What's Happening at Hart Wagner
- Taylor Lewis and Michael O'Neil Obtain Defense Verdict in Chiropractic Negligence Suit
- Karen O'Kasey and Donna Lee Obtain Defense Verdict in Case Against Anesthesiologist
- Mike Wiswall Obtains Defense Verdict in Medical Malpractice Suit
- Brock Vasconcellos Joins Healthcare Professional Liability Defense Team
- Janet Schroer and Matt Kalmanson Win in Oregon Supreme Court
Karen O’Kasey Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year”
Congratulations to trial attorney Karen O’Kasey for being recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice – Defendants, and Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants.
Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.
Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity.
In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Karen O’Kasey is also listed in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the following practice areas:
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
Legal Malpractice – Defendants
Medical Malpractice – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
Janet Schroer Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year”
Congratulations to Janet Schroer for being recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” for Appellate Practice and Bet-the-Company Litigation.
Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments.
Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity.
In addition to the “Lawyer of the Year” award, Janet Schroer is also listed in the 2025
Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the following practice areas:
Appellate Practice
Bet-the-Company Litigation – Defendants
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
Nine Hart Wagner Attorneys Recognized in the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America®
We would like to congratulate nine of our attorneys that have been recognized and named to the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers In America®:
Troy Bundy (recognized since 2012)
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Clark (Chip) Horner (2024)
Health Care Law
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Matt Kalmanson (recognized since 2016)
Appellate Practice
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Health Care
Donna Lee (2024)
Health Care Law
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Karen O’Kasey (recognized since 2012)
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Aaron Potter (recognized since 2019)
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Janet Schroer (recognized since 2003)
Appellate Practice
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Joe Traylor (recognized in 2023)
Litigation – Construction
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Mike Wiswall (recognized since 2012)
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
Health Care Law
Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
About Best Lawyers®
Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise, and undergo an authentication process.
Congratulations to our 2024 Oregon Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®
Five individual Hart Wagner attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine in their 2024 Oregon Super Lawyers® edition. 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 was recognized for being among the Top 10 attorneys in Oregon. Additionally, Janet Schroer and Karen O’Kasey are included in the Top 25 women lawyers in Oregon.
The following Hart Wagner attorneys were recognized in these designated practice areas:
Troy Bundy – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Matthew Kalmanson – Appellate
Karen O’Kasey – Employment Litigation: Defense
Janet Schroer – Appellate
Michael Wiswall – Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense
Hart Wagner partner Taylor Lewis was selected to the 2024 Rising Stars® list and recognized in the Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense category. New to the 2024 Rising Star® list is associate Jason Cohen. Jason was recognized in the practice area of Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense category.
Trial Attorney Troy Bundy Elected to ABOTA
We’re pleased to announce that partner Troy Bundy has been elected to membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the Oregon chapter of AOTA at the National Board Meeting in Seattle, Washington on Saturday, June 29, 2024. ABOTA is an invitation-only national association of 7,300 highly experienced plaintiff and defense trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to civil jury trials. To achieve ABOTA’s associate status, a lawyer must have tried 20 civil jury trials to verdict or hung jury. ABOTA’s primary goal is to educate the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury, and it is dedicated to elevating the standards of skill, integrity, honor, and courtesy in the legal profession. Congratulations, Troy.
Karen O’Kasey and Taylor Lewis Obtain Defense Verdict in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Karen O’Kasey and Taylor Lewis recently obtained a defense verdict in a multi-million medical negligence lawsuit filed in Multnomah County. The plaintiff parents claimed that their child sustained permanent neurologic damage due to a delayed neurosurgery referral for a possible tethered spinal cord. Following a four day trial, the jury agreed that the pediatric urologist who treated the plaintiffs’ child met the standard of care and did not commit malpractice.
Appellate Team Wins Appeal on Behalf of Community College
Appellate attorneys Janet Schroer and Blake Fry won an appeal on behalf of a community college district from a judgment for $1 million in noneconomic damages on a breach of contract claim. In Gililland v. Southwestern Oregon Community College District, a jury found in favor of a former student on a claim that the district breached contract by not following its anti-discrimination policy in resolving her grade dispute. The jury awarded the student $1 million in noneconomic damages to compensate her for the alleged resulting emotional distress and reputational harm. The Ninth Circuit vacated that award, holding that in Oregon noneconomic damages are generally not recoverable in contract, and that none of the exceptions the student had invoked were applicable.
Appellate Attorney Blake Fry Prevails in Appeal for School District
Appellate attorney Blake Fry won an appeal for a school district on claims that its enforcement during the Covid-19 pandemic of an Oregon Health Authority masking requirement violated a student’s constitutional rights. In Standley v. Nelms, the Ninth Circuit held that the North Clackamas School District could not be liable for any claimed constitutional violations in enforcing the masking requirement because it had been merely acting as directed by a state regulation. The court also held that school district employees had not violated the student’s substantive due process rights to “refuse unwanted medical treatment,” or his First Amendment rights against “compelled expression,” by requiring him to wear a mask in school.
Hart Wagner Add Two Associates to Litigation Team
We’re pleased to announce that Zach Allen and Michael O’Neil have joined our distinguished litigation team. Zach’s practice focuses on complex employment matters, professional liability defense, and appeals in Oregon state and federal courts. Prior to joining Hart Wagner, Zach practiced at a Portland plaintiff’s civil litigation firm. Before joining private practice, Zach was a law clerk at the Oregon Court of Appeals.
Michael maintains a diverse litigation practice focusing on medical negligence defense, professional licensing board matters, defending construction defect claims, and general liability defense. Prior to joining Hart Wagner, he was an associate at a family law firm.
Appellate Attorney Ruth Casby Named Partner
We’re pleased to announce that Ruth Casby has been named partner. Ruth’s practice focuses on appellate advocacy in the Oregon Court of Appeals, the Oregon Supreme Court, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, representing appellants, respondents, and amici in civil and dissolution matters. She also defends the firm’s clients in Oregon state and federal trial courts with many years of experience in the areas of professional, municipal, and employer liability. We’re proud to call Ruth our partner.