About the Editor and Authors

• Library: Medical Malpractice Law in Virginia (Virginia CLE) (2017 Ed.)

ABOUT THE EDITOR AND AUTHORS

EDITOR:

Malcolm P. McConnell III, Allen Allen Allen & Allen, P.C, Richmond.
Malcolm P. McConnell III, editor of this handbook, practices with Allen Allen Allen & Allen, P.C. in Richmond, where he represents plaintiffs in medical malpractice litigation. He has been a medical malpractice trial lawyer since 1987 and is board-certified in medical malpractice litigation by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, an ABA-accredited organization. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the ABPLA. He has been named repeatedly to Best Lawyers in America and to Virginia's "Super Lawyers." He has also received Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV ranking. Mr. McConnell is active in the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, is Chair of the Medical Malpractice Legislative Subcommittee, and a member of VTLA's Board of Governors. He has written successful "friend of the court" briefs for the Virginia Supreme Court and often lectures to lawyers around Virginia on the courtroom techniques of the successful trial lawyer. He lobbies the Virginia General Assembly on behalf of the victims of medical negligence and is a frequent speaker to lawyer and physician groups on topics of medical malpractice law, the law of evidence, and use of advanced technology in the courtroom. He received his B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1984 and his J.D. from the University of Richmond in 1987.

AUTHORS:

Rodney K. Adams, LeClair Ryan, Richmond.
Rodney K. Adams, co-author of Chapter 9, focuses his practice on advising and defending health care providers in matters involving patient care and other unique issues confronting the healthcare industry. He has spent thirty years defending healthcare providers and has taken over 70 medical malpractice matters to verdict. Most of those matters involved catastrophic injury or death. He also represents healthcare providers before the U.S. Office of Civil Rights, various boards of the Virginia Department of Health Professions, and other tribunals. In addition to defending healthcare providers, Mr. Adams also defends manufacturers and distributors in product liability actions, especially with regard to medical product liability. Breast implants, pedicle screws, fenphen, latex, and asbestos are a few examples of his broad experience over the years.

Mr. Adams has published several books including Virginia Medical Law, Third Edition (2012), and Clinical Trials & Human Research: A Practical Guide to Regulatory Compliance (w/F. Rozovsky, 2003). He is a graduate of

[Page v]

Millikin University, the University of Glasgow Faculty of Law (LL M in Forensic Medicine) and the University of Illinois College of Law. Currently, Mr. Adams is an adjunct professor of law (medical malpractice trial advocacy) at the College of William & Mary and an adjunct professor (bioethics and health law) at the School of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University. He has previously taught at Kent College of Law (Chicago) and the University of Richmond School of Law.

As leader of LeClairRyan's Professional Liability Team, Mr. Adams supports the Firm's attorneys across the United States who defend and counsel accountants, attorneys, architects, engineers, directors, officers, healthcare providers, and other professionals.

Angela Boice Axselle, Goodman Allen Donnelly PLLC, Richmond.
Angela Boice Axselle, co-author of Chapter 2, is a principal at the law firm of Goodman Allen Donnelly in Richmond, Virginia. At Goodman Allen Donnelly, she has dedicated her practice to defending physicians, hospitals, nurses, and other health care providers that have been sued for medical malpractice. She has also represented health care providers in professional liability and criminal matters. Prior to joining Goodman Allen Donnelly, Ms. Axselle was an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia with an extensive litigation practice. Over the course of her career, she has litigated hundreds of matters in general district and circuit courts across the Commonwealth, has tried more than 50 cases to verdict, and has argued dozens of appeals before the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Virginia.

Lisa D. Barnett, Shevlin Smith, Fairfax.
Lisa Barnett, co-author of Chapter 5, is a senior attorney with the law firm of Shevlin Smith. She specializes in handling plaintiff's cases in the areas of medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury cases. Ms. Barnett began her legal career as a law clerk for The Honorable J. Howe Brown, Jr. in the Circuit Court of Fairfax County. Following the completion of that clerkship, she has spent the last 21 years as a trial lawyer in the Washington, D.C. area. Ms. Barnett has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex personal injury cases in both federal and state practices in Virginia and the District of Columbia. She has tried over 30 jury trials in her career leading to her board certification as a Civil Trial Attorney by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification. Ms. Barnett received her B.A. in 1989 from the University of Virginia and her J.D. in 1994 from The T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond.

[Page vi]

Samuel T. Bernier, Moran Reeves & Conn, P.C., Richmond.
Sam Bernier, co-author of Chapters 2 and 8, practices mainly in the areas of medical malpractice defense litigation, health care law, and products liability law. He is an attorney at Moran Reeves & Conn, P.C. in Richmond, and a veteran of both the United States Marine Corps infantry and the Hawaii Army National Guard infantry. Mr. Bernier earned his B.A. in Environmental Science from Hawaii Pacific University and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of...