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The Great Trials Podcast offers a series of laid-back, casual conversations with leading trial lawyers, taking listeners "behind the scenes" of America’s greatest trials. Hosted by acclaimed trial lawyers Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey, each podcast episode focuses on one important trial and includes in-depth, insightful interviews with the attorneys who successfully argued the case in front of a judge and jury.
Episodes
Dec 24, 2019
Dec 24, 2019
1hr 23 min
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Scott Occhiogrosso of Block, O'Toole, and Murphy (www.blockotoole.com).
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Case Details:
Brooklyn Gang Unit prosecutor turned personal injury attorney Scott Occhiogrosso of Block O’Toole & Murphy discusses how he secured the largest non-medical malpractice jury verdict in New York history. In April 2016, 23-year-old bicyclist Robert Liciaga was struck by a falling railroad tie after New York City Transit Authority workers failed to follow procedure and practice safety measures while executing an elevated track replacement above Broadway. Liciaga is now paralyzed from the waist down.
Guest Bio:
Scott Occhiogrosso is a partner at Block O’Toole & Murphy, having handled many very significant construction accident cases as well as other catastrophic injury matters that have resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients. In April 2019, he won a $110,174,972.38 verdict from a Brooklyn jury for a catastrophically-injured cyclist against the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA). This result is believed to be the largest non-medical malpractice verdict in New York State.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Occhiogrosso - - like several of his colleagues at the firm - - began his training as a trial lawyer in the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. He handled thousands of serious cases and spent his days navigating the gritty, cavernous courtrooms in downtown Brooklyn. He had occasion to work side-by-side with now firm partners Stephen J. Murphy and S. Joseph Donahue and made a distinct impression on them while he honed his skills as a prosecutor. Mr. Occhiogrosso was recognized for his tenacity and skills, resulting in a promotion to the prestigious Brooklyn Gang Unit. While with the Gang Unit, Mr. Occhiogrosso focused on prosecuting criminals that were involved in violent crimes and gang-related activities. He handled cases involving drug, robbery, burglary, assault, attempted murder and murder charges and did so with tremendous success. It was at the District Attorney's Office where Mr. Occhiogrosso developed a reputation for being an ethical but formidable adversary. Most importantly, his experiences solidified his desire as a lawyer to impact people in a positive way. He left the District Attorney's Office in 2005 determined to advance his skills and experience as a trial attorney, beginning as a defense attorney in the civil arena for the Port Authority. Mr. Occhiogrosso fought on behalf of police officers and other Port Authority employees, successfully defending hundreds of multi-million dollar cases through trial and settlement. He continued to gain valuable courtroom experience while learning the nuances of civil practice. In 2010, he left the Port Authority and joined a well respected, boutique plaintiff personal injury practice, continuing his career as a New York City trial attorney. In his brief but invaluable tenure with that firm, among other successes, he obtained a jury verdict of $5.5 Million in a fiercely contested medical malpractice case against a seasoned adversary in Manhattan.
In 2013, Scott joined Jeffrey A. Block, Daniel P. O'Toole, Stephen J. Murphy, and S. Joseph Donohue in being selected by his peers as a New York Super Lawyer, signifying that he is among the top 5% of attorneys in the field of plaintiff's personal injury law.
Mr. Occhiogrosso is fluent in both Spanish and English. He lectures about worker safety and legal rights to Spanish-speaking laborers in New York.
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Dec 17, 2019
Dec 17, 2019
1hr 1 min
Episode 045: Lance Cooper │Melton v. General Motors LLC and Thornton Chevrolet, Inc. │ Undisclosed Settlement
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Lance Cooper of The Cooper Firm ( https://thecooperfirm.com/) | Live from the 2019 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Conference
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Case Details:
In a special episode recorded live at the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association’s 2019 Holiday Workshop in Atlanta, product liability attorney Lance Cooper shares how he uncovered one of the earliest General Motors ignition switch cases in a case surrounding the death of Brooke Melton. Brooke hydroplaned while driving her 2005 Chevy Cobalt, crossed the centerline, hit another vehicle head-on and died on impact. Upon further investigation, Lance and his team discovered Brooke lost control of her car because her ignition had turned off due to a product liability involving the ignition’s low torque. This landmark discovery launched a nationwide recall of millions of cars and resulted in billions of dollars in penalties and settlements against General Motors.
