Laurie handles premises liability matters for retail facilities, daycare centers, amusement parks, and individuals. Laurie is also a certified arbitrator in Philadelphia.
Prior to joining Marshall Dennehey, Laurie served as a law clerk to the Honorable Gene D. Cohen in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County where she wrote judicial opinions, observed trials, and prepared lecture materials for the National Judicial College.
Laurie is a graduate of Temple University School of Law and Ursinus College.
Significant Representative Matters
- Obtained a defense verdict in a lawsuit alleging that the defendant set off a firework that struck an 11 year old girl on her back, resulting in second degree burns and permanent scarring. Plaintiffs alleged through two independent eyewitnesses that the defendant was the perpetrator, though the defendant was acquitted in his criminal trial. The jury was not permitted to hear any evidence regarding the criminal trial, and the jury was not allowed to know that the defendant was acquitted. The jury found that the defendant was not negligent.
- Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligent supervision by daycare facility of five-year-old child who sustained a severe fracture to his arm. Plaintiffs alleged that daycare employee was not properly "spotting" the child while he swung on the monkey bars at a local playground. Jury found defendant was not negligent because child had swung on monkey bars before without "spotting" and employee was standing just several feet away. Plaintiffs were awarded $40,000 at initial arbitration.
- Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligence by amusement park for failing to provide a safe egress for adult on a water slide. Plaintiffs alleged that amusement park did not provide adequate assistance to adult patron who was unable to exit an inner tube and who hit her head on the bottom of the pool. Jury found defendant was not negligent because of videotape showing many patrons using same attraction without incident and plaintiff was responsible for her own incident. Plaintiffs were awarded $15,000 at initial arbitration.
- Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligence by amusement park for failing to provide a safe environment for five-year-old child on an "attractive nuisance" staircase. Plaintiffs alleged that amusement park did not provide sufficient padding in and around a staircase featuring a prominent television character. Jury found defendant was not negligent because defendant is not required to protect its patrons from mere accidents. Plaintiffs were awarded $8,500 at initial arbitration.
- Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging assault and battery by employees of retail facility during shoplifting incident. Plaintiff alleged that retail facility was negligent for allowing two of its employees to physically assault suspected shoplifters while questioning them. Jury found defendant was not negligent because plaintiff's evidence was not credible to support that such an assault even occurred, even though Plaintiff sustained an orbital fracture.
