OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – November 22, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is pleased to welcome Associate Seth Killman to its Oklahoma City office as the firm continues to strengthen its presence in the state of Oklahoma. Seth protects the rights of clients in aging services and medical malpractice disputes in both state and federal courts. He has handled numerous cases in jury trials, and has won defense verdicts in multiple admitted liability lawsuits. Prior to joining HBS, he was an associate attorney with GEICO Staff Counsel, where he handled multiple first chair jury trials with defense verdicts in admitted liability

ATLANTA – November 18, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is delighted to add twelve (12) new associates in its Atlanta headquarters office as the firm expands to better serve clients on medical malpractice, transportation, liability and a wide range of other matters. Fanny Chac focuses her practice on medical malpractice, products liability, and general liability litigation. Previously, she worked as a summer associate at HBS. Fanny earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgia State University College of Law with High Honors Pro Bono Distinction. She was a member of the Georgia State University Law Review and served on

Founding Partner John E. Hall Jr. was interviewed on the Inside Medical Malpractice podcast on November 13, 2021, in which he discussed how inflated malpractice verdicts could result in healthcare crisis and offers his solution for change. He also provides tips to healthcare providers to mitigate risk in post-COVID-19 litigation and he addresses how practicing law has changed with the onset of the pandemic. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcast and Spotify.

In a Modern Healthcare article, New Jersey-based Partner and Co-Chair of Hall Booth Smith’s Labor and Employment Practice Jeffrey M. Daitz explains the factors impacting employment negotiations between hospital systems and their workers. These tensions, which have been made worse by the uncertainties introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, produce financial hardships for both sides. Daitz explained in an interview the impact of prolonged strikes to providers and unionized workers: “It’s tough to finance a strike. It’s very difficult for both sides. Employers not only have to bring in contingency staff for striking workers but they also may need to arrange

In a Law360 article published on November 12, Columbus-Based Partner Teresa Tomlinson commented on whether the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act should apply in wrongful death lawsuits against nursing homes following the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to allow two cases against nursing home facilities to proceed in state courts. Tomlinson argues that the PREP Act did apply in such cases: “Amid the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has defined use and administration of countermeasures as meaning ‘the physical use of countermeasures as well as the management and operation of a countermeasure program

In an article published by Modern Healthcare on November 9, 2021, HBS Atlanta-based Partner S. David McLean, Jr. discusses the legal implications of the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation into primary care provider Oak Street Health for possible violations of the False Claims Act by providing free transportation to federal healthcare beneficiaries, including Medicare patients. McLean told the publication in an interview that such investigations are not uncommon: “The government has been increasingly engaging in some of these activities,” he noted, and that such inquires have been favorable for the Justice Department, resulting in billions of dollars in settlements. As for

ATLANTA – November 10, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is pleased to welcome S. David McLean, Jr. as Partner in its Atlanta office as the firm strengthens its healthcare practice to serve clients. David specializes in health care and medical malpractice litigation and works closely with executive leadership teams to ensure that their legal strategy aligns with and supports broader business strategy and growth goals while minimizing exposure and risk. He also counsels clients on acquisitions of hospitals, health systems and physician practices as well as other day-to-day business and financial matters. Prior to joining HBS, David spent 15 years

In an article published in the Winter 2022 Edition of the Journal of Emerging Issues in Litigation, Attorney Sandra M. Cianflone addresses several of the factors that have driven recent medical malpractice verdicts to new, astronomical heights. Cianflone discusses the unexpected impact of tort reform, the role of life-career planners and economists in determining damages, the ramifications of litigation financing, plaintiff attorneys’ utilization of the so-called reptile theory and the influence of how the media reports on these verdicts. To read the full article, please click here.

For the twelfth year, Hall Booth Smith has been recognized in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” 2022 regional rankings. The 2022 “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must have a lawyer listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the US. The

In an update published by Forbes on November 4, 2021, Columbus Partner Mariel Smith discusses how the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) vaccine rules could impact an employee’s unemployment benefits if they get fired. Subscribers to Forbes.com may read the complete article here.

CHARLESTON, S.C.– November 5, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is delighted to welcome Lindsay A. Nishan as an Associate to its growing office in Charleston, South Carolina. Lindsay concentrates her practice on dental, medical malpractice and health care litigation defense. She also represents clients in professional malpractice and ethics matters. Prior to joining HBS, Lindsay served as a summer law clerk in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charleston, and she was a system developer analyst at Accenture. Lindsay earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Charleston School of Law where she served as Editor in Chief of the Charleston Law

CHARLOTTE, NC – November 4, 2021 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) has added Associate Brock Wolf as its office in Charlotte, North Carolina continues to expand. Brock focuses his practice on medical malpractice defense, data privacy and cyber security, and general liability litigation. Brock was previously a law clerk and a summer associate at HBS, and he worked as a teaching assistant at Wake Forest University School of Law. Before attending law school, he was an analyst and researcher at global consulting and communications firm ICF, and he was a research associate on an interdisciplinary team at Virginia Tech. Brock earned