Guest Bio:
Lance Cooper
Lance Cooper is the founding partner of The Cooper Firm and represents clients in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. He specializes in product liability cases involving automobile design and manufacturing defects. Lance has been lead counsel for plaintiffs in a large number of jury trials including trials against General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Kia, Chrysler, Honda, as well as other motor vehicle manufacturers and large corporations.
He has successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases and has received numerous multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements. His 2011 wrongful death case against General Motors (Melton v. GM, 2011-A-2652) exposed the cover-up of faulty ignition switches resulting in millions of recalled vehicles.
Lance received his law degree from Emory University in 1989 where he was a G. Joseph Tauro Scholar and Editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985.
Lance served as the 2002-2003 President of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and is a past President of the Cobb County Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the American Association of Justice and was honored to receive the Steven J. Sharpe Public Service Award in 2014. Lance was also a 2014 nominee for the Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year award.
In addition to his law practice, Lance is actively engaged in numerous community and charitable activities. He and his wife, Sonja, are the proud parents of five children, Rachel, Rebekah, Michelle, Asa, and Aaron.
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Dec 10, 2019
Dec 10, 2019
1hr 14 min
Episode 044: Gary Fox │Slayton v. Professional Park Pediatrics, P.A., Pediatrics of Timberlane, P.A., and Penrod, M.D.│ $3.373 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Gary Fox of Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A ( https://www.stfblaw.com)
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Case Details:
Inner Circle of Advocates attorney Gary Fox shares how a medical malpractice case was mistried twice before resulting in Leon County, Florida’s first verdict in 17 years in favor of a patient against a physician. Premature baby Levi Slayton was taken to the doctor a few days after birth for breathing difficulties and rising bilirubin levels, which can indicate elevated red blood cell destruction and a possible infection. The doctor was negligent and failed to admit the baby to the hospital to monitor his bilirubin levels in an environment that could respond quickly. Returning home, the baby stopped breathing while being breastfed and suffered such significant brain damage from a lack of oxygen that life-support was not recommended. Levi only lived for six days. The jury assigned 100% responsibility for the baby’s death to the doctor, returning a verdict of $3,373,000.
Guest Bio:
Gary Fox
For the past 39 years Gary Fox has devoted his practice exclusively to the trial of civil cases in Florida. He specializes in the trial of medical malpractice, products liability and wrongful death cases.
Gary graduated from the University of Florida School of Law in 1976, where he was an editor of the law review and member of the National Moot Court Board. After graduation, he went to work for the firm known as Frates Floyd Pearson Stewart Richman & Greer. He became a partner at the firm and in 1984 left to open his own firm with Larry Stewart, Jim Tilghman and David Bianchi, where he has remained since.
Gary is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, the most selective group of trial lawyers in the United States. The Inner Circle is an invitation-only group limited to the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial attorneys in America. Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain is the only law firm in Florida with two members in The Inner Circle.
Gary was selected as the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates, Florida Chapters, an organization also known as FLABOTA. The American Board of Trial Advocates is an invitation-only group of trial lawyers evenly divided between attorneys who represent plaintiffs and those who represent insurance companies, manufacturers, health care providers, and other defendants.
Seven years after graduation, he became board certified as a civil trial lawyer by the Florida Bar and the following year he was certified in the same specialty by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Gary was elected President of the Miami Chapter of ABOTA in 1992 and was elected President of the statewide ABOTA organization (FLABOTA) in 1990. In 2004 he was selected for inclusion in the International Society of Barristers, another invitation-only group of trial lawyers that is limited to 600 members worldwide.
Gary represented Terri and Michael Schiavo in the medical malpractice trial arising out of the events that led to Terri’s coma. The jury returned a substantial verdict for Terri and Michael and the proceeds of that recovery led to the rift between Michael and Terri’s family and international publicity that followed. In addition, Gary has represented boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, Hall of Fame baseball player Eddie Mathews and All-Pro NFL cornerback Samari Rolle.
