Emily brings extensive litigation and trial experience, having served as trial counsel on dozens of matters in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland, including state and federal matters. Prior to joining Ongaro P.C., Emily worked at the world’s largest law firm, Dentons US LLP, where she oversaw active complex cases, working in conjunction with national coordinating counsel, expert witnesses, investigators, and consultants for fortune 100 and 500 companies. She has served as second chair in numerous trials, including four that were defense verdicts. Emily’s current practice concentrates on products liability, personal injury, premises liability, and mass tort matters. She also has overseen cases involving AI technologies, misappropriation of trade secret, and labor & employment. She was selected as a “Rising Star” in Northern California Super Lawyers magazine for seven consecutive years.
Emily graduated from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where she served as Chief Note & Comment Editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review, where she was published and received First Prize in the Nathan Burkan Memorial Writing Competition.
Prior to her legal career, Emily was a student-athlete at the University of Southern California, swimming as a scholarship athlete on the USC women’s swim team, which won the national championship in 1997. Emily was USC’s nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year (2000); President of USC Student Athlete Council (1999-2000); and Captain of USC Women’s Swim Team (1999-2000). In recent years, Emily has represented asylum-seekers as a volunteer for We the Action and successfully litigated the release of two immigrants from detention who were subsequently reunited with their families. Emily received the Amicus Mundi Award in June, 2020 for her pro bono efforts.
Publication:
- Mayer, Kevin & Emily Ayers Selman, Recent Product Liability Court Decisions, SGMA Press: http://www.sgma.com/calendar/lrmsnews/recsignifcantproductliabilityctdecisions
- Mayer, Kevin & Emily Ayers Selman, The Sophisticated User Doctrine Changes the Liability Landscape, SGMA Press: http://www.sgma.com/press/35_The-Sophisticated-User-Doctrine-Changes-the-Liability-Landscape
- Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review, Issue 1, fall 2003: https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/elr/vol24/iss1/8/
Significant Trial Victories:
- Mettias v. The Pep Boys Manny Moe & Jack of California et al., LASC No. B287831: https://casetext.com/case/mettias-v-pepboys-manny-moe-jack (Appellate Opinion)
- Bowen v. A.W. Chesterton Co., et al., LASC No. 372150