Delaware Litigation Attorneys

Casarino Christman Shalk Ransom & Doss, P.A. has thrived as the result of its unwavering commitment to providing exceptional representation in a professional, ethical and efficient manner. Our attorneys work as a team, utilizing the firm’s diverse knowledge base and resources to provide the sound counsel our clients demand – in and out of court.

Our civil litigation practice is broad, encompassing matters ranging from commercial bankruptcy to insurance disputes. Please see our practice areas overview page to learn more.

Contact us to schedule a consultation with a Delaware lawyer at Casarino Christman Shalk Ransom & Doss, P.A.

Directors

Stephen P. Casarino | Beth H. Christman | Kenneth M. Doss | Donald M. Ransom
Colin M. Shalk | Thomas P. Leff

Associate Attorneys

Matthew E. O'Byrne | Sarah C. Brannan | Joshua Meyeroff

STEPHEN P. CASARINO was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1941. He attended the University of Delaware for undergraduate study obtaining his B.A. in 1963 and studied law at Catholic University of America, receiving his LL.B. in 1966. He has been a member of the Bar of the State of Delaware since 1966. He is also admitted to practice in front of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He holds an AV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Following his service as a Captain in the United States Army from 1966 through 1968 he was an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Wilmington from 1968 through 1969. He has been in private practice in Wilmington, Delaware continuously since that time.

Mr. Casarino is a founding member and Director of the firm. His practice has involved civil litigation and appellate practice for more than 36 years. He is among the most experienced litigation attorneys in the State of Delaware and is a Fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the only attorney in Delaware to hold the rank of Diplomat in that organization, having handled more than 100 jury trials to verdict during his career. He served as President of the Delaware Chapter of the organization in 1997. In addition, he is a Bencher with the American Inns of Court (Rodney Chapter).

Mr. Casarino is a member of the Delaware State and American Bar Associations, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Defense Research Institute. He has been a Member of the Board of Directors of the Defense Counsel of Delaware since 1996 and served as President of the organization from 2000 to 2002. Mr. Casarino has served on the Delaware Superior Court Civil Rules Advisory Committee and the Delaware Superior Court Jury Instruction Project Committee. He is an active speaker at seminars on trial practice. [learn more]

COLIN M. SHALK was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1947. Following service in the United States Air Force from 1967 to 1971, he attended Ohio University and the University of Delaware, receiving a B.A., with high honors in 1974. He studied law at Dickinson School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1977. He has been a member of the Bar of the State of Delaware since January of 1978. He is also admitted to practice in front of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He holds an AV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Mr. Shalk is a founding member and Director of the firm. He has served as a Law Clerk to the Superior Court of the State of Delaware from 1977 to1978. He has been in private practice continuously since 1978. Mr. Shalk's experience has included extensive civil litigation in many areas as well as appellate practice. He is an Associate Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Barrister with the American Inns of Court (Rodney Chapter). He has served as an Associate Member of the Delaware Board of Bar Examiners, 1985-1988.

Mr. Shalk is a Member of the Delaware State Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute and the Defense Counsel of Delaware. He has spoken at numerous seminars on trial practice and related issues. [learn more]

BETH H. CHRISTMAN was born in Utrecht, The Netherlands in 1955. She received her B.A. from Central College in 1977 and studied law at The National Law Center at George Washington University, receiving her J.D. in 1980. She was initially admitted to the Bar in the District of Columbia and became admitted to the Bar of the State of Delaware in 1982. She is also a Member of the Bar in Pennsylvania. She has been admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the United States Supreme Court. She holds a BV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Ms. Christman has been in private practice in the State of Delaware continuously since 1982. She is a founding member and serves as Managing Director of the firm. Her practice has concentrated on civil litigation, defense matters and acting as local counsel in the Superior Court for the State of Delaware as well as the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

Ms. Christman is an Associate with the American Board of Trial Advocates. She is a member of the Defense Counsel of Delaware, the Defense Research Institute and is an Associate Member of the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association. Ms. Christman has served as a member of the Delaware Superior Court Civil Rules Committee. She has spoken at many seminars regarding trial practice and worker’s compensation. [learn more]

DONALD M. RANSOM was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1961. He attended the University of Delaware where he received his B.A. in 1984. He studied law at Villanova University School of Law, obtaining his J.D. in 1987. He was admitted to practice before the Bar in the State of Delaware in 1987 and in the State of Pennsylvania in 1988. In addition, Mr. Ransom is admitted to practice before the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Delaware and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He holds a BV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Mr. Ransom has been in private practice in Delaware since 1987. He joined the firm shortly after its inception. He is a director of the firm and leads its bankruptcy and creditors' rights practice. Mr. Ransom also regularly handles matters involving insurance fraud and bad faith.