Gary and Stephen Cain tried to verdict Mr. Rolle’s case in Charlotte, North Carolina. The jury returned a verdict in Mr. Rolle’s favor. It was the first time in 12 years a jury in Charlotte had returned a verdict for a patient in a medical malpractice case. Gary also represented Jane Doe, a rape victim, in the case against Carnival Cruise Lines that became the subject of national publicity when Carnival was required by court order to disclose the data surrounding the number of sexual assaults occurring aboard its ships.
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Dec 3, 2019
Dec 3, 2019
1hr 3 min
Episode 043: Randy Kinnard │Wade v. HealthSouth Cane Creek Rehabilitation Hospital, Lowry, M.D.│ $15.2 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Randy Kinnard of www.kinnardclaytonandbeveridge.com/
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Case Details:
Accomplished trial lawyer, veteran and Purple Heart recipient Randy Kinnard of Kinnard, Clayton & Beveridge Attorneys at Law explains how he secured the largest verdict in Weakley County, Tennessee history for Cody Wade. At the age of 17, Cody was intubated following a traumatic car crash and struggled to breathe normally once it was removed. With the trach tube re-inserted, he was transferred to Cane Creek Rehabilitation Hospital and put under the care of a doctor who failed to consult a specialist or to provide reasonable care when Cody expressed concern and signs of respiratory distress following the second removal of the trach tube. Without the tube, Cody’s airway collapsed and he sustained irreversible brain damage, leaving him unable to speak or move. A Dresden, Tennessee jury returned a $15.2 million verdict following a lengthy five-week trial.
Guest Bio:
Randy Kinnard
Before becoming a trial lawyer, Randy Kinnard was a soldier. He graduated from West Point and then served in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam as a Lieutenant and airborne ranger. He commanded 250 men in combat. He was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Bronze Star for Valor, Purple Heart and Combat Air Medal for 28 air assaults in combat.
After his military service, Randy went to law school in Memphis. Randy has tried over 250 jury trials for plaintiffs. He has won many record-setting verdicts, including the Erin Andrews’ case of $55 million.
He’s a past president of the Tennessee Association for Justice.
Randy is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates and he lives in Nashville. He has served on several non-profit boards.
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Nov 26, 2019
Nov 26, 2019
1hr 19 min
Episode 042: Shanin Specter │Michael Goretzka v. West Penn Power Company │ $109 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Shanin Specter of www.klinespecter.com
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Case Details:
Inner Circle of Advocates member Shanin Specter of Kline & Specter, PC shares how he obtained the largest contested liability personal injury verdict in Pennsylvania history after 39-year-old Carrie Goretzka was fatally electrocuted by a 7200 volt power line. West Penn Power linemen failed to properly clean the wires with a wire brush before installing them, per the manufacturer’s instructions, resulting in the line overheating and falling to the ground as a live wire in her yard. The result of this premises liability case led to the re-training of Pennsylvania linemen, infra-red inspections of power lines and the creation of an Electric Safety Division by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to investigate reported electrical injuries. An Allegheny County jury returned a $109 million verdict, including $48 million in compensatory damages and $61 million in punitive damages.
Guest Bio:
Shanin Specter
Shanin Specter is a preeminent American trial lawyer. He is a founding partner of Kline & Specter, one of the leading catastrophic injury firms in the United States.
Specter has obtained more than 200 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million, including jury verdicts of $153 million against a major automaker and $109 million against a Pennsylvania power company. In all, he has achieved 16 eight- or nine-figure verdicts, among them news-making cases involving medical malpractice, defective products, medical devices, premises liability, auto accidents, and general negligence.
He is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, whose membership is limited to the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial attorneys in the United States.
Beyond winning substantial monetary compensation for his clients, many of Specter's cases have prompted changes that provide a societal benefit, including improvements to vehicle safety, nursing and hospital procedures, the safe operation of police cars, training for the use of CPR at public institutions, and inspections, installation and maintenance of utility power lines. One case spurred the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to create a new Electric Safety Division to investigate reported electrical injuries. Most recently, Specter’s lawsuit on behalf of the victims of a fire escape collapse helped move the City of Philadelphia in 2016 to enact an ordinance requiring all fire escapes to be regularly inspected.
