Four attorneys from Setliff Law, P.C., were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2016. C. Stephen Setliff was recognized in the categories of Transportation Law, Railroad Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Gregory F. Holland was selected in the categories of Insurance Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; John K. Burke, Jr., was recognized in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, and Litigation – Real Estate; Brickford Y. Brown was selected for his work in Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants. Mr. Burke was also named the Best Lawyers® 2016 Litigation - Real Estate "Lawyer of the Year" in Richmond. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has earned a reputation as a leading referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. Each year, Best Lawyers compiles its lists of attorneys by conducting extensive peer-review surveys, ultimately selecting thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluated by their professional peers. For the 2016 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 6.7 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.” Mr. Setliff, a founding partner of Setliff Law, represents clients in complex litigation at the trial and appellate level in state and federal court. His trial practice focuses on the defense of corporate entities with a concentration on railroads, both freight and passenger carriers, in claims of traumatic injury by employees and non-employees. Mr. Setliff also represents trucking companies and their drivers. For the railroads, his work includes defense of Federal Employers Liability Act claims, crossing accidents, trespasser claims and property damage claims. He also defends railroads against FELA claims by employees allegedly injured as a result of occupational workplace hazards, including hearing loss, repetitive stress and exposure to asbestos, silica, diesel fumes, soaps, solvents and other chemical fumes. Mr. Setliff is trial counsel to Class I and Class III railroads in employment claims arising under the Federal Railroad Safety Act. His clients include Class I and Class III railroads and the nation’s largest passenger rail carrier. He is a member of the General Counsel Committee of the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association. Mr. Setliff also has substantial expertise working with the trucking industry, its insurers and its drivers. He has successfully represented several regional and national trucking companies and their drivers in claims ranging from catastrophic personal injury to property damage to toxic clean-up. He also handles workers' compensation claims, negotiating and drafting of independent contractor agreements, and routine traffic and other motor vehicle citations. His experience covers everything from the first accident scene investigation to pre-litigation mediations, to efficiently and effectively securing a winning outcome if the case goes to court.Mr. Setliff’s trial practice extends beyond transportation law and includes representation of one of the nation’s largest utility companies in commercial litigation matters as well as claims of personal injury and property damage. He is also trial counsel for several national commercial property owners, landlords and management companies handling commercial landlord/tenant issues as well as personal injury and premises liability. In addition, Mr. Setliff is trial counsel for two national grocery chains in personal injury, premises liability and workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Setliff has been repeatedly recognized on both the Best Lawyers in America and Virginia Super Lawyers lists. Mr. Holland has handled cases in State and Federal Court in every corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia for more than 35 years. For the last 25 years, he has represented Class I and Short Line Railroads in Federal Employers Liability Act, trespasser and property damage claims and crossing accidents. Those cases have included catastrophic injuries and wrongful death claims. Mr. Holland represents a national hotel chain in all areas of personal injury, including premises liability, automobile and food poisoning cases. He has an insurance coverage practice representing both carriers and insureds.Mr. Holland has the unique distinction of being selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 editions of the Best Lawyers in America in both defendants’ personal injury litigation and plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation. He was also selected in those editions of Best Lawyers of America in insurance law and mass tort litigation/class actions. Mr. Holland has tried more than 100 jury trials to verdict. Mr. Burke’s practice is focused on complex business and commercial litigation. In 2013, he was named the Best Lawyers’ Richmond Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law “Lawyer of the Year,” and in 2014 he was named the Best Lawyers’ Richmond Litigation – Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year.” In 2015, he was again named the Best Lawyers’ Richmond Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law “Lawyer of the Year,” and most recently was named the Best Lawyers® 2016 Litigation - Real Estate "Lawyer of the Year" in Richmond. He has been repeatedly recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation (1999 – 2015) and Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. He has also been named one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Litigation by Chambers USA (2004-2014), and as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Business Litigation. Most recently, he was recognized in the 2014 Super Lawyers Business Edition. Mr. Burke has also been named numerous times in Virginia Business magazine’s Legal Elite in Civil Litigation. He has extensive trial experience in Virginia state courts, as well as in the federal courts of Virginia and other states. Mr. Brown’s practice focuses on the national, regional and local defense of large and complex products liability and toxic tort cases. He has a refined specialty in scientific, medical and engineering issues and an extensive history of developing and presenting global defense strategies for pattern litigation. He has represented prominent manufacturers of automobiles, motorcycles, construction equipment and agriculture equipment against claims of manufacturing and/or design defects involving fatalities and catastrophic injuries. He has also defended many clients in cases related to asbestos, benzene, pharmaceuticals and noise-induced hearing loss. As lead trial counsel, he has obtained numerous defense verdicts on behalf of Fortune 500 companies in California, Louisiana, Virginia and West Virginia and has also obtained defense verdicts in several notable criminal prosecutions for first degree murder and the first federal prosecution of a mine superintendent for willful violations of MSHA. He has also made numerous arguments before state Supreme Courts. Mr. Brown has also developed expertise in electronic discovery and serving as e-Discovery counsel to a Forbes Global 2000 company. He is admitted to practice in the State of West Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, their respective Federal District Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Brown is former Chair of the DRI Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee, a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, listed in Best Lawyers in America (Mass Torts), named as a Virginia Super Lawyer (Products Liability Defense) and is rated “A-V” by Martindale-Hubble. Setliff Law, P.C. focuses primarily on transportation and product liability law, but the firm’s attorneys also have extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, business and commercial litigation, toxic tort litigation, commercial landlord/tenant litigation, eminent domain, contract disputes, subrogation, general personal injury, property damage matters, surety and fidelity litigation, and insurance defense.
