Tressler attorney Rosa M. Tumialán led a large team of Tressler attorneys in successfully defending a public school entity against six separate sexual abuse lawsuits, securing summary judgment in each case. The team, comprised of Rick Capra, Charles “Chuck” A. LeMoine, Jerome T. Murphy, Ryan L. Nolte, Adriana Bosco, Xander M. Landy, and Alyssa N. Suareo, demonstrated exceptional legal skill and collaborative effort throughout these complex cases.

The cases were all premised on similarly pled complaints alleging that six minor plaintiffs were sexually abused by a former employee of the school district. The claims against the school district were for willful and wanton negligent supervision of the former employee. The Tressler team carefully defended over 100 fact witness depositions to create a record that supported the simultaneous filing of six separate motions for summary judgment within days of the close of fact discovery. They effectively briefed all six motions and secured six judgments in favor of the school district, finding that there was no triable question of fact as to whether the district was on constructive notice of its employee’s misconduct as to any of the separate claims of abuse. The grant of summary judgment avoided the need for what would have been six separate trials.

This achievement was made possible by the unwavering dedication and seamless teamwork of the Tressler team, highlighting the firm’s collaborative approach to client service.

Congratulations to Rosa and the entire team!

Rosa M.Tumialán is a partner and Co-Chair of Tressler’s Insurance Services Practice Group, Chair of the Appellate Practice Group, and a member of the firm’s national Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Rosa focuses her practice on insurance coverage and litigation. She is an accomplished defense attorney with more than twenty years of experience. Rosa’s insurer-related services include coverage opinion analysis and representing insurers in complex coverage disputes relating to personal and commercial lines, third-party claims, surplus lines, as well as claims handling practices and extracontractual liability. She has also litigated environmental coverage disputes throughout the Midwest for various insurers relating to superfund sites. Rosa assists with drafting coverage documents for insurance pools and counsels clients in the administration of same. Her practice also includes serving as national coordinating coverage counsel for insurance clients who rely on her to develop and implement strategies nationwide in response to pattern litigation. Rosa is an accomplished class action defense lawyer and appellate practitioner, having appeared and argued in both state and federal courts nationwide.

Rick Capra is Chair of Tressler’s Litigation Practice Group. Rick focuses his practice on the defense of insureds/insurers in the areas of transportation, products liability, toxic tort, and governmental tort immunity. Due to his in-house legal background and corporate insurance experience, Rick brings a deep knowledge of insurance programs and coverages. He provides insurance coverage counseling, and litigation services for a wide range of clients. Rick has successfully defended an extensive number of lawsuits involving fatalities, amputations, and serious bodily injuries. He also has significant experience in the defense of mass tort events. Rick has trial and appellate experience in both state and federal courts. He currently holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) certification in commercial insurance, a professional designation held by less than 5% of all property and casualty insurance professionals.

Charles “Chuck” A. LeMoine is a partner who provides client services in both Tressler’s Government and Litigation Practice Groups. He has a wide range of experience in representing school districts and other public entities in all aspects of federal and state litigation, arbitration, and other forms of dispute resolution. These include FOIA, OMA, breach of contract, civil rights, sexual abuse, premises liability, vehicular liability, construction-related claims, and insurance, employee benefits, and worker’s compensation, to name just a few. Chuck was asked to counsel clients on a number of unique issues facing school districts during the COVID crisis. He was directly involved in representing more than 25 Illinois school districts in connection with the Mask Mandate Class Action litigation that was finally resolved in 2022. Chuck regularly counsels school districts on risk management topics and accident prevention, and has been invited to speak to school staff on the prevention of staff-on-student sexual abuse. Chuck is also a regular speaker for the annual IASBO Risk Management Academy on the topic of construction contracts for School Board Officials.

Jerome T. Murphy serves his clients in a variety of complex litigated matters involving governmental tort defense, breach of contract, and commercial disputes, indemnity, and contribution claims, toxic tort litigation, and defense of personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home, and wrongful death suits. Jerome also represents buyers and sellers in real estate transactions. Jerome has successfully defended various clients in both state and federal courts, and has trial and appellate experience.

Ryan L. Nolte is senior counsel and a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He handles a wide range of complex civil litigation matters spanning across several practice areas including insurance, commercial, and business. Ryan approaches litigation with an eye toward results; understanding that advancing his clients’ legal strategies should fit within their overall business interests. He has achieved success in the defense of his clients through the successful presentation of dispositive and limiting motions, settlement negotiations, and trial.

Adriana Bosco is an associate in Tressler’s General Defense Litigation Practice Group. Adriana concentrates her practice in the areas of tort, personal injury, and premises liability. In law school, Adriana was a member and staff editor of the UIC Law Review, and an Associate Justice on the Moot Court Honors Council. Adriana competed in the 2023 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Competition, where she was a Regional Finalist. For her work on the Moot Court Honors Council, Adriana was honored as a 2023 Order of Barristers Award Recipient.

Xander M. Landy is an associate attorney and member of Tressler’s Litigation Practice Group in Chicago. Xander focuses his practice on a wide range of complex civil litigation matters and has a depth of experience in the areas of general liability, including product defense and premise liability defense. He frequently handles trucking and transportation litigation, taking cases from inception to resolution. Xander also has experience defending against civil rights claims in Federal Court.

Alyssa N. Suareo is an associate attorney in the Insurance Practice Group. She focuses her practice on insurance coverage analysis and litigation. Alyssa provides comprehensive coverage analysis and defense in matters involving a wide range of policies, including commercial general liability coverage and professional liability coverage.

About Tressler LLP

Tressler LLP is an award-winning law firm with ten offices located in six states – California, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Trusted for more than 39 years, Tressler attorneys provide responsive client service, and creative, cost-effective solutions for a wide range of legal matters. Our firm has significant depth and experience in the resolution of disputes through mediation, arbitration, litigation, and trials. The majority of Tressler attorneys devote their practice to the representation of the insurance industry in coverage analysis, resolution, litigation, underwriting consultation, product development, claims management, and reinsurance. In addition, Tressler attorneys represent clients in commercial litigation, defense litigation, corporate transactions, government law, employment law, and litigation, intellectual property, and condominium and common interest community association law. Tressler is a Certified Great Place to Work© in the U.S.A.

For more information, please visit www.tresslerllp.com.