Specter earned his undergraduate degree with honors from Haverford College, his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an LL.M. with First Honors from Cambridge University.
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Nov 19, 2019
Nov 19, 2019
1hr 5 min
Episode 041: George “Skip” Finkbohner | Juno v. Amare, et al | $140 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview George "Skip" Finkbohner of Cunningham Bounds.
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Case Details:
Litigation Counsel of America Fellow Skip Finkbohner explains how he secured the largest medical malpractice verdict in Alabama history after his client, Sharron Juno, received a fatal dose of insulin that was 10 times the correct prescribed dosage due to a transcription error. Sharron’s dosage orders, dictated by Dr. Amare, were routed through a medical transcription company that the hospital had failed to properly vet. The transcription company was attempting to lower costs by outsourcing their services to unqualified transcribers in India. A Baldwin County, Alabama jury returned a landmark verdict of $140 million on behalf of Sharron’s estate.
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Guest Bio:
George "Skip" Finkbohner
In an era when fewer and fewer civil cases go to trial, Skip Finkbohner has consistently won major court battles over a significant period of time and across a wide range of different types of cases, including wrongful death, product liability, complex commercial litigation, fraud, industrial accidents, environmental, medical malpractice, and others. Skip and his team examine the smallest of details and take the time to explain to juries the complex scientific, engineering and medical issues that are often the key factors in winning cases.
After graduating from college at Duke University (magna cum laude), and then from Duke Law School, the Mobile Alabama native achieved early success in the courtroom. This inspired him to fight for those who he felt were wronged, knowing that with enough preparation, and by adhering to ethical values, he could help improve the lives of others by fighting for them rather than taking unfair settlements.
Skip has represented plaintiffs in many cases that resulted in record-breaking jury verdicts, including the two largest jury verdicts in Alabama since 2003. These include his representation of the following:
Dr. Peter Mannsfeld, a scientist, against Ineos Phenol GmbH & CO., KG, which resulted in a $192 million verdict. This was the largest verdict ever achieved in Mobile County, and the largest ever achieved in Alabama for an intellectual property/trade secrets case.
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The family of Sharron Juno against Thomas Hospital and Precise Solutions in a medical malpractice/wrongful death case in Baldwin County, which is generally considered one of the most conservative venues in Alabama. The trial of this case resulted in a $140 million verdict, which was the largest ever achieved in Baldwin County, and the largest ever achieved in a medical malpractice trial in Alabama.
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The parents of Tiffany Stabler in a product liability case against Kia for a defective seatbelt that resulted in their daughter’s death during a single-vehicle accident. The trial of this case resulted in a $40 million verdict, the largest verdict ever achieved in Mobile County for a case involving a single death.
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The family of Annie Barnes for consumer fraud against American General Life and Accident arising from the sale and servicing of a life insurance policy. The trial of this case resulted in a $35 million verdict, which is the largest verdict ever achieved in Mobile County for fraud perpetrated on a single consumer.
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The family of Ben Brackett in an industrial accident, electrical contact wrongful death case against Alabama Power Company. The trial of this case resulted in a $20 million verdict.
These and other verdicts were recognized by The National Law Journal and Verdict Search as ranking in the top 100 jury verdicts in the United States in the years these cases were tried. More information about these and many other cases Skip has handled can be found by clicking here: “Significant Verdicts.”
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Nov 12, 2019
Nov 12, 2019
1hr 17 min
Episode 040: Bill Stone
Trabue v. Atlanta Women’s Specialists, LLC and Stanley R. Angus, M.D.
$45.8 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Bill Stone of stonelaw.com
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Case Details:
Former Georgia Plaintiff’s Lawyer of the Year Bill Stone of Stone Law Group in Atlanta explains how he secured justice for Shannon Trabue, an expectant mother with pre-eclampsia who suffered irreversible brain damage due to medical malpractice. Two Atlanta Women’s Specialists’ doctors failed to regulate Shannon’s blood pressure, despite knowledge that pre-eclampsia patients pose a high risk of blood pressure-induced seizures, and failed to manage her fluid levels. As a result, Shannon suffered cardiopulmonary arrest, resulting in permanent brain damage and physical disabilities due to an extended period of time without oxygen. A Fulton County, Georgia jury delivered a $45.8 million verdict, including $9.8 million in economic loss and $18 million in compensatory damages for Shannon.