Mr. Ransom is a Member of the American Bankruptcy Institute as well as the Delaware and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association Bankruptcy Litigation Committee and Bankruptcy Rules Committee. He is also a member of the U.S. District Court Federal Civil Panel, the Mediation Panel for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the Delaware Superior Court Mediation Panel. [learn more]

KENNETH M. DOSS was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1965. He attended the University of Virginia, obtaining his B.A. in 1987 and studied law at The T.C. Williams School of Law of the University of Richmond, receiving his J.D. in 1990. Mr. Doss was admitted to bar in the State of Delaware in 1990 and in the State of Pennsylvania in 1991. He is also admitted to practice in before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. He holds a BV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Mr. Doss is a Director of the firm and has been in private practice with the firm since 1990. His practice includes civil litigation, appellate work and handling insurance matters.

Mr. Doss is a member of the Delaware Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Defense Counsel of Delaware and the Defense Research Institute and is a Cooperating Attorney with Delaware Volunteer Legal Services. [learn more]

THOMAS P. LEFF was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, 1950. He attended Case Western Reserve University, obtaining his B.A. in 1972 and his M.F.A. in 1975. Following his first career of 17 years in academe as a professor of English and Drama he attended the University of Maryland Thurgood Marshall School of Law, receiving his J.D. in 1995. While at the University of Maryland, he served on the Maryland Law Review, from 1993 to 1995, acting as Notes and Comments Editor from 1994 to 1995.

Mr. Leff then served as a Law Clerk to the Superior Court of the State of Delaware from 1996-1998. He also acted as Reporter and General Editor for the first set of pattern jury instructions for the State of Delaware, entitled Pattern Jury Instructions for Civil Practice in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, (1997). He was admitted to bar in the State of Maryland in 1995 and in the State of Delaware in 1997. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. He holds a BV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register.

Mr. Leff is a Director of the firm and has been in practice with the firm since 1998. His practice involves civil litigation and insurance defense matters and Mr. Leff handles many of the firm's appellate matters. He is a Member of the Delaware State Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar Association. [learn more]

MATTHEW E. O’BYRNE was born in Willingboro, New Jersey in 1977. He attended the University of Delaware, obtaining his B.A. in 2000. He studied law at the Rutgers School of Law - Camden and received his J.D. in 2003.

Mr. O’Byrne was admitted to Bar of the State of Delaware in 2003 and the Bar of the District of Columbia in 2005. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association and American Bar Association. He is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association Bankruptcy Litigation Committee and Bankruptcy Rules Committee. His practice is concentrated in civil litigation. [learn more]

SARAH BRANNAN COLE was born in Washington, D.C., 1979; admitted to bar, 2005, Delaware; 2006, United States District Court for the District of Delaware.  Education: Bryn Mawr College (B.A., 2001); University of Maryland School of Law (J.D. 2005).  Extern, Delaware Court of Chancery (2004); Law Clerk, Family Court of the State of Delaware (2005-2006).  Member: Delaware State Bar Association, American Bar Association.

She is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association Bankruptcy Litigation Committee and Bankruptcy Rules Committee. [learn more]                                                                                 

JOSHUA MEYEROFF was born in New York, New York on April 15, 1982. He attended Franklin and Marshall College, obtaining his B.A. in 2004. He studied law at the Widener Univerisity School of Law and received his J.D. in 2007. Mr. Meyeroff served as the Wolcott Fellow to the Honorable Myron T. Steele, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, from 2006 to 2007. From 2007 to 2008, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Peggy L. Ableman of the Superior Court of the State of Delaware. He was admitted to the bar of the State of Delaware and the U.S. District Court for the State of Delaware 2007. In 2007, he was also admitted to the bar of the State of New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and in 2008 to the bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Meyeroff is a member of the American Bar Association and Delaware State Bar Association. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. [learn more]

Please contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our Delaware lawyers.

Casarino Christman Shalk Ransom & Doss, P.A. has been rated AV by the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating™ process*.

*CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies.