Thompson Coburn is pleased to announce the additions of litigation partners Adam Toosley in Chicago and Laura Ellis Kugler in Dallas. Toosley focuses on Business Litigation while Kugler joins the firm’s Mass Tort Litigation and Product Liability team.
Kugler has more than 30 years of experience litigating matters related to products, premises, employment and professional liability. Notably, she has served as national coordinating counsel for various defendants in asbestos and talc litigation and on the coordinating counsel for the liaison committee of the Texas asbestos multidistrict litigation since its creation over 20 years ago. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas. Toosley, with more than 20 years of experience, has handled a wide array of commercial disputes and transactions, primarily focusing on real estate litigation, zoning and land use, construction and financial services litigation.
“Laura and Adam are both strong advocates who understand the complexities and nuances of their clients’ most pressing issues,” said Laura Jordan, Chair of Thompson Coburn’s Litigation department. “As we continue to strategically grow our litigation bench across the country, their ability to navigate high-profile disputes will make them invaluable to our clients.”
In addition to her litigation practice, Kugler also has assisted clients with government relations work and advocacy. As a legislative consultant, she was integral in the effort to pass tort reform legislation in Texas. She joins Thompson Coburn from Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP.
“I’m energized to be joining Thompson Coburn in Dallas during such an exciting time for the office,” Kugler said. “The litigation environment in Texas is one of the nation’s busiest, and Thompson Coburn’s national platform and team of exceptional lawyers is the perfect place for me to tackle my clients’ most challenging disputes.”
In construction and real estate litigation, Toosley has handled cases under the Uniform Commercial Code, the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act and the Illinois Mortgage Foreclosure Law. He has represented lenders, owners, contractors and suppliers in disputes over payments, foreclosures, defects, fraud and bond claims in court, arbitration and mediation. In the area of lending and finance, he represents national lenders and loan purchasers in workouts, asset seizures, bankruptcy, collections and commercial agreements. Prior to joining Thompson Coburn, he was a partner at Smith Gambrell Russell.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Thompson Coburn and the firm’s highly respected litigation group,” Toosley said. “My goal is always to protect my clients’ interests and achieve the best possible outcomes, and working with the talented team here in Chicago and across the firm will strongly support that.”
Toosley and Kugler are the second and third litigation partners added by Thompson Coburn this month, joining Andrew McKeon in Los Angeles, who returned to the firm April 1. Other strategic lateral hires for the firm in 2025 include white collar litigator Errin Martin in Dallas, banking and commercial finance partner Fran Skoller in New York, business litigation partner Michael Educate in Chicago and intellectual property partner Olga Berson in Los Angeles.
Kugler earned her J.D. degree from Tulane University Law School and her Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University. Toosley has a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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