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Guest Bio:
Bill Stone
Bill is a trial lawyer from Blakely, Georgia, who specializes in personal injury, wrongful death, professional malpractice, product liability, commercial and consumer fraud cases. The firm’s predecessor was founded in 1915 by Bill’s grandfather, the late Wm. Lowrey Stone. Past members of the firm include Bill’s father, Lowrey S. Stone, who formerly served as Chief Judge of Superior Courts, Pataula Judicial Circuit.
Bill was born in Dothan, Alabama, on August 19, 1953. He attended the public schools in Early County, Georgia and graduated from Early County High School in 1971. He attended the University of Georgia College of Business Administration and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting on graduation in 1975. Bill also attended the Netherlands Institute of Industrial Economics near Amsterdam in The Netherlands in 1973.
Bill received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1977. He was admitted to practice law in the state of Georgia in 1977 and in the state of Alabama in 1985. He is also a member of the bars of the United States District Courts for the Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia, the Middle District of Alabama, and the Central District of Illinois, as well as the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits.
The publishers of the Martindale Hubble Law Directory have awarded Bill its highest rating (AV) for legal ability and integrity.
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Nov 5, 2019
Nov 5, 2019
1hr 10 min
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Patrick Malone of https://www.patrickmalonelaw.com/
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Case Details:
Acclaimed Washington, D.C. plaintiff’s attorney Patrick Malone discusses how he secured a $3.6 million verdict on behalf of a two-week-old baby girl who suffered a serious chemical burn from an intravenous line delivering liquid nutrition and antibiotics in her ankle at Georgetown University Hospital. The tip of the intravenous needle migrated into the muscle and fat, causing permanent injury that required multiple medical interventions. At trial, Malone demonstrated that the nursing staff at the hospital allowed the IV line to go unchecked, directly contributing to the severity of the burn.
Guest Bio:
Patrick Malone
Patrick Malone is a son of the Midwest. He grew up in an Irish Catholic family in Wichita, Kansas, the oldest of seven children. After graduating summa cum laude from the University of Kansas, he worked as a reporter for United Press International in Kansas City, then won a prestigious journalism fellowship at the University of Michigan, where he studied public health issues and wrote freelance articles for the Washington Post. Malone then worked as a medical writer and investigative reporter for the Miami Herald, where he won a number of awards, including a finalist designation for the Pulitzer Prize for a series co-authored on “dangerous doctors.”
After he was accepted at Yale Law School, Malone and his wife Vicki sold their home in Miami and moved to a rental apartment in New Haven, Connecticut with their infant son. They had one more son while at Yale and a third after moving to the Washington area. At Yale, Malone won several student awards, including best “moot court” argument. He worked for a year after graduating for a prominent federal judge, U.S. District Judge Gerhard Gesell in Washington, D.C. In 1985, Patrick Malone began his career as an attorney representing seriously injured people.
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Oct 29, 2019
Oct 29, 2019
1hr 12 min
Episode 038: Rex Parris | Taylor v. Schilling | $41.6 million verdict
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Rex Parris of www.ParrisLawyers.com
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Case Details:
National Institute for Trial Advocacy Master Advocate Rex Parris describes how he obtained one of the nation’s top motor vehicle accident verdicts in 2018 on behalf of Anthony Taylor. Only 25 at the time of the collision with Schilling’s car, Taylor suffered a broken neck and severe spinal cord injury that rendered him a quadriplegic. A previous corrective back surgery for adolescent scoliosis conflicted with the post-accident reconstructive back surgery, causing serious infection and extensive hospital stays. Today, Taylor requires round-the-clock care. A Los Angeles, California jury returned a verdict of $41,634,170 in damages.
