Herlihy Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP is pleased to announce that Kim Herlihy, a partner in the firm’s Columbus office and a member of the litigation group, has been inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL).  The ACTL is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada and is widely considered to be the premier professional trial organization in America.

“With her induction, Kim joins a small group of eight current and retired Vorys partners who have been selected as fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers,” said Russ Gertmenian, Vorys’ managing partner.  “Our firm has nearly 375 attorneys, so this is a remarkable accomplishment for Kim.” 

Founded in 1950, fellowship in the ACTL is extended by invitation only, and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality.  Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for fellowship.

“Kim’s a greatly respected trial lawyer.  Her induction into the College further evidences both her talent and her experience inside and outside of the courtroom,” said Bill Porter, chair of the Vorys litigation group and an ACTL fellow.  “We couldn’t be more excited for her.”

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5800 members in the United States and Canada, including active fellows, emeritus fellows, judicial fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and honorary fellows.

Herlihy has a varied litigation practice and extensive trial experience, with a focus on commercial litigation. She has tried a broad range of commercial cases in state and federal courts, including trademark, domain name and copyright infringement, real estate transfers, wrongful death, and commercial contract cases. Recently, Herlihy has focused her practice on litigating antitrust, intellectual property, franchise and insurance coverage issues facing the firm's business clients.

Herlihy has presented seminars on various litigation and trial advocacy topics, including the use of demonstrative evidence, deposition techniques and expert witnesses. She is also an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, teaching trial advocacy, and she regularly serves as a mock judge in trial and appellate competitions in Ohio.

Herlihy received her J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif.  She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Boston College.  She lives in Grandview Heights, Ohio, with her husband James and her four children.

About Vorys: Vorys was established in 1909 and currently has nearly 375 attorneys in seven offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Houston, Texas; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine.