Montgomery McCracken Elects Four New Partners

March 1, 2019

Types : Press Releases

Montgomery McCracken is pleased to announce that Stephanie K. Benecchi, Ethan Hougah, Erin A. Novak and Renee Nunley Smith have been elected to the firm’s partnership. Benecchi, located in the firm’s Philadelphia and Cherry Hill offices, and Hougah, located in the firm’s Cherry Hill office, were previously associates. Novak and Smith, both located in the firm’s Philadelphia office, were of counsel.

“We are thrilled to promote this diverse group of talented lawyers to our firm’s partnership,” said Richard M. Simins, Vice Chairman and Executive Partner of Montgomery McCracken. “They are truly valuable assets to our clients and our firm. We look forward to their leadership in helping shape the future of Montgomery McCracken.”

Benecchi is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, including class action defense, as well as white collar defense and government investigations.  Benecchi has experience with litigation matters at all stages, from pre-suit investigations through resolution and settlement. Her class action defense work has focused on defending consumer fraud litigation based on product label statements.  She has represented senior executives in the health care industry in conjunction with government investigations, and has experience with investigations focusing on labeling and monitoring of medical devices as well as pharmaceutical sales practices.  Benecchi has also defended clients against False Claims Act litigation.

Hougah is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department, where he concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation.  Hougah regularly represents domestic and foreign companies in products liability, maritime, and a wide variety of commercial disputes pending in federal and state courts.  He also represents private individuals and entities in white collar and government investigations, as well as fiduciary litigation.

Novak is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. She focuses her practice on consumer litigation. Novak has been counsel of record in more than three hundred cases involving Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claims in courts throughout the country. She has obtained favorable decisions for her clients in Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act and the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices Consumer Protection Law matters.

Smith is co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee and a member of Montgomery McCracken’s Labor and Employment practice. She represents national, regional, and local employers in employment litigation involving claims under federal and state law. Smith’s practice also focuses on counseling employers on a wide range of employment issues and conducting workplace investigations. She frequently represents employers before federal and state courts and before administrative agencies on matters involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour, breach of contract, and wrongful termination claims. Smith is also experienced in counseling clients on a variety of workplace issues, including employee hiring, performance management and termination, reductions in force, creating and implementing policies, and drafting various employment agreements. She counsels public and private clients on traditional labor issues and represents employers in labor negotiations and arbitrations.

About Montgomery McCracken

Montgomery McCracken is a full-service law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The firm represents leading businesses, multinational corporations, nonprofit organizations and individuals across a wide range of industries in complex litigation matters, significant corporate transactions and challenging disputes. For more information about Montgomery McCracken or its practice areas, please visit us online at www.mmwr.com or on Twitter at @MMWR_Law.