Super Lawyers - Southwest 2011

RICHARD GERRY
JOE
SCHENK
SHAWN
AIKEN

AIKEN SCHENK HAWKINS & RICCIARDI P.C.

AIKEN SCHENK: A TRUSTED LEGAL RESOURCE
FOR CLIENTS AND ATTORNEYS
In its third decade, Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi continues
to build on its stature as an essential legal resource to its
clients and to referring attorneys who entrust their clients to
Aiken Schenk’s care.
In addition to its hallmark expertise in commercial litigation,
personal injury litigation and bankruptcy, the firm offers
valuable legal skill in arbitration, mediation, dairy regulation,
election law and health care law.

During the last year, Aiken Schenk attracted celebrated tort lawyer Ty Taber and a newly admitted attorney, James Cool, who is nationally recognized for excellence in oral advocacy. They enhance a team that—in addition to 2011 Super Lawyers® selectees Shawn Aiken, Joe Schenk and Richard Gerry— includes Lamar Hawkins, Al Ricciardi, Phil Rupprecht, Steve Rich, Craig Van Voorhees, Chris Chicoine and André Merrett.

Shawn Aiken is ranked among Arizona’s Top 50 attorneys in Southwest Super Lawyers for the third straight year. His reputation in litigation and mediation stems from more than two decades of trying complex cases and conducting hundreds of arbitrations, mediations and settlement conferences. Aiken is an adjunct professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, a Litigation Counsel of America fellow, and certified in civil trial advocacy by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification.

Joe Schenk has won ground-breaking victories at trial and on appeal. In 2010 he won a multimillion-dollar jury verdict in a dispute among family members regarding control of a major Yuma company. The jury returned a unanimous verdict on every count submitted to the jury and awarded each of Schenk’s clients every dollar in damages requested. In addition, the jury awarded punitive damages to Schenk’s clients, including two who had requested equitable relief (rescission) rather than damages.

Richard Gerry is known for producing multimillion-dollar jury verdicts, particularly in claims involving public protection. In 2010, the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling in Gerry’s most recent jury verdict—a $36 million judgment in Graham v. ValueOptions—that mental health practitioners owe a duty to protect the public from mentally ill individuals who they should know are dangerous. This is the first case in the nation to uphold this duty when the patient was treated on an outpatient basis and the victim was a random member of the public.