Faculty Profile: Nicole Grida

Education:

B.A., Temple University 2003
J.D., The University of Tennessee, College of Law, 2006

Legal Experience:

Bowman and Brooke, LLP

September 2022 - Present

Partner

➢ Defend corporate clients in complex product liability and general civil litigation including high exposure matters involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death claims
➢ Utilize management and strategic planning skills to understand clients’ business objectives and develop legal strategies aligned with them
➢ Prepare and depose technical experts including accident reconstructionists, economists, OSHA compliance experts, vocational experts, physicians, psychiatrists, toxicologists, fire origin and cause experts, engineers, DOT compliance experts, and human factors experts

International Paper Company
May 2018 - October 2021
Senior Counsel - Litigation
➢ Managed 100+ premises liability, automobile liability, and workers’ compensation claims at facilities throughout the United States
➢ Evaluated potential exposure on all litigation and pre-litigation matters to ensure proper reserves set
➢ Developed best practices for responding to third party subpoenas and oversaw production of documents and witnesses for depositions in non-party matters
➢ Refined process for responding to major incidents involving catastrophic personal injuries and significant property damage to ensure consistency across company’s footprint
➢ Identified litigation risks throughout the company’s U.S. footprint and advised when to issue legal holds
➢ Served as liaison to Global Cellulose Fibers and North America Papers business groups by providing updates on all personal injury and property damage claims
➢ Served on Steering Committee for IP’s Signature Pro Bono Initiative, which focused on providing equal justice to Tennessee residents through expungements, voter rights restorations, and driver's license reinstatements

Counsel on Call

Contract Attorney - Litigation at International Paper Company
June 2017 - May 2018
➢ Defended company's various businesses in personal injury and property damage lawsuits throughout the United States i
➢ Evaluated personal injury and property damage claims against the company for early/pre-litigation resolution
➢ Performed comprehensive 50-state review and analysis of company's workers' compensation and employer's liability insurance policies

Law Office of Lauren L. Holloway (Zurich North America)
September 2014 - May 2017
Trial Attorney, Memphis Staff Legal Office
➢ Resolved more than 75% of litigated matters through aggressive discovery and motion practice to ensure cost efficient settlement of cases
➢ Gained additional bench trial experience representing companies across West Tennessee and Middle Tennessee in premises liability, products liability, automobile liability, and workers’ compensation lawsuits
➢ Handled all aspects of litigation from filing of complaint through dismissal, settlement, or trial of matter

Law Office of Julie Bhattacharya Peak (Liberty Mutual Group)
July 2013-September 2014
Field Counsel - Memphis
➢ Tried 10+ bench trials in Shelby County with majority of verdicts being more favorable than last pre-trial offer
➢Managed caseload of 100+ commercial market and personal market claims for automobile liability, premises liability, products liability, homeowners’ liability, and workers’ compensation throughout West Tennessee
➢ Worked closely with paralegal and legal assistant to ensure efficient handling of all litigated matters

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC
August 2006-July 2013
Associate Attorney
➢ Primarily responsible for handling a diverse caseload of medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, insurance coverage disputes, automobile liability, premises liability, products liability, and workers’ compensation matters throughout West Tennessee
➢ Secured jury trial and bench trial experience in Shelby County, Tennessee and the surrounding counties
➢ Developed case strategy/theory of defense to ensure best defense arguments and worked with expert and lay witnesses to develop necessary testimony to support case theory

Trial Experience: 3 jury trials; 50+ bench trials

Licensure: Licensed to practice in Tennessee, United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee

Bar Memberships and Professional Associations:  Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, Tennessee Bar Association, TBA YLD Fellows, Memphis Bar Association, Memphis Bar Foundation, Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association, Association for Women Attorneys, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, International