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Overview

Overview

Karen is Co-Chair of Gfeller Laurie LLP’s Healthcare and Professional Liability practice group.

Karen has defended and advised healthcare and medical professionals in Connecticut for almost thirty years.  Throughout her career, she has represented medical professionals in every judicial district in Connecticut as well as in proceedings before the Connecticut Department of Public Health. She has tried multiple cases in numerous venues and vigorously defends her clients in all aspects of litigation, mediation and arbitration.  She has represented physicians, nurses, hospitals and other health care providers from all over the state in a variety of medical specialties but has particular interest and expertise in cases involving obstetrics and gynecology.

Karen is active in the defense bar. She served as the President of the Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association (2018-2019) and served on the Board of Directors for 7 years. Karen also served as a voice for the defense bar on a task force made up of judges, plaintiff and defense attorneys that developed the standard form medical malpractice written discovery used in Connecticut today.  She continues to work with and lecture to medical organizations about trends and approaches in medical malpractice claims and litigation.

She has also been very active in her local and regional community, teaching catechism and working with the youth group in her parish, and serving as the Chair of the PTO Room Representative Committee for several years.

Experience

Experience

Representative Experience

  • Represents physicians, nurses, hospitals and other health care providers from all over the state in a variety of medical specialties including surgery, emergency medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory operations, anesthesiology, internal medicine, urology, plastic surgery, pediatrics, general surgery and radiology.
  • Tried and/or second-chaired several ob-gyn cases to verdict including those involving claims of brain injury, gynecologic surgery complications and shoulder dystocia/brachial plexus injuries.  She has significant experience with cases involving fetal monitor tracings, high risk pregnancy issues such as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, multiple gestations, gestational diabetes, cord prolapse and labor and delivery claims, as well as cervical cancer, breast cancer and pregnancy termination.
  • Represents physicians and nurses in administrative investigations and hearings conducted by the Department of Public Health.
  • Regularly asked by clients, organizations and institutions to lecture to health care providers and claims professionals about issues involving trends in medical malpractice claims and litigation and risk management.
  • Served on the task force that developed the standard form medical malpractice discovery for the Rules Committee of the Superior Court.

Honors

  • President’s Award for Excellence 2022 – Connecticut Defense Lawyers’ Association (“a member of the bar who has provided outstanding and distinguished service and contributions to the bar, excellence in practice, and the development and furtherance of the fair administration of justice and application of law to society”).
  • DRI Exceptional Performance Award 2019.

Professional Affiliations

  • Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association
    • President 2018-2019
    • Officer of the Executive Committee 2014-2020
    • Board of Directors 2013-2020
  • Connecticut Hospital Association

Civic Activities

  • Yelp Elite Member
  • Dunstan Parish Youth Group
  • Dunstan Catechist
  • Eastbury School PTO

Publications

  • “Bystander Claims Remain Unsettled Territory in Medical Malpractice Cases,” Connecticut Law Tribune, Medical Malpractice Focus, March 2001.

Credentials

Credentials

Admitted to Practice

  • Connecticut

Education

  • Boston College, B.A.
  • Boston College Law School, J.D.

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