Chisara handles every phase of business disputes. She regularly represents clients from case inception through ultimate resolution, including trial, arbitration, settlement, and appeal.
Chisara offers a unique skill set from being on both sides of the docket, and has an ability to think strategically, and provide practical and reasoned advice. Within months of joining the Firm, she was asked to join a trial team, and she cross-examined witnesses in a federal antitrust litigation. Chisara first chaired a successful appeal with important implications on personal jurisdiction, and her courtroom arguments helped obtain the dismissal of fraudulent transfer claims filed against a high-end retailer.
Chisara has represented corporations, corporate officers, and individuals in diverse industries ranging from private equity, retail, energy, medical, entertainment, and other commercial sectors in a variety of complex business disputes, including:
- Breach of contract litigation;
- Breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and tortious interference litigation;
- Trade secret litigation and non-competition disputes;
- Business disparagement, defamation, and Anti-SLAPP litigation;
- Partnership disputes;
- Jurisdictional disputes;
- Advancement and indemnification;
- Trademark infringement litigation;
- Obtaining temporary restraining orders and injunctive relief; and
- Conducting all phases of discovery, including taking and defending depositions.
Chisara is licensed to practice law in Texas, New York, and New Jersey. Prior to joining Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann, Chisara was an associate at Fox Rothschild LLP in New York where she focused on intellectual property litigation and general litigation. Chisara works relentlessly to meet her client’s expectations and needs to deliver the best outcome for every case she handles.
Chisara previously worked as a legal intern for the United Nations Development Programme, and has lived and worked abroad in Ecuador and Liberia.
Max Tyler centers his practice on intellectual property matters involving trademarks, copyrights, domain names, and online fraud.
He has experience in investigating and enforcing against cybersquatters and spammers targeting multinational corporations in a broad range of industries. Max's practice experience includes managing comprehensive online enforcement programs and investigating online fraud and spam. Max's IP transactional experience includes coexistence agreements, copyright assignments, and licensing agreements.
Max has also represented pro bono clients on matters including COVID-19 compassionate release litigation under the First Step Act of 2018, and litigation before the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) arbitration panel for a global human rights organization.
Max earned his J.D. from Emory University School of Law. While in law school, he was selected as an inaugural member of the Google Legal Summer Institute, a program designed to expose law students to intellectual property practice areas. Max also worked for the Georgia Innocence Project, where he worked to help correct and prevent wrongful convictions in Georgia. Prior to entering the legal field, Max received his M.S. in journalism from Columbia University and worked as a reporter and senior researcher for ESPN The Magazine.
Luke Apfeld represents clients in all facets of commercial litigation. Prior to joining Keker, Van Nest & Peters, Mr. Apfeld served as a law clerk to Judge John Owens of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and to Judge Andrew Carter of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Apfeld earned his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and a B.A. in English and Sociology from the University of Vermont. During law school he served as a legal intern with the San Francisco City Attorney's Office and a volunteer with the East Bay Community Law Center's youth defender clinic. Mr. Apfeld played NCAA basketball and was a starting power forward with the University of Vermont. He has served as an assistant coach for Scripps Ranch High School boys varsity basketball team in San Diego and as a coach for the Golden State Warriors youth development program in Oakland.
Ahmad Awadalla is a litigation associate and trial attorney who has tried cases to verdict. His practice focuses on the defense of complex general liability matters, including claims involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and other negligence-based personal injury actions. He represents insurers, businesses, and individual clients in litigation in both state and federal courts.
Ahmad has experience in all phases of civil litigation, including written discovery, depositions, motion practice, arbitration, and trial preparation. He regularly conducts depositions of fact witnesses, corporate representatives, and expert witnesses, and prepares witnesses for testimony in both jury trials and arbitration proceedings. His motion practice experience includes drafting and arguing dispositive motions, motions in limine, and discovery motions that have narrowed issues and positioned cases for favorable resolution. He has also secured favorable outcomes for clients in binding arbitration through strategic witness examination and evidentiary presentation.
Ahmad approaches litigation with a strategic and practical mindset, focusing on early case evaluation, targeted discovery, and effective courtroom advocacy. Drawing on his trial experience, he develops clear, evidence-based defense strategies designed to challenge liability and limit exposure for his clients.
Education: American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 2019; University of The District of Columbia, B.A., 2012.
Practices: Casualty; Construction & Labor; General Liability.
Admissions: Pennsylvania; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Industries: Auto, Trucking & Transportation; Retail, Restaurants & Hospitality.