Top Rated Medical Malpractice Attorney in Charlottesville, VA

Honors/Awards:

• Martindale-Hubbell: AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating, indicating highest ethical standards and preeminent legal ability.The Best Lawyers in America: Lawyer of the Year, 2012, Medical Malpractice, Charlottesville

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Virginia Trial Lawyers Assoc. President 1017-2018 Virginia State Bar: Bar Council 2016- present; Litigation Section Chair, 2007-2008; Continuing Legal Education Board Chair, 2008-2009.  Boyd-Graves Conference Virginia Model Jury Instructions Committee  University of Virginia School of Law, Lecturer

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Legal Aid Volunteer, 1999-2006; Salvation Army Board 2002-2007; Elder, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1997-present.

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• Publications Editorial Advisory Board “Trial Preparation Tools,” Beth Driscoll Osowski, James Publishing, Incorporated (2009) Books Co-Author, Evidence for the Trial Lawyer, Curcio & Livingston, Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a member of the LexisNexis Group (2009). Articles “VTLA Members Open Message Windows Instead of Evidence Books for Quick Answers,” (a comprehensive summary of evidence topics covered on list serve) VTLA Journal, 2007. Qualifying Out-Of-State Experts on the Standard of Care in Medical Malpractice Cases:  Virginia's Sartorial Supreme Court and The Expert's White Coat, VTLA Journal, Winter 2004-2005. Republished in Litigation News, Spring 2005. Preparing Your Client for Deposition, VTLA Journal, Winter 2001; republished in Advocate, Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, April 2002, and The Briefcase, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Spring 2002. Lessons From the Masters: What I Wish I Had Known When I Started Practicing Law,VTLA Journal, Fall 2001. Twelve Tempting (But Improper) Closing Arguments,Litigation News, Winter 2000. The Work Product Doctrine and Discovery of Consulting Experts under Virginia Rules of Court, Litigation News, Winter 1995.  Lectures and Presentations: “Use of Medical Literature During Trial” Virginia Trial Lawyers Association October Continuing Legal Education, October 2009, Roanoke and Fairfax, Virginia. “Defamation” Charlottesville-Albemarle Legal Staff Association Monthly Luncheon, August 18, 2009, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Ethical Issues in Discovery and Discovery Disputes” Virginia CLE, Civil Discovery Institute, August 14, 2009, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Witness Preparation: What’s Essential, What’s Effective, What’s Ethical?” Virginia CLE Webcast, August 12, 2009, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Advanced Techniques in Cross-Examination:  Indirection, Misdirection, Degradation by Degrees, The Genius Dilemma and How to Avoid the Fatal One Question Too Many,” Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 50th Annual Convention, March 13, 2009, Williamsburg, Virginia. “Benitez Bluffing and Bashing Use and Mis-Use of Civil Sanctions in Light of New Guidance from the Virginia Supreme Court,” Virginia State Bar 35th Annual Midyear Legal Seminar, November 17, 2008, San Juan, Puerto Rico. “Medical Malpractice Law Update,” October 3, 2008, The Etheridge Society, Charlottesville, Virginia. “The Bermuda Triangle of New Litigation Pitfalls:  Sanctions, Waivers & Pleadings,” Moderator – R. Lee Livingston, Esq., Panel – The Honorable Elizabeth B. Lacy, The Honorable Jane M. Roush and C. Kailani Memmer, Esq., June 20, 2008, Virginia State Bar Annual Meeting, Virginia Beach, Virginia. “Advanced Techniques:  Mastering the Art of Personal Communication,” May 17, 2008, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Williamsburg, Virginia. “Direct and Cross-Examination,” May 17, 2008, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Williamsburg, Virginia. “Developing a Theme and Theory of the Case,” May 16, 2008, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Williamsburg, Virginia. “Medical Malpractice Law Update,” October 5, 2007, The  Etheridge Society, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Hearsay under Federal Rules of Evidence,” August 30, 2007, TrialSmith, Inc. (a national telephonic CLE). “Opening and Closing Statements,” May 2007, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Richmond, Virginia.  “Ford Motor Company v. Benitez – Plaintiff’s Perspective of the Implication on Pleading Practice,” May 2007, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, Spring Seminar, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Attorney Sanctions in Recent Virginia Supreme Court Cases,” May 2007, Thomas Jefferson Inn of Court, Charlottesville, Virginia. “Preparing a Client to Testify,” Panel Speaker, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Convention, April 2007, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. “Direct and Cross Examination in Administrative Hearings,” February 2007, Virginia Employment and Labor Law Association Pro Bono Project, Charlottesville, Virginia. Cross Examination, October 2006, Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, Richmond, Virginia.  Handling an Automobile Negligence Case in Virginia: The Case Prior to Suit, Annual Advocacy Seminar 2006, Richmond and Roanoke, Virginia.Cross Examination Drills, May 2006, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Williamsburg, Virginia. Hearsay,Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association, CLE, March 2006. Evidence for the Trial Lawyer Hearsay, Annual Advocacy Seminar 2005, Richmond and Roanoke, Virginia.  Overcoming Practical Problems in Voir-Dire (Panel) May 2005, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy, Williamsburg, Virginia.  Real Evidence for the Trial Practitioner, April 2005, Lorman Education Services, Arlington, Virginia. Practical Legal Ethics for Virginia Attorneys and Law Office Personnel, Richmond, Virginia, October 2004, Half Moon, L.L.C., LeClair Ryan Law Firm, Richmond, Virginia, April 2005, Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association, March 2005, (materials authored by Thomas E. Spahn, Esq.).   Proving Pain and Suffering: Ileostomy and Ostomies, Charlottesville, Virginia, July 2004, Advanced Auto Retreat. Deposition Preparation, Annual May Tort Seminar 2004, Fairfax and Richmond, Virginia. Theme and Theory Development for Trial, February 2004, Charlottesville-Albemarle Criminal Bar Association. Governmental Immunity, Annual May Tort Seminar 2003, Fairfax, Norfolk, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia. Cross-Examination, May 2002, Williamsburg, Virginia, Virginia College of Trial Advocacy. Ethical Considerations in Dealing with Experts, Fall Fiesta CLE 2000 (materials authored by Thomas E. Spahn, Esq.)Ethics Hour: Preparation of Expert Witnesses, Annual Convention 2000, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys (materials authored by Thomas E. Spahn, Esq.).Medical Malpractice: Considerations for the Plaintiff's Attorney, Annual Convention 2000, Virginia Association of Legal Secretaries. Use of Experts in State Courts, Virginia State Bar Mid-Year Legal Seminar 1999, St. John, USVI.  

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell

Videos:

• How to Find Lawyer, 2018

Educational Background:

• College of William & Mary, Juris Doctor, 1993