Hannah Symonds defends ERISA claims, securities matters and professional liability cases. She has broad experience in motions practice, trials and appeals of civil actions, including complex cases in state and federal courts and multidistrict litigation. Hannah represents businesses, lawyers, government agencies and officials, and others in commercial, product liability, professional liability, civil rights and law enforcement liability actions as well as regulatory litigation. Hannah has been lead counsel on a variety of cases involving ERISA, employment and complex insurance coverage issues. She also has represented numerous employers and health care plans involved in health care provider disputes.
Hannah’s varied background in the practice of law – including criminal law during her first three years as an attorney – provides her with the ability to work with a broad spectrum of clients. Hannah’s focus for the past several years has been on the defense of claims involving disability and life insurance claims. She has extensive experience defending claims brought under ERISA in federal court nationwide. Hannah also has represented numerous clients in successfully negotiating settlements in provider dispute matters where contract terms are in dispute and where she uses her legal and personal skills to assist insurance and business clients with their legal needs.
Throughout her career, Hannah has represented clients on a pro bono basis. She volunteered for the Lucy Daniels Center for Children and for Wake Interfaith.
Areas of Focus
Appellate
Hannah is a member of Wilson Elser’s dedicated group of appellate attorneys throughout its office network who can step in and bring the litigation cycle to a satisfactory conclusion. She has mastered highly technical procedural rules and can give matters a thorough and big-picture review in preparation for appellate panels.
Employment & Labor
Hannah represents private- and public-sector employers in all aspects of federal and state employment discrimination laws. She handles cases arising under the spectrum of federal legislation and represents clients before administrative and judicial tribunals as well as state and federal administrative agencies and courts. Hannah often works “cross practice” with other functional areas within the firm as dictated by her clients’ needs. Hannah advises clients in all areas of employment discrimination, harassment avoidance, terminations, restrictive covenants, and executive employment agreements.
Life, Health, Disability & ERISA
Hannah defends cases involving claims for denial of severance and pension benefits, wrongful termination of disability benefits, denial of accidental death and dismemberment benefits, life insurance rescission and claims issues, wrongful discharge under ERISA, eligibility for ERISA medical benefits and medical provider insurance fraud.
Professional Liability & Services/Securities Industry Professionals
Hannah provides brokerage firms and investment advisers with focused, cost-efficient handling and defense of sensitive and complex matters in arbitration and litigation. As part of a national practice team, Hannah can use the combined knowledge of all the members of our Securities practice in defense of her clients.
Representative Matters
Obtained summary judgment in North Carolina Superior Court in a product liability case involving a distributor sued six years after completion of construction for providing alleged defective windows.
Represented an Oregon corporation in a federal trademark and patent dispute involving significant issues, including witness tampering.
Successfully defended a municipal entity regarding claim of violation of civil rights, due process, and equal protection resulting in the dismissal of all claims.
Represented a national insurance provider in a matter involving a fraud allegedly perpetrated by its agent on his clients.
Defended several police officers in the civil actions filed by athletes from a university involved in a criminal investigation.