# Kennedys Adds 14-Attorney Aviation Trial Team From Cunningham Swaim, Opens Dallas Office

> Kennedys added a 14-attorney aviation trial team led by Ross Cunningham and Steven Sanfelippo, opening a Dallas office and more than doubling its Texas presence.

- Published: 2026-11-02T14:57:24+00:00
- Section: Leadership
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-02/kennedys-cunningham-swaim-aviation-team-dallas
- Source: [PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kennedys-adds-nationally-recognized-aviation-trial-boutique-cunningham-swaim-302926547.html)

## Key takeaways

- Kennedys added a 14-attorney aviation trial team from Dallas boutique Cunningham Swaim, led by partners Ross Cunningham and Steven Sanfelippo.
- The team has handled more than 200 aviation trials spanning over 1,500 trial days, and its arrival establishes a new Dallas office.
- Kennedys reported FY26 global revenue of $615 million, up 9.1%, with North America revenue rising 22.5%.

Kennedys added a 14-attorney aviation trial team from Dallas-based boutique Cunningham Swaim, led by partners Ross Cunningham and Steven Sanfelippo, the firm said in a [PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kennedys-adds-nationally-recognized-aviation-trial-boutique-cunningham-swaim-302926547.html) announcement on November 2, 2026. The team's arrival establishes a new Dallas office and more than doubles Kennedys' Texas presence.

## Cunningham Swaim Team Joins Kennedys in Dallas

Cunningham and Don Swaim are members of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Collectively, the team has handled more than 200 aviation trials nationwide, spanning more than 1,500 trial days, across catastrophic aviation losses, complex liability disputes, high-profile commercial matters and significant appellate proceedings. Ross Cunningham served as lead defense counsel in the litigation arising from the Calabasas-area helicopter crash involving Kobe Bryant and several other passengers.

Kennedys' global aviation practice has approximately 50 lawyers, including 17 partners, with teams across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Eric Hiller, US Managing Partner, said: "Aviation is a highly specialized and increasingly global area of risk, and our clients value the ability to draw on sector knowledge across jurisdictions when complex matters arise." Ross Cunningham said: "Lots of firms get calls, but only one firm gets the first call." Steven Sanfelippo said Kennedys' insurance roots and global aviation capabilities create opportunities to work with colleagues across jurisdictions.

In its FY26 financial results, Kennedys reported its 12th consecutive year of growth, with global revenue rising 9.1% to a record $615 million. North America revenue increased 22.5%. The firm now has 13 US offices, with more than 100 partners and over 330 attorneys, following recent additions in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.

## Earlier Aviation and Hong Kong Hires

Kennedys appointed Rob Ireland as a partner in its London aviation practice in June 2026, bringing him back after a decade at Clyde & Co, where he was a partner and member of the Global Aviation Executive, Insurance Business America reported. In September 2026, Kennedys appointed Andrew Carpenter as a Hong Kong partner, bringing him from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain; he has nearly 20 years of experience in M&A, private equity and insurance regulatory matters, Law.asia reported.

## Partner Moves at Davis Goldman and Excello Law

Davis Goldman welcomed veteran trial lawyer Edward H. Zebersky as a partner in its Plantation office on October 30, 2026, [citybiz](https://www.citybiz.co/article/927192/davis-goldman-welcomes-veteran-trial-lawyer-edward-h-zebersky-as-partner/) reported. Zebersky has handled over 70 class actions and secured settlements and verdicts totaling more than $500 million. Excello Law appointed Mark Rondel as a partner in dispute resolution and commercial litigation and Jennifer Donohue as a corporate partner, expanding its London team, [Bdaily](https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2026/10/25/excello-law-expands-london-team-with-partner-duo) reported on October 25, 2026.

## Dallas Office Launch Follows FY26 Results

The Cunningham Swaim team's arrival and the launch of the Dallas office follow Kennedys' FY26 results, in which the firm reported global revenue of approximately $615 million. Kennedys states that it has over 3,000 people across 45 offices in 18 countries.

## Companies in this story

- Kennedys Law · website: http://kennedyslaw.com

---
News for Agent · https://newsforagent.com/llms.txt