Guest Bio:
Rex Parris
Rex Parris is recognized as one of the most successful and innovative trial lawyers alive today. Rex handles a wide variety of cases, ranging from severe personal injury to class actions, products liability, and business torts. When he is not in trial, Rex tours the country speaking to trial lawyer organizations about the intersection of cognitive science and the persuasion of jurors. Rex has been profiled in numerous national media outlets, including “20/20,” “Nightline,” the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and a myriad of legal journals.
Rex has achieved outstanding results in the courtroom over the span of his career – he obtained the first million-dollar verdict in California’s Kern County as a young lawyer and, years later, obtained a historic, record-breaking defamation jury verdict in Los Angeles for $370,000,000. In between, Rex has obtained dozens of seven-, eight- and nine-figure verdicts and settlements. His success is hardly happenstance – Rex prepares every case, for trial using the latest science in persuasion skills. Everything from metaphoric choices, word selection and visuals are tested and re-tested before each trial.
In addition to managing his trial calendar and the Firm’s diversified practice, Rex also manages one of California’s fastest-growing cities. As the mayor of Lancaster since 2008, Rex has gained nationwide media attention for his efforts to improve the wellbeing of the city’s residents. For example, gang violence dropped 82%, the city’s downtown area was completely redeveloped during the worst economic downturn in over 75 years, and all of the city’s municipal buildings were converted to solar power.
Rex and his wife, Carrol, founded the Firm in 1985 with the goal of building a truly great law firm. That goal has never changed – they continue to innovate and work tirelessly to improve the service and results they provide daily.
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Oct 22, 2019
Oct 22, 2019
1hr 15 min
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview Kent Buckingham and Rick Barrera of Buckingham Barrera Law Firm and Mike Newell of Newell Law Firm, LLC.
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Case Details:
Kent Buckingham and Rick Barrera of Buckingham Barrera Law Firm and Mike Newell of Newell Law Firm, LLC explain how they secured justice for Lorenza and Alvaro Botello after their son, Jonathan Botello, sustained a traumatic brain injury and significant nerve damage after he was left without oxygen for 10 minutes at birth. The doctor treating Lorenza failed to perform the serial ultrasounds necessary for a diabetic’s pregnancy and recklessly attempted a traditional vaginal birth, despite indications that Jonathan, weighing in at 11.5 pounds, would be too large to be delivered via traditional methods. A Santa Fe, New Mexico jury awarded $73.2 million in damages to Jonathan’s parents, including $13.35 million in damages for Lorenza, who suffers from severe birth-related injuries.
Guest Bios:
Kent Buckingham
Kent Buckingham is a board-certified, AV-rated attorney—earning the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell—who limits his practice to the specialty of medical malpractice. In addition, he practiced for several years as an eye doctor before beginning his legal career. His firm has obtained numerous multi-million dollar settlements and judgments. He is a sustaining member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, a member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group, and a Diplomate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Before starting his legal practice, Mr. Buckingham practiced as an ophthalmologist for several years. This experience has endowed him with the unique insight necessary to effectively represent plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases.
Rick Barrera
Mr. Barrera was born and raised in the border community of Del Rio, TX. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1994. After careers in grocery retail management and financial advising, Mr. Barrera returned to law school to fulfill a childhood dream. Mr. Barrera graduated from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2009. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and New Mexico.
Mr. Barrera believes strongly in civic duty and has served in various leadership capacities with Rotary International, Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic National Bar Association. Rick and his wife Martha celebrated their 20th Anniversary on December 31, 2014. They have two daughters, Martha Sofia, age 7 and Eva Loren, age 4. The family also includes a dog named Princess, a turtle named Rachel, and a fish named Shish.
Mike Newell
Our vision is to provide our clients with skilled legal advice in an efficient, effective and proficient manner. Newell Law Firm strives to handle each matter professionally. Newell Law Firm is comprised of skilled legal counsel, as well as a well-trained staff that combines a vast array of knowledge in a variety of matters, including court and administrative agency litigation, private arbitration and mediation. Our client representation reflects our values of integrity, service, excellence, and teamwork. Michael Newell has a preeminent AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the laws' “gold standard in attorney ratings”.
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