Murnane Brandt's Steven J. Kirsch and Chris G. Angell have successfully led a corporate client of the firm to victory in a murder case involving a former employee who committed murder and sexual assault. Relatives of the deceased sued the firm’s client in connection with the case, asserting claims of vicarious liability, negligent hiring, and negligent retention.

The Murnane Brandt defense team moved swiftly to dismiss claims against the client. The federal Judge granted the firm's Rule 12(c) motion in its entirety, dismissing

1) the claim of vicarious liability since the employee's conduct had not occurred within the work-related limits of time and place,

2) the negligent hiring claim on the grounds that the employee's employment as a construction laborer did not create a foreseeable risk of harm to the public; and

3) the negligent retention claim because there were no allegations that the employer learned facts during employment that made it foreseeable that the employee would engage in the criminal conduct in question.

Steve and Chris are accomplished litigators, both concentrating a portion of their practices to defending employers in complicated employment litigation, including harassment and discrimination lawsuits, and defamation disputes.