NCLW Medical Malpractice Power List 2024

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MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

HEALTHCARE p o we r L I S T T H E

JOHN BEYER PARTNER AND GENERAL COUNSEL PARKER POE CHARLOTTE, N.C.

John Beyer brings a unique perspective to his work in medical malpractice defense.

“I come from a family of physicians,” he says. “My mother, father, brother and father-in-law were all physicians.”

While Beyer had no interest in becoming a doctor, he was always interested in medicine and has always had a great respect for health care professionals.

JOHN A. CHILSON

HEALTH CARE p o we r L I S T T H E

“When I started law school, it was always in the back of my mind that I'd be interested in representing and defending health care providers,” he says.

Beyer is a partner and general counsel at Parker Poe in Charlotte, where he focuses his practice on professional negligence and product liability defense.

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“I believe the most important aspect of medical malpractice cases is the science behind the medicine,” he says. “A lawyer’s job is to fully understand the medicine and then explain it to a jury so they can make an informed decision about whether a case really involves any negligence on the part of a health care provider.”

As a retired naval officer with 20 years of service on active duty and in the Navy Reserve in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, John Chilson has practiced criminal and administrative law and has had appellate advocacy experience throughout his career.

And while he did not set out to practice medical malpractice law, his first trial sealed the deal.

“My first trial after leaving the JAG Corps was a complex medical malpractice case that resulted in a plaintiff’s verdict,” he says. “It’s a specialized area of the law that fulfills a need for so many wonderful people, and I enjoy the challenge.”

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Today, he is a partner at Comerford Chilson & Moser in WinstonSalem.

The knowledge that he guides his clients through a difficult time in their lives motivates him to go to work every day and do his best.

“I embrace the responsibility of helping my clients, and I get satisfaction from helping them obtain accountability from those who have drastically changed their lives,” he says.

JOHN R. EDWARDS

FOUNDING PARTNER

EDWARDS KIRBY ATTORNEYS AT LAW RALEIGH, N.C.

John Edwards is recognized as a dedicated advocate who will fight for fairness and justice for his clients.

He is a founding partner of Edwards Kirby Attorneys at Law, a personal injury firm in Raleigh.

A defining case in Edwards’ legal career came in 1997 after four years of litigation against Sta-Rite Industries, makers of a swimming pool drain that severely injured a small girl in a swimming pool accident in Wake County. Edwards secured a $25 million award, at the time the largest product liability verdict in state history.

That year, Edwards and his law partner, David Kirby, earned the American Association for Justice’s national award for public service.

In 1998, Edwards entered politics and was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was presidential candidate John Kerry’s running mate in 2004 and ran for president in 2008, campaigning on eliminating poverty, fighting global warming, providing universal health care and withdrawing troops from Iraq.

SUSAN T. FOUNTAIN SHAREHOLDER YOUNG MOORE ATTORNEYS RALEIGH, N.C.

As a shareholder at Young Moore Attorneys and a member of its health care practice team, Susan Fountain represents hospitals, physicians and other health care providers in matters, including medical malpractice defense and general liability. She also is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission to conduct Superior Court mediations in North Carolina.

Fountain credits her summer clerkships for introducing her to a variety of different practice areas.

“I was immediately drawn to medical malpractice defense because it was engaging and allowed me to interact with and represent professionals who do so much for the communities where they live,” she says.

She believes in treating others with respect and kindness and leading by example. Fountain would advise young attorneys to explore the law as she did when she was exploring her options, and look for a good fit.

“Find an area of law that you are passionate about and go the extra mile to seek out opportunities to pursue your passion,” she says.

RACHEL A. FUERST PARTNER

HENSON FUERST ATTORNEYS RALEIGH, N.C.

Rachel Fuerst has shaped her practice out of concern for the rights and needs of elders and those who live with disabilities related to old age. She works with families of individuals living with disabilities, including dementia and brain injuries.

She is passionate about ensuring her clients are heard, and that they receive a fair chance to live productive lives. This passion led her to practice medical malpractice law.

“I felt a need to help people who had been injured through no fault of their own by systemic failures,” Fuerst says. “My personal mission is to change the system to improve the lives of all North Carolina citizens.”

Through her work, she became involved in Disability Rights NC, the state’s federally mandated nonprofit organization charged with protecting the rights of children and adults living with disabilities in North Carolina. She and her family are staunch advocates for championing those who suffer permanent harm due to injuries someone else caused.

LUKE LARGESS ATTORNEY TIN FULTON CHARLOTTE, N.C.

