Lisa Michelle Kömives

Partner

340-774-4422 | lkomives@dnfvi.com

BIOGRAPHY

Bar Admissions:

United States Virgin Islands
Florida

Education:

University of Miami School of Law
J.D, 2005, with honors
Bryn Mawr College, B.A., History of Art, 1998, with honors

Concentration:

Complex Commercial Litigation
Wrongful Termination
Employment Discrimination
Intellectual Property
Products Liability
Creditors’ Rights
Personal Injury Defense
Class Action Defense
Premises Liability

Lisa grew up in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands and attended Bryn Mawr College for her undergraduate degree, graduating with honors. After graduating from the University of Miami School of Law, also with honors, she spent four years practicing law in Miami, including at a large national firm, before moving back to St. Thomas in 2010 to be closer to her family. Upon her return, she joined a large St. Thomas firm. In May of 2015, Lisa joined Dudley, Topper and Feuerzeig, LLP, the predecessor to Dudley Newman Feuerzeig LLP.

While in law school at the University of Miami, Lisa was a law review editor, the author of a published law review article, on the Dean’s List, recipient of two Dean’s Awards for excellence in legal scholarship and a member of the Moot Court Board.

After Lisa graduated from law school, she began practicing law in Miami with a boutique litigation handling matters in both state and federal court. Seeking additional practice experience, Lisa then moved to a large national firm and continued to work in both state and federal court, including defending a statewide class action lawsuit against a multinational corporation.

Since returning to the Virgin Islands, Lisa has concentrated her practice in the areas of employment discrimination, wrongful termination, intellectual property, products liability and personal injury defense.

Lisa has a proven track-record of success in all aspects of her litigation practice, from oral argument—including before the federal Third Circuit Court of Appeal—to brief writing, arbitration, mediation and settlement negotiations.

Lisa routinely appears on behalf of her clients before administrative agencies and in territorial and federal court. She has also testified before the Virgin Islands Legislature on behalf of a multinational corporation advocating the passage of new legislation.

In addition to representing clients in court and before administrative agencies, Lisa helps clients negotiate solutions to problems that can be resolved without litigation. However, if pre-suit resolution is not possible, Lisa counsels clients though all stages of litigation, including comprehensive early counseling designed to maximize the chances of succeeding in court, and strategic counseling throughout the litigation process itself. Lisa also counsels clients on risk management strategies, including how to reduce their potential exposure to lawsuits and how to shift the risks and expenses of litigation away from themselves through, among other things, liability waivers, indemnity agreements, third-party contracts and insurance.

In 2010, Lisa was selected by the American Bar Association as a presenter/panelist for an ABA seminar (CLE) on the lack of federal voting rights for U.S. citizens residing in US territories, the subject of her law review article.

Additionally, Lisa recently served a two year term on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of St. Thomas.

REPORTED DECISIONS PRIOR TO JOINING DUDLEY NEWMAN FEUERZEIG LLP (SELECTED):

Fair Wind Sailing, Inc. v. Dempster, 764 F.3d 303 (3d Cir. 2014).

MRL Dev. I, LLC v. Whitecap Inv. Corp., 85 U.C.C. Rep. 2d (D.V.I. 2014).

Whitecap Inv. Corp. v. Putnam Lumber & Exp. Co., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66349 (D.V.I. May 9, 2013).

Whitecap Inv. Corp. v. Putnam Lumber & Exp. Co., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39413 (D.V.I. March 21, 2013).

PUBLICATIONS:

Comment: Enfranchising a Discrete and Insular Minority: Extending Federal Voting Rights to American Citizens Living in United States Territories, 36 U. Miami Inter-Am. L. Rev. 115.

BLOG ENTRIES:

Arbitration Agreements: Will the Federal Arbitration Act Independently Apply to Limit the Time to Appeal a U.S. Virgin Islands Arbitration Award?