Julia Kavanagh
Biography
Julia Kavanagh is a Partner in the Memphis office of Hall Booth Smith, practicing in professional negligence / medical malpractice, products liability, aging services, health care, and general liability.
She has over a decade of experience representing hospital systems, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, physicians, and other health care providers in both state and federal courts. Additionally, Julia handles products liability, premises liability, insurance defense, contract disputes, transportation litigation, and general civil litigation matters. Julia has also worked as in house counsel for a health care company.
Julia received a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2009, graduating summa cum laude, and she was a member of the University of Memphis Law Review. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Knox College.
Julia is an active participant in the Memphis Bar Association where she serves as Vice Chair of the CLE Committee, and she also served as a member of the Board of Directors for its Young Lawyers’ Division. She is a Memphis Bar Association Leadership Forum graduate and a former Dress for Success Memphis Board Member. Julia has been named a Mid-South Rising Star by Super Lawyers® on multiple occasions since 2013.
A native of Boise, Idaho, Julia enjoys camping, hiking, running, and other outdoor activities. Julia is a former musician and enjoys listening to and seeing live music.
Experience
Julia has represented long term care facilities and assisted living facilities for nearly a decade in state and federal court.
Julia also has significant experience in general liability, representing clients in automobile negligence, premises liability, and other personal injury matters.
Julia has extensive experience in health care liability. She has represented a hospital system, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, physicians, and other health care providers in both state and federal courts. She has also represented health care practitioners before professional boards.
Julia has experience defending manufacturers and retailers in products liability lawsuits, including cases involving tires and automotive products.
Credentials
Admitted
State Courts:
- Mississippi, 2021
- Tennessee, 2009
U.S. District Courts:
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
U.S. Courts of Appeals:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Education
- J.D., summa cum laude, University of Memphis, 2009
- B.A., History, Knox College, 2005
Memberships
- DRI
- Dress for Success Memphis: Board Member, 2012-2014
- Memphis Bar Association:
- CLE Committee, Vice Chair, 2018
- Young Lawyers’ Division, Board of Directors, 2016-2017
- The Leo Bearman, Sr. American Inn of Court
Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Best Lawyers®, 2022-2025
- Mid-South Rising Star, Super Lawyers®, 2013-2023
- Peer Reviewed, Martindale-Hubbell
Publications
- Defending Medical Malpractice Claims, Anatomy of a Lawsuit
American Society of Neurophysiological Monitoring Fall Symposium, Baltimore, MD; September 2017 - Medical Malpractice Update
MBA Bench Bar Conference, Destin, FL; May 2015 - How to Win on Causation in Nursing Home and Medical Malpractice Litigation
Tennessee Bar Association, Nashville, TN; November 2011