Five Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. Attorneys Selected to 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List
Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C is pleased to announce that Jim Francis, Mark D. Mailman, John Soumilas, Joseph Gentilcore and David A. Searles have been selected to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list.
Jim Francis was again included on the Top 100 Super Lawyer list for both the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, having made both lists for the first time as the youngest lawyer named in 2004.
Jim was trial and appellate counsel in the landmark 2021 Supreme Court case Ramirez v. Trans Union. In 2014, Jim was profiled in Law 360’s Titans of the Plaintiff’s Bar series and awarded the Equal Justice Award by Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. He lectures for continuing legal education programs, law schools and community groups throughout the country, and has been a regular speaker for the National Association of Consumer Advocate and National Consumer Law Center for over 20 years. Jim has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list every year since 2004.
Mark D. Mailman received his Juris Doctor from the Temple University School of Law in 1995. He is admitted to practice before the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and District of New Jersey, as well as the state courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition, Mark has litigated cases across the country on a pro hac vice basis. He is also certified to serve as class counsel by state and federal courts in both contested and settlement class actions.
Serving as managing director and one of the firm’s co-founders, Mark has been a dedicated consumer litigator for over 24 years. He focuses his practice primarily in federal courts, specializing in fair credit reporting, fair debt collection, false employment and background checks, identity theft, and consumer class action lawsuits. In 2018, Mark was awarded the Consumer Attorney of the Year award from the National Association of Consumer Advocates. He has consistently lectured before judges, lawyers, and various professional organizations on the topics of fair debt collection and fair credit reporting litigation. Mark has been selected to Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyer every year since 2004.
John Soumilas, one of the firm’s shareholders, received his Juris Doctor cum laude from the Temple University School of Law in 1999. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits, the United States District Courts for the District of Colorado, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the District of New Jersey, as well as the state courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. John has also successfully litigated cases on a pro hac vice basis throughout the country.
John concentrates his practice in consumer class actions and other complex litigation matters. He litigates primarily in federal court on behalf of victims of identity theft, defamation and other harm caused by credit and background screening errors, harassment and deception by collectors and other businesses, as well as consumers subjected to unwelcome invasions of their privacy, fraud, deception, or unfair trade practices.
John has been nationally recognized for his work in protecting consumer rights under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Throughout his career, John has secured some of the biggest consumer jury verdicts, including the highest known FCRA verdicts in Pennsylvania, California, and Michigan. This is John’s ninth consecutive year being named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List. Also, John was trial and appellate counsel in the landmark 2021 Supreme Court case Ramirez v. Trans Union.
Joseph Gentilcore earned his Juris Doctor at the Temple University School of Law and is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is also admitted to numerous federal courts throughout the United States. Joseph concentrates his practice on Fair Credit Reporting Act cases and other consumer protection matters, under both state and federal law. He specializes in cases against credit card companies, banks, debt collectors, mortgage servicers, and background check companies.
Joseph has devoted much of his career to representing individuals who have been wronged by large financial entities. A passionate advocate for his clients, Joseph has helped hundreds of consumers receive compensation from the corporations that have harmed them. Joseph’s expertise has led him to lecture on a variety of topics, including background checks, credit reporting inaccuracies, and mortgage fraud. He was named to Pennsylvania’s Rising Star list from 2013 to 2021 before being selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list.
David A. Searles, of counsel to the firm, received his Juris Doctor at the American University School of Law in Washington, D.C. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth and Sixth Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the District of Maryland, the District of Colorado, the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Eastern District of Pennsylvania, as well as the state courts of Pennsylvania. David specializes in consumer law, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and consumer class action litigation.
David has served as lead counsel and presented arguments in multiple consumer law cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In 2005, he was honored with the Equal Justice Award at the Community Legal Services Breakfast of Champions for his dedication to directing funding for legal assistance for low-income residents of Philadelphia. David also served as the Pennsylvania contributor to Survey of State Class Action Law and as a contributing author of Pennsylvania Consumer Law in 2010. He has taught advanced bankruptcy law, and business law at several law schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. David has also served as co-chair of the Education Committee of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference. This the ninth time David has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list.
The Super Lawyer multiphase selection process involves a combination of peer recognition and professional achievements, using peer reviews and independent research. Super Lawyers highlights attorneys on a state-by-state basis in over 70 different practice areas and includes evaluations of their courtroom performance as well as pro bono work.
Consumers can face numerous hardships from aggressive credit card companies to identify theft and fraud. The experienced consumer litigation attorneys at Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. have the track record to handle these cases. Call 215-735-8600 today or contact us online. Located in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, the firm serves clients nationwide.