Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with Karl Amelchenko, an attorney with Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay to discuss the firm’s ongoing collaborations with smaller law firms in the pursuit of justice.
AALM: Tell us a bit about the firm and your role within the firm.
KA: Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay launched in May 2025 as a national plaintiff’s law firm, and I am one of the senior partners. A significant portion of our practice involves actions where hundreds or thousands of people have been harmed, resulting in class actions and mass arbitrations. This is where we often become a valuable partner to smaller firms.
AALM: Why is collaborating with smaller firms important to you?
KA: We are a diverse group with offices across the country, and headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. In some ways, our offices operate like a small firm, but collectively we have the resources and capabilities of a larger organization.
Many of us experienced working at smaller firms, having a strong case but lacking the resources to fully develop it – being outspent and outgunned. We never want to see a deserving client or a talented attorney forced to abandon a great case because the defendant has deeper pockets.
AALM: What do you offer small firms and solo practitioners in collaborative efforts?
KA: We offer the experience, infrastructure, and financial resources to go head-to-head with large corporations and national defense firms. This includes litigation financing, expert development, claimant acquisition, notice programs, arbitration administration, national coordination, marketing support, and jurisdictional knowledge and licensure. We have built systems to prosecute matters involving thousands of claimants across multiple jurisdictions.
Smaller firms continue representing their client while accessing resources that would be difficult or impossible to develop independently.
AALM: Can you give an example of a case collaboration with a smaller firm?
KA: We had a catastrophic injury case that originated with a smaller firm. The attorneys developed a strong liability case and earned the trust of the client, but the matter required substantial resources to maximize
value.
We joined as co-counsel, working alongside the originating firm on litigation strategy, expert development, discovery, and case preparation. The originating firm remained actively involved throughout the representation and maintained the client relationship.
Together, we achieved an outstanding result we couldn’t have achieved as efficiently alone.
We see the same dynamic in mass arbitration. A firm may identify a strong legal theory affecting hundreds or thousands of consumers but lack the infrastructure to scale nationally. In those situations, we provide the systems, financing, and experience to take a case from a promising concept to a national action.
AALM: What is your firm’s approach to co-counsel relationships? How does this differentiate you from other firms?
KA: Our philosophy is simple: co-counsel are genuine partners.
If a firm brings us into a case, we expect them to remain involved. We share strategy, divide responsibilities, communicate regularly, and ensure everyone pulls in the same direction.
Co-counsel relationships are partnerships; everyone deserves a meaningful role. We believe the client benefits most when experienced attorneys work together rather than compete for control.
As a workhorse firm, we do the difficult and sometimes unglamorous work that complex litigation requires. Our co-counsel knows when we commit to a case, we are fully invested in moving it forward.
AALM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
KA: We are not a fit for every attorney or every case. We work best when attorneys share our belief that the client’s interests come first, and that litigation should be pursued thoughtfully, ethically, and aggressively when warranted.
AALM: If someone is interested in talking with you about a collaborative effort, what is your process?
KA: The earlier we can evaluate a potential collaboration matter, the more options are available. Reach out to any of our attorneys or contact me at [email protected].
For more information, visit brysonpllc.com.
