Donathen, English Manning, US District Court Western District of New York

PHILLIPS LYTLE LLP PARTNERS JAMES D. DONATHEN, KEVIN J. ENGLISH AND KENNETH A. MANNING SELECTED AS MEMBERS OF UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK MEDIATOR PANEL

Buffalo, N.Y. – Phillips Lytle LLP Partners James D. Donathen, Kevin J. English and Kenneth A. Manning have been selected as members of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York (“the Court”) Mediator Panel.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a vehicle for encouraging earlier, less costly resolutions of disputes than are otherwise attainable by trial. Mediation is the primary ADR intervention utilized under the “Plan for Alternative Dispute Resolution in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York” (the ADR Plan).

All new civil cases filed in, or transferred to, the Court are referred automatically to mediation, unless expressly exempt by the ADR Plan. For all other civil cases, the ADR Plan provides that the presiding judge may refer the case to ADR, or that the parties may stipulate to the use of ADR.

Mr. Donathen has practiced in the area of workplace law and litigation for more than 30 years. He handles federal and state discrimination lawsuits and agency charges under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, and the N.Y. Human Rights Law, and investigates and litigates employee disloyalty matters, including covenants not to compete, trade secrets, confidential information, and theft of product.

Mr. English focuses on trial and appellate practice in both state and federal courts. He has significant experience litigating all aspects of personal injury matters, including products liability, workplace accidents and premises liability. Mr. English also has extensive commercial litigation experience, including corporate and contract disputes, as well as business torts.

Mr. Manning is leader of the firm’s Class Action, Education, and Government Operations Practice Teams. He has experience in bet-the-company corporate and commercial litigation, including dissolution proceedings, employment termination disputes, and controversies involving the sale of goods and services. In addition to personal injury and wrongful death claims involving products liability, workplace accidents, negligence, and environmental exposure experience, he has prosecuted and defended class actions in both state and federal courts, and has experience in challenges to governmental actions, including taxes and assessments, as well as actions for declaratory relief.