Author: Tej Joshi

Partner Christopher D. Smith Named to Benchmark Litigation’s Benchmark 40 and Under US 2026 List

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Bailey Glasser partner Christopher D. Smith has earned a spot on Benchmark Litigation’s Benchmark 40 and Under US 2026 List, which recognizes leading litigators aged 40 and younger across the country. Chris is recognized for his appellate, commercial, and defense work and this marks his second consecutive year receiving this honor.

According to Benchmark Litigation, the 2026 guide is the most comprehensive to date, featuring 615 lawyers. The publication describes the honorees as among the “best and brightest litigators” in the United States and the country’s “top emerging talent in litigation.”

This recognition is fitting for Chris, as he is handling two closely watched significant matters on behalf of the West Virginia Board of Education where he is leading litigation in West Virginia to protect schoolchildren concerning the state’s 80-year-old mandatory vaccination statute which requires all students to be vaccinated in order to attend public schools. West Virginia allows medical exemptions to the vaccine requirements for students whose health would be compromised by vaccines, like immunocompromised students.  It is the only state which has never allowed religious exemptions. The litigation has received nationwide attention, including from The New York Times who quoted Chris about the case. He was also a featured panelist at the 2025 Public Health Law Conference, where he discussed legislative and judicial trends affecting vaccine policy.

In addition to his appellate and commercial litigation work, Chris has a deep and longstanding commitment to legal education and community service. This fall, he returned to his alma mater, the West Virginia University College of Law, to teach Appellate Advocacy and help train the next generation of lawyers. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Daymark Inc., a West Virginia nonprofit providing housing, education, career training, and critical support to young people experiencing homelessness or transitioning to independent adulthood.

In addition to this recognition, Chris has been named a Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation, a Best Lawyers Ones to Watch® in numerous categories, and more.  To learn more about Chris, please click HERE.

We appreciate Benchmark Litigation naming Chris to this list and congratulate all recipients of this recognition across the country.

BG Recognizes National Diaper Awareness Week

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One in two U.S. families struggles to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry, and healthy.

As we recognize National Diaper Need Awareness Week from September 14 through 20, 2026, we urge support of local and national diaper banks for this large need across the country.

Bailey Glasser litigation partner Mark Boyko works to address diaper need in the St. Louis region. As a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and as Missouri State Representative for District 90, he sponsored House Bill 633 in 2025. The legislation reduced Missouri’s state sales tax on child and adult diapers, as well as feminine hygiene products.

“Diapers are a basic necessity, not a luxury. Donating diapers or supporting a diaper bank is a direct and meaningful way to help families protect their children’s health, dignity, and well-being,” said Mark.

This week, please consider donating diapers, training pants, or funds to the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank or a diaper bank in your own community. Find more information at these links:

St. Louis Diaper Bank here.
National Diaper Bank Network here.

Parav Patel Joins Bailey Glasser’s Corporate Practice Group in Washington, D.C.

Parav’s work focuses on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and investment transactions, corporate governance, and other commercial matters.

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Bailey Glasser warmly welcomes Parav Patel as she joins our Corporate Practice Group in our Washington, D.C. office.

Parav brings an extensive corporate and transactional background to the firm. She advises buyers, sellers, investors, startups, and growth-stage companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and investment transactions, corporate governance, and other commercial matters. Her experience includes private placements, preferred equity financings, convertible notes, strategic investments, and the formation and operation of private equity and venture capital funds.

“Parav brings sophisticated transactional experience, sound business judgment, and a valuable international perspective to our Corporate Practice Group,” said Jonathan S. Deem, Corporate Practice Group Leader. “Her experience advising companies throughout their lifecycles will be a tremendous asset to our clients. Her deep familiarity with both the U.S. and Indian markets will strengthen our ability to serve clients exploring cross-border opportunities. We are delighted to welcome her to Bailey Glasser.”

Before joining Bailey Glasser, Parav was in private practice and  served as in-house counsel to a technology venture studio and its portfolio companies. In that role, she advised businesses at various stages of development on transactional, governance, and commercial matters. This experience gives her a practical, business-oriented approach focused on understanding each client’s commercial objectives and delivering solutions that support both immediate transactions and long-term growth.

She earned her J.D. from Emory University School of Law and her dual degrees in business administration and law, with honors, from Nirma University’s Institute of Law in Ahmedabad, India. Parav is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and India.

Her fluency in English, Gujarati, and Hindi, together with her legal training and experience in both countries, positions her to help Indian businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors build connections and pursue opportunities in the United States.

Bailey Glasser Wins Federal Appeal in $40 Million Fraud Case 

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Bailey & Glasser, LLP won an appellate affirmance of a $40 million federal jury verdict on behalf of the Trustee of the MTE Litigation Trust, whose beneficiaries are financial institutions that lent nearly $500 million to MTE Holdings before that company’s 2019 bankruptcy. This matter held former company officers accountable for knowingly misrepresenting MTE’s financial condition to obtain continued access to loan proceeds.

At trial, Bailey Glasser showed that the lenders had been intentionally defrauded and recovered substantial compensation for the trust. On appeal, it established that the jury determinations were consistent and supported by substantial evidence. It also showed that the economic-loss rule did not bar the fraud claims.

In July 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit rejected the defendants’ arguments against the verdict and affirmed in full, meaning the $40 million jury verdict stands.

The Bailey Glasser trial team consisted of partners Cary Joshi, Elliott McGraw, John Turner, and now-retired partner Robert Bell, along with paralegal Manny Rios. Partner Joshua I. Hammack led the appellate team, which also included lawyers Allison A. Bruff, Hallie H. Arena, and Stephen C. Scott.

“The plaintiff’s interests have been vindicated,” said Cary Joshi after the original 2024 trial. “Our client knew they had been defrauded and the jury knew it, too.”

Read more about the 2024 jury trial win at this link.

The appellate case is Thomas B. Bennett, Trustee for the MTE Litigation Trust v. Mark Siffin, No. 25-50217, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Alexandra Calton Elevated to New AAJ Leadership Position

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Bailey Glasser litigator Alexandra J. Calton continues in leadership with the American Association for Justice’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Section, moving from Secretary to Membership Liaison. In this position, Alexandra will drive strategic initiatives to expand and deepen engagement across the Section’s current and prospective membership.

Based in Bailey Glasser’s Birmingham, Alabama office, Alexandra is a member of the firm’s award-winning Mass Torts Practice Group. She represents individuals and class members harmed by defective firearms, medical devices, pharmaceutical drugs, and sexual abuse. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and as a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40.

The AAJ Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Section addresses significant issues involving pharmaceutical products and medical devices, including orthopedic implants, prescription-drug side effects, manufacturer and distributor liability, federal preemption, class actions, and multidistrict litigation. The Section also provides members with educational resources, professional connections, and access to litigation groups focused on specific drugs, devices, and emerging areas of litigation.

Alexandra has been an active member of AAJ and previously served on the New Lawyers Division: Publications Committee and Professional Development Committee. Her present appointment as Membership Liaison reflects her continued leadership within AAJ and her commitment to building a strong and engaged community of trial lawyers nationwide.

Learn more about Alexandra Calton and her work click here.