King & Spalding today announced that litigators Livia Kiser and Michael Shortnacy have joined the firm as partners in its Trial and Global Disputes practice group.

Kiser and Shortnacy, who will be based in the firm’s Chicago and Los Angeles offices, respectively, advise and defend clients in proposed consumer class actions and other civil litigation and regulatory matters.

“Liv and Michael’s practices and industry focuses support King & Spalding’s strategy of growing our national class action defense trial platform,” said Andy Bayman, head of King & Spalding’s Trial & Global Disputes practice group. “As companies’ business practices continue to be challenged through the courts, Liv and Michael will enhance our capabilities to help clients avoid or defeat class actions in California, Illinois and elsewhere.”

Zachary Fardon, office managing partner and head of litigation in the firm’s Chicago office, added: “Liv and Michael are leading class action litigators whose wealth of experience will add further depth to our benches in Chicago and the West Coast. Bringing Liv into the fold also reinforces the firm’s commitment to expanding our Chicago presence and platform. I have known Liv for years; she is a formidable litigator and a wonderful person. We’re proud to have her join our K&S team in Chicago.”

“Michael’s strength as a litigator and as a thought leader in the field of eDiscovery will be a significant boon to our clients,” said Peter Strotz, managing partner of King & Spalding’s Los Angeles office. “He also helps us meet the demand for skilled litigators in Los Angeles, one of the country’s busiest centers for commercial litigation. We are excited and proud to have Michael on board.”

Both new partners join King & Spalding from Sidley Austin.

Livia Kiser
Kiser has defended and advised businesses in various industries, including automotive, healthcare and food, on disputes including class actions that result from data security claims brought under state and federal privacy laws; regulatory compliance claims; economic product defects; and unfair competition in jurisdictions throughout the country. She also has a wealth of experience defending and resolving lawsuits alleging deceptive consumer practices as a result of purported false labeling and misleading marketing. Kiser regularly resolves cases at the earliest stages of litigation, even before a formal complaint is filed, through the use of creative strategies that make it difficult to resolve a dispute by going to trial. She received her B.A. from the University of Illinois, Phi Beta Kappa, and her J.D., cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

Michael Shortnacy
Shortnacy’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and disputes with an emphasis on defense of consumer protection actions, including private consumer class actions. He also counsels clients in all aspects of electronic discovery in litigation and civil investigations, including advising clients as to compliance with state and federal discovery obligations, and arguing claims of spoliation and defensibility of process. At Sidley, Shortnacy was a co-leader of its eDiscovery Task Force and a member of its Recruiting and Summer Associate Committees. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Southern California and his J.D., cum laude, from American University.

“What initially drew me to the firm is King & Spalding’s success in attracting lawyers of the highest caliber,” said Kiser. “I now know that this is due to the firm’s collegial and collaborative culture as well as the entrepreneurial spirit it encourages in its lawyers. Also, creating opportunities for the next generation of attorneys is important to me, and King & Spalding shares that goal. I am very enthusiastic about working with Zach to increase the firm’s platform and presence in Chicago, and working with peers who have litigated numerous major class action cases in jurisdictions across the country.”