Laura N. Steel

Laura Steel (Partner-Washington, D.C.) and Pernell Choren (Associate-Washington, D.C.) obtained dismissal of a multimillion-dollar wrongful death case filed in Prince George’s County, Maryland, against the firm’s client, a private security company, alleging inadequate security in an apartment complex. The lawsuit arose out of the multiple shooting deaths of a mother and a daughter inside their apartment by a known acquaintance, the daughter’s on-again-off-again boyfriend. The plaintiffs brought their wrongful death and survival action against three entities – the security consultant, the landlord and the property management company – alleging failure to provide adequate security in a case with potential exposure in excess of $4 million. After months of factual and expert discovery, Laura and Pernell filed a comprehensive motion for summary judgment on the grounds that (1) plaintiffs lacked the requisite expert testimony, (2) there is no duty to protect tenants inside their own privately leased apartment and (3) there was no foreseeability or causation as a matter of law. Plaintiffs failed to file an opposition, conceding the dispositive issues, and ultimately Laura and Pernell were able to convince plaintiffs’ counsel to dismiss the security consultant with prejudice.