What's Happening at Hart Wagner
- Hart Wagner Add Attorney Jerica Peters to Healthcare Practice
- Attorney Stephanie Holt Joins General Liability Defense Team
- Jason Cohen and Rachel Wolfard Named Partner
- Karen O’Kasey and Taylor Lewis Obtain Defense Verdict in Police Use of Force Case
- Hart Wagner Adds Gioia Fisk to Employment Litigation and Medical Malpractice Team
Ten Hart Wagner Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019
Karen O’Kasey and Janet Schroer were singled out in the newly released 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
Karen O’Kasey received the 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” award for Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants and Janet Schroer received the 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” award for Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, both in the Portland area. Lawyer of the Year recognitions are awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic location. Only one lawyer is recognized as the Lawyer of the Year for each specialty and location. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and in the same practice areas for his or her abilities, professionalism and integrity.
In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions, Hart Wagner would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America:
- Troy Bundy: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- John Hart: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Matthew Kalmanson: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation
- Rodney Norton: Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Karen O’Kasey: Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Aaron Potter: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Janet Schroer: Appellate Practice; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Jennifer Truzzolino: Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Gordon Welborn: Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants (For Redmond, OR)
- Michael Wiswall: Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Since it was first published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America has become known as the most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
Congratulations to 11 Hart Wagner Attorneys Recognized in the 2018 Oregon Super Lawyers Magazine
Eleven lawyers from the Hart Wagner law firm were honored in the 2018 issue of Oregon Super Lawyers magazine. The publication identifies the most outstanding attorneys in the state, as chosen by their peers and through the research of Super Lawyers, which is a Thomson Reuters business.
Notably, Janet Schroer and Gordon Welborn were recognized for being among the Top 50 attorneys in Oregon, and Karen O’Kasey and Janet Schroer were included in the Top 25 women lawyers in Oregon.
In its Oregon 2018 Super Lawyers list, the following Hart Wagner partners were recognized in these designated practice areas:
Troy Bundy – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Kelly Giampa – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
John Hart – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Rodney K. Norton – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Karen O’Kasey – Employment Litigation: Defense
Janet Schroer – Appellate
Gordon Welborn – Professional Liability: Defense
Michael Wiswall – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Hart Wagner associates Michael Jacobs, Stephanie Kucera and Mark C. Sherman, were selected to the 2018 Rising Stars list. Jacobs was recognized in the Personal Injury General: Defense category, Kucera in Civil Litigation: Defense and Sherman was honored in the Employment Litigation: Defense category. While up to five percent of the lawyers in the state are named to the Super Lawyers roster, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list.
Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers undertakes a multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. For more information, visit www.superlawyers.com.
Managing Partner Gordon Welborn Secures Defense Verdict for Vascular Surgeon
Trial attorney Gordy Welborn and his team successfully defended an Oregon vascular surgeon against claims of medical negligence. Plaintiff alleged that there was a delay in his medical treatment that caused permanent injury to his legs and feet. The defense presented expert witness testimony which confirmed that Hart Wagner’s client met the standard of care with regard to the medical management and treatment of the plaintiff. The jury returned with a unanimous defense verdict in favor of the vascular surgeon.
Hart Wagner Adds Three Associates to Its Portland Office
We are excited to welcome Ryan Jennings Ashby, Mitchell Howell and William Stewart as the firm’s newest associates in the Portland office.
Ryan Ashby’s practice focuses on the defense of legal, medical, and financial professionals, as well as insurance defense and general liability. Prior to joining Hart Wagner, Ryan worked at a national insurance provider, litigating personal injury cases as in-house counsel. He also spent four years as an insurance defense attorney at a Philadelphia-based law firm, in their Workers’ Compensation litigation department.
Mitchell Howell’s practice emphasizes commercial litigation, professional liability, legal and medical malpractice defense, as well as product liability and appellate law. Prior to joining Hart Wagner, Mitchell clerked for the Honorable Judge David F. Rees at the Multnomah County Circuit Court where he facilitated over 20 jury trials and handled hundreds of other civil and criminal matters.
Will Stewart’s practice focuses on the defense of medical professionals, businesses, insurers, drivers, and service providers in tort, products liability, contract, and general liability cases. Before joining Hart Wagner, Will worked for a large national litigation firm, a litigation boutique in Portland, and a plaintiff’s firm. His litigation experience has ranged from large financial class actions to construction defect cases to catastrophic vehicle accidents, premises liability, and general liability.
Court Throws Out Obstetric Malpractice Lawsuit As Time-Barred
Troy Bundy recently argued and won summary judgment for an Oregon OB/GYN accused of negligently performing a patient’s hysterectomy. Because the surgeon had fully disclosed the complication to the patient during a postoperative visit, the patient’s claim was barred after she filed it 3 years after the surgeon’s full disclosure. Troy was assisted on the brief by Donna Lee.
Nursing Board Exonerates Nurse Accused of Stealing Narcotics
Troy Bundy successfully defended a nursing board complaint alleging an RN at a skilled nursing facility had stolen patient medications. After suggesting an immediate blood and urine test, which later returned negative, together with a full investigation into the facts and proof of bias on the part of the complainant, the Board dismissed all charges without discipline.
OMB Declares Groping Charge Lacked Merit, Exonerates Physician
Troy Bundy successfully defeated a patient’s Board complaint alleging that her primary care doctor inappropriately groped her during a breast exam. After a full investigation and review of the facts, the charges were dismissed without discipline as lacking merit.
Victory at the VA
Troy Bundy was successful in overturning a physician’s emergency suspension of privileges before the Vancouver VA. The VA claimed this physician was unsafe and represented an imminent threat to patient safety. In a unanimous ruling at the panel hearing, the physician’s privileges were immediately restored as the three member panel concluded the charges and allegations were unfounded and without merit.
Partner Karen O’Kasey Obtains Defense Verdict in Medical Malpractice Case
Partner Karen O’Kasey recently obtained a defense verdict in the United States District Court. Third-Party Plaintiff alleged that Hart Wagner’s doctor client was negligent in deciding to perform a laparoscopic surgery, rather than a laparotomy, then failing to convert the laparoscopic surgery to a laparotomy when no source of bleeding was initially found during the first evaluation. Hart Wagner presented expert defense witnesses who confirmed that Hart Wagner’s client met the standard of care in all aspects of the treatment and management of plaintiff’s care.
Partner Janet Schroer Secures Reversal for Hart Wagner Client in Appellate Court
Partner Janet Schroer recently won a decision in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversing the trial court’s ruling in a Section 1983 Civil Rights case. The trial court held that the City of Hillsboro police officers were not entitled to qualified immunity, and thus they needed to defend the Section 1983 claims of false arrest and malicious prosecution alleged against them. The 9th Circuit reversed, ruling that there was no established authority which would provide the officers notice of the alleged constitutional violation, therefore they were entitled to qualified immunity. Both of the attorney-fee-bearing federal claims were dismissed. Associate Mark Sherman worked with Janet on the briefing and Janet Schroer argued before the three-judge panel.