Best Lawyers in America for Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
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Jacquelyn Clarke is a Partner in our Atlanta office and also serves as Lead Hiring Partner, overseeing the hiring of associate attorneys across all HBS offices while focusing on the Southeast. Jacque specializes in the defense of both health care providers and professional malpractice matters and focuses her practice on complex medical malpractice cases. Her experience includes a wide variety of areas including heart and spine surgeries, anesthesia claims, and birth trauma cases. Since the be...
Rabia Ahmad is an attorney at Helsell Fetterman LLP in Seattle, Washington. Her practice includes Health Care Law and litigation , with a focus on defending physicians, hospitals, and other health care professionals in medical malpractice lawsuits and professional licensing matters. Rabia represents clients in complex disputes involving patient care, professional liability, and regulatory compliance, and she works closely with medical providers and institutions facing high‑stakes claims. Befo...
Katrina Vollmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law. Katrina, who practices law in Albany, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katrina is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey A. Foster is a shareholder in Carr Allison’s Tallahassee (FL) office where his practice includes the defense of premises liability, professional liability, retail and hospitality, governmental torts and public liability and personal injury matters. Prior to joining Carr Allison, Jeff served as an assistant state attorney for nearly seven years. During this time, he conducted numerous felony jury trials involving homicide, aggravated battery, narcotics and armed burglary. He is a...
Vordman Carlisle Traywick III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law. Vordman Carlisle, who practices law in Columbia, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vordman Carlisle is held by othe...
Molly E. Mitchell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Professional Malpractice Law. Molly E., who practices law in Boise, Idaho, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Molly E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Robert El-Jaouhari is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction and Professional Malpractice Law. Robert, who practices law in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Thomas Hay is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Construction, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, Professional Malpractice Law and Corporate Law. Thomas, who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matthew Mantell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law. Matthew, who practices law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
James Spizuoco is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law. James, who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Agustina Kloosterboer focuses her practice on commercial litigation and professional malpractice defense. She represents clients in business disputes and antitrust lawsuits, as well as law firms and accounting firms on issues arising out of the representation of a former client. Agustina is of Argentinian and Dutch descent. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Barcelona, Spain, before moving to Florida. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Agustina is an excellent communicato...
Joseph R. Casey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs and Professional Malpractice Law. Joseph R., who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal p...
Nicholas W. Bartlett is an associate who is part of our Business Litigation, Eminent Domain and Professional Liability Practice Groups. During law school Mr. Bartlett was a judicial extern for the US District Court, Northern District of Ohio. He also worked for a legal non-profit as an intern and Eastman & Smith as a law clerk. His practice includes general litigation and professional liability as well as representing landowners in eminent domain matters. Additionally, Mr. Bartlett is the...
Danielle Simpson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labor and Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor and Employment and Professional Malpractice Law. Danielle, who practices law in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Danielle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Stephen Bell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Professional Malpractice Law. Stephen, who practices law in Wilmington, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alexandra R. Pecora is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Product Liability Litigation - Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law. Alexandra R., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alexandra R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.