala.

Mr. Kates received his J.D. cum laude from Touro Law Center in 2011 and has a B.A. in Business Administration from Hofstra University. He is licensed to practice in New York State and is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the E.D.N.Y. and S.D.N.Y. Mr. Kates has represented corporate defendants in state and federal courts regarding product liability/toxic tort, general liability, premises liability, employment law, inter alia. He has also served as lead associate on an equipment manufacturer’s national coordinating counsel team.

Mr. Cox received his J.D. from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in 2015 and has a B.S. in Business from Villanova University of School of Business. He is barred in the State of New York and is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. 

Schnader continues to prioritize expanding its depth of experience across each of its seven offices, and seeks to hire more talented lawyers, as outlined in Mr. Puhala’s strategic plan issued in September 2022. We will continue to bolster our team, focusing on our dedication to what our founders called “the higher calling of the law.” That phrase embodies the Firm’s mission: substantive excellence, client service, and pro bono efforts in pursuit of a just and ordered society.

ABOUT SCHNADER HARRISON SEGAL & LEWIS LLP

Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP is a law firm of approximately 120 attorneys with offices in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York, California, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Delaware, and also maintains an association with the law firm Yang & Co. in Indonesia. Schnader serves local, national, and international clients ranging from large corporations to start-ups and entrepreneurs to individual clients, covering over 40 areas of the law. In addition to the Firm’s traditional strengths handling complex litigation, commercial transactions, and wealth management, Schnader has significant experience serving clients in matters involving appellate services, art, business reorganization and creditors rights, class actions, construction, corporate governance, criminal law and investigations, e-commerce, energy and environmental, financial services, healthcare, higher education, insurance, intellectual property, international commerce, labor and employment, media and communications, product liability, real estate development, securities and shareholder litigation, sports, technology-based companies, and transportation

For more information visit https://www.schnader.com/ or contact Julie Meyers, Schnader’s Chief Marketing Officer, at 215-751-2541 or jmeyers@schnader.com.