HBS Hires Three Senior Attorneys as Charlotte Office Expands

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– September 30, 2022 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is pleased to welcome three experienced attorneys from a North Carolina firm as it expands its medical malpractice defense, health care, and business litigation practices.

Brenda S. McClearn

Brenda S. McClearn is joining HBS as a Partner, and she will split her time between HBS’s offices in Charlotte and Denver. Katherine W. Dandy and Peter O’Connell are both joining as Of Counsel, and they are based in HBS’s Charlotte office. All three had previously been with Sharpless McClearn Lester Duffy, PA in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Brenda has nearly three decades of experience in both federal and state courts, and she concentrates her practice on medical malpractice, health care, dental, aging services, professional malpractice and ethics matters, products liability, general liability, employment and contract issues, business litigation, RICO, and other business torts.

She also has an active practice in representing physicians, nurses, dentists, and other health care professionals in administrative proceedings before licensing boards and in internal or external investigations. She earned a J.D., with honors, from The George Washington University Law School and a B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Colorado.

Katherine W. Dandy

Katherine has more than 25 years of experience and focuses her practice on medical malpractice defense, general liability, and business disputes. She had a long litigation career in New York before relocating with her family to North Carolina, and has prevailed in numerous summary judgment motions and appeals before federal and state courts.

She began her career as a public defender before transitioning to civil litigation and has built a diverse practice ranging from defending medical malpractice actions to representing businesses in a wide range of commercial disputes. Katherine earned a J.D. from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City and a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

Peter O’Connell

Peter has 15 years of experience and represents healthcare providers in medical malpractice litigation and in actions before state licensing boards. He began his career as a journalist and covered Las Vegas courts as a reporter and editor for seven years and was named Journalist of the Year by the Nevada Press Association in 2001.

Peter earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Wake Forest University School of Law and a Bachelor’s in journalism, magna cum laude, from the University of Alabama.

“We are delighted to have Brenda, Kathy, and Peter bring their considerable litigation experience and talents to HBS so we can meet the needs of clients in North Carolina and beyond,” said HBS Partner Richard Sheinis, who oversees the Charlotte office.

About Hall Booth Smith

Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is a full-service law firm with six regional offices strategically located throughout Georgia, as well as offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville and Charlotte, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Miami, Tallahassee, Tampa, St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach, Florida; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock and Rogers, Arkansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Denver, Colorado; Paramus, Red Bank and Saddle Brook, New Jersey; and New York City and White Plains, New York. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s promise: “Serving to Achieve Excellence.” To learn more, please visit: www.hallboothsmith.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.