Stephen E. Raynes

Stephen Raynes has distinguished himself in his representation of clients in serious injury and wrongful death cases, often in high profile cases, which he has done with a sensitivity and commitment to confidentiality. He has achieved million dollar and multi-million dollar recoveries on behalf of his individual clients more than 100 times in the areas of general personal injury, medical malpractice and product liability, including countless eight-figure recoveries. In 2019 alone, through trials and settlements, he secured in excess of $34 million on behalf of his clients, including a record settlement in a medical malpractice case in one of the most conservative counties in Pennsylvania.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which are recognized as the preeminent organizations of trial lawyers in North America, and has been inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates, a nationally recognized organization of distinguished trial lawyers. He has repeatedly been selected to the top 100 Super Lawyers list not only in Philadelphia but throughout Pennsylvania. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers of America for over 15 years and in recognition of being the lawyer with the highest overall peer feedback was named Best Lawyers’  2017 Philadelphia “Lawyer of the Year” for medical malpractice law – plaintiffs. He was named by "Lawdragon" Magazine as one of the 500 best plaintiff's lawyers in the United States.

Mr. Raynes has represented victims in some of the highest profile cases locally and nationally. He was the lead lawyer representing the most severely injured child who was sexually abused by Jerry Sandusky in the case against Penn State and Sandusky; he served as the lead lawyer for one of the most severely injured passengers in the recent tragic Amtrak accident; he served as co-counsel for the family of the late Olympic Wrestler David Schultz who was shot and killed by John du Pont; and he served as co-counsel in the representation of victims and their families in numerous fatal aviation accidents in the United States and internationally.

Mr. Raynes has advanced the law on behalf of injured victims in Pennsylvania’s appellate courts including in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  In the case of Toney v. Chester County Hosp., 36 A.3d 83 (Pa. 2011), Mr. Raynes convinced the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to significantly expand the responsibility of doctors to provide accurate information to patients. The Toney case is one of the most important pronouncements of the boundaries of a negligent infliction of emotional distress claim under Pennsylvania Law.

Mr. Raynes’ commitment to the community at large and to injured individuals extends beyond the Courtroom. From 2013 through 2015, Mr. Raynes led a pro bono Campaign against the Canadian Government on behalf of the then 94 living Canadian Thalidomide survivors. The Campaign gained national attention in the Canadian press and led a historic unanimous vote by the Canadian Parliament and the securing of a $250 million dollar fund for the Canadian Thalidomide survivors. Of the 56,000 members of the American Association for Justice, Mr. Raynes was the recipient of the 2019 Pro Bono Award for his leadership of the Campaign. In addition, Mr. Raynes and his wife Liz have funded the construction of a home to accommodate American physicians and nurses who travel to a Tanzanian medical center to provide volunteer medical services. 

*The Best Lawyers in America 2010. Copyright 2009 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC

**AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.