Hagens Berman Promotes Three Attorneys to Partner in 2025

Feb 19, 2025 | View Case Page
Firm recognizes notable contributions of three lawyers in plaintiffs’ antitrust, personal injury and financial fraud litigation

SEATTLE — Hagens Berman, one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs’ law firms, promoted to partner three attorneys across its U.S. offices, recognizing their tenacity and dedication to the firm’s clients in class actions, spanning consumer protection, personal injury and negligence cases, complex financial fraud and more.

  • Shelby R. Smith practices at Hagens Berman’s Seattle office and plays an integral role in multiple practices across the firm, including automotive defect class actions, complex antitrust and sexual harassment. She was on the team representing current and former students of the University of Southern California in a class-action lawsuit against the university and its then on-campus gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall, for alleged decades-long sexual abuse of patients. That lawsuit led to a $215 million settlement for survivors. In addition, she was part of the team that represented nationwide consumers in In re Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation which led to a settlement valued at over $14 billion in the wake of Volkswagen’s widespread emissions fraud. 
  • Raffi Melanson plays a key role in Hagens Berman’s nationwide work prosecuting financial fraud cases against publicly traded companies and associated financial institutions. He is currently part of the team prosecuting In re Hyzon Motors Inc. Securities Litigation on behalf of investors who suffered losses after the company allegedly misled the public about their core products. In 2024, he was part of the team that secured a $12 million partial settlement for investors in In re Vaxart, Inc. Sec. Litig., and helped obtain class certification for investors’ remaining insider trading claims against Vaxart’s hedge fund backer, Armistice.
  • Abby Wolf, based at the firm’s Berkeley office, advocates on behalf of consumers and workers in complex antitrust cases. Currently, she is part of the team working on behalf of the consumer class in In re Cattle Antitrust Litigation against the country’s four largest beef processors, and on behalf of purchasers in In re Turkey Antitrust Litigation against the major turkey processors. She is also part of the team working on the “Red Meat” wage-fixing case on behalf of beef and pork processing workers which has led to the court preliminarily approving more than $200 million in settlements, and she continues to fight for workers against additional defendants.

Find out more about Hagens Berman’s legal victories and class-action settlements.

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About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation law firm with a tenacious drive for achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. Since its founding in 1993, the firm’s determination has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw

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