Secaucus, NJ

James J. Feretic

James J. Feretic is a 1975 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law and has a B.A. from Manhattan College, graduating Cum Laude in 1972. Mr. Feretic was with the Bronx District Attorney’s office for ten years. As a member of the Narcotics, Arson, Rackets and White Collar Crime Units, he successfully prosecuted dozens of Class A and B felonies. Mr. Feretic ended his tenure in the Bronx District Attorney’s office as Deputy Chief of the Supreme Court Trial Bureau, the largest unit in the office. Following a brief stint in private practice, Mr. Feretic joined the firm of Lawlor & Caulfield, as a senior trial attorney. Mr. Feretic handled national accounts, major construction accidents, and other complex personal injury cases on behalf of the Travelers Insurance Company. In 1988, Mr. Feretic left the firm to become a partner in Hawkins, White, Feretic, Daly & O’Neill. Since joining the firm, Mr. Feretic has handled construction accidents, property damage, premises and automobile accident cases.

John E. Hannum

John E. Hannum is a 1985 graduate of New York Law School having obtained his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Villanova University. Prior to his current position he was a senior trial attorney at Caulfield, Heller & Harris, and a partner at Hawkins Feretic & Daly LLC, handling strategic and major construction accident litigation involving seven figure reserves. Mr. Hannum presently concentrates his practice in product liability, construction accidents, complex tort, trucking and insurance coverage matters and opinions. Mr. Hannum is currently on the panel of Construction Defect Counsel where he is handling numerous matters involving building defects from mold infestation to unstable structures due to improper building practices. Mr. Hannum is currently on the excess panel of several carriers having tried numerous cases to verdict following the tender of the primary limits. He also currently acts as a Special Master in the New York State Supreme Court adjudicating disputes between litigants which entails all aspects of litigation including discovery, procedural practice and settlement.

Sean M. Prendergast

Sean M. Prendergast is a 1987 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law. He received a B.S. degree from the University of Scranton. Mr. Prendergast was with the Bronx District Attorney’s office for seven years and ended his tenure there as a Supervisor in the Sex Crimes/Domestic Violence Bureau. He prosecuted several homicide cases in the Sex Crimes/Domestic Violence Bureau and has lectured on trial techniques and the art of testifying at the New York City Police Department Academy. Mr. Prendergast joined the firm in January 1995 and he is admitted in both State and Federal Court. Mr. Prendergast has handled complex litigation matters in the area of construction accidents, legal malpractice, product liability, insurance coverage, automobile litigation and premises liability. He is a member of the Defense Association of New York. Sean has been specifically retained as trial counsel by excess carriers in complex high exposure cases. Mr. Prendergast is an experienced trial attorney who has taken over fifty cases to verdict in the New York Supreme Courts. His trial experience includes a wide range of matters including premises liability, legal malpractice, construction claims, and automobile/trucking accidents.

James M. Merlino

James M. Merlino is a 1995 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law. Mr. Merlino received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany graduating Cum Laude in 1992. He was a trial attorney with the law offices of Klein, DiSomma & McGlynn before joining the firm in 2001. As a trial attorney Mr. Merlino has concentrated on complex construction litigation, insurance coverage issues, product liability matters, automobile litigation, and premises liability lawsuits. Mr. Merlino has particular experience in the areas of Construction Accidents, Excess Risk Claims, Automobile Liability, Premises Liability, and Products Liability. He is well versed in all areas of personal injury and property damage litigation inclusive of related insurance coverage and complex indemnity issues. Mr. Merlino is an experienced trial attorney who has taken multiple cases to both jury and non-jury verdicts in the New York State Supreme Courts since 1996. Mr. Merlino manages the firm’s construction, motor vehicle accident and premises liability litigation teams. He is also the supervising partner for multiple self-insured clients.

Ian B. Lane

Ian B. Lane graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A. in 1983. He attended Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, CA and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree in 1988. He also attended Universiteit Leiden in The Netherlands and obtained his Masters Degree in Public International Law and International Criminal Law in 2007. Mr. Lane was a senior trial attorney with Klein, Disomma and McGlynn and then Jones, Hirsch, Connors and Bull specializing in complex construction litigation, product and premises liability and professional malpractice lawsuits. Mr. Lane has significant trial experience having taken scores of cases to trial with many of those cases reaching verdict. In addition to his many years as a practicing trial attorney in State and Federal Courts in New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Mr. Lane worked in The Hague at the International Criminal Court and at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Mr. Lane has lectured in international fora numerous times, most recently for the ABA’s Darfur Advocacy Conference in London, England. Mr. Lane, a former professional pilot, is currently head of the Aviation division at Hannum, Feretic, Prendergrast & Merlino and is a holder of an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, a Commercial Pilot’s license and is an FAA Certified Flight Instructor.

Candice L. Steinmann

Candice L. Steinmann is an associate at the firm who focuses her practice on New York labor law litigation, premises negligence, and general liability matters. Ms. Steinmann handles all aspects of civil defense cases from inception up to and including trial. Ms. Steinmann received a B.A. from the University of Scranton in 2007, graduating cum laude. In 2010, Ms. Steinmann received her Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law. Ms. Steinmann began her career representing plaintiffs before transitioning to defense, which bolsters her acumen in the handling of negligence cases. She previously represented commercial and residential premises owners, property management companies, hotel/hospitality groups, restaurant chains, and municipal entities. For the past 11 years, Ms. Steinmann has worked for law firms with a focus on litigation, with a wide variety of experience in the areas of general liability defense, labor and employment law, commercial litigation, education law, landlord/tenant, plaintiff’s personal injury and No-fault litigation.

Jon Pisiewski

After earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, as well as specializations in Communications & Media Management and Legal & Ethical Studies from Fordham University’s College of Business Administration in 2002, Jon Pisiewski received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from New York Law School in 2006. Before joining the firm, Mr. Pisiewski was an Associate with another New York defense litigation firm, where he engaged in all aspects of complex defense litigation in a variety of areas, including Medical Malpractice, General Liability, Labor Law, Products Liability, and Motor Vehicle Accidents, as well as other commercial and individual matters. He continues to represent both individual and commercial clients during discovery and trial in these areas as well as in Environmental, Construction, Premises Liability and Contractor Liability matters. Mr. Pisiewski has successfully represented his clients in obtaining favorable resolutions and dismissals by motion and at trial in both State and Federal Courts, including the matter of Chao v. Holder, et al., 10-CV-2432 (RRM)(LB), 2013 WL 4458998 (E.D.N.Y. 2013).