One of eight children in a Navy family, Luke Largess graduated from Duke University and worked as a teacher, social worker and carpenter before going to law school at the University of North Carolina.

His practice has included trial and appellate work in state and federal courts in employment, civil rights, education, personal injury and medical negligence.

Before joining Tin Fulton, Largess practiced at Ferguson Stein Chambers, where he began working in medical malpractice law.

“Like many of my peers, I find daily motivation in the chance to help someone through a crisis in their lives,” he says.

He would advise young lawyers against trying to go it alone.

“Even if you are not in a firm, or if you are the only lawyer in your firm engaged in your area of practice, there are many lawyers willing to provide guidance and advice,” he says. “And don’t try to be perfect. It is amazing what you can accomplish even when you don’t get all of it right.”

JOHN C. HENSLEY JR. MANAGING PARTNER HENSLEY CLONINGER

John Hensley says he is on a personal mission to stand up for clients who have been harmed by medical malpractice, and that his goal is to level the playing field to give them hope for a fair trial and just outcome to their cases.

“I chose to practice in the medical malpractice area because it is the most challenging and complex type of personal injury litigation,” he says. “I also enjoy the variety of medical issues we see and trying to understand the medicine to be able to competently handle each case.”

Hensley is managing partner at Hensley Cloninger & Greer in Asheville. He has more than 34 years of legal experience. In 2000, Hensley was lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a birth injury trial in Buncombe County that resulted in what was reported to be a record verdict.

“I would advise novice attorneys to trust their instincts, be themselves and don’t worry about what others think,” he says. “Also, don’t cut corners, and always be prepared.”

PHYLLIS “P.J.” LILE-KING

PRINCIPAL

THE LILE-KING FIRM

P.J. Lile-King was practicing civil rights law when she heard from a man who had lost his wife to a drug overdose. She reviewed the medical records and found that the woman’s doctor had documented the woman’s addiction to opiates and stated she had been hospitalized for overdosing.

The physician also recorded in the chart that an addiction doctor had advised him the patient was at risk of overdosing again and asked him to stop prescribing opiates. But the physician felt sorry for her and filled what turned out to be her last prescription.

“She was found dead two days later, and I took the case,” LileKing says. “From there, physicians and lawyers started referring difficult overdose cases to me.”

Lile-King, principal at The Lile-King Firm in Greensboro, empathizes with those who need a helping hand.

“I grew up sensitive to poverty and racism in southwestern Kentucky,” she says. “Thurgood and Martin were my heroes, and I’ve always felt a responsibility to help the poor and powerless.”

R. BAILEY MELVIN LAWYER

THE MELVIN LAW FIRM GREENVILLE, N.C.

Bailey Melvin says that rather than choosing to work in medical malpractice law, that practice area chose him.

“I knew I wanted to help the little guy, and I knew I wanted to do trial work,” he says. “When malpractice cases started crossing my desk, I saw they were so interesting and the people I represented needed help so desperately it became a great passion.”

The son of a minister, Melvin grew up in Mars Hill, North Carolina. He is an attorney at The Melvin Law Firm in Greenville. Opportunities to help his clients motivate him to come to work each day.

“Every day is a new and exciting challenge, and I can’t imagine practicing any other type of law,” he says. “I recently started representing a woman who is paralyzed, and she has such a positive attitude. I aim to do my very best to honor her, and other clients like her every day.”

CHARLES G. MONNETT III PARTNER MAGINNIS HOWARD CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Charles Monnett founded the law firm of Charles G. Monnett & Associates in Charlotte in 1983 to serve as an advocate for individuals who had suffered personal injury due to negligence.

In 2022, he merged his practice with Maginnis Howard, and he practices in the firm’s Charlotte office. He focuses on auto and truck crashes and medical malpractice.

“I believe the practice of law should always remain a profession dedicated to the service of others,” he says.

Monnett says he enjoys trial work and appreciates the opportunity to use his skills and experience to help others. He finds it especially rewarding when his clients stay in touch with him over the years.

“It is a satisfying feeling when a client I represented 10 or 15 years ago contacts me to say they’re doing well in terms of meeting their own needs, keeping a roof over their head and food on their table, and that they are able to pay for the ongoing medical care they need,” Monnett says.

DAVID PISHKO LAWYER PISHKO KALARITES WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

David Pishko says he started his career taking all cases that came in the door, from car wrecks to divorce and the occasional medical negligence case.

“I recognized that medical cases offered the greatest intellectual challenge for me and that there was a need for lawyers who were willing to take on these time-consuming cases,” he says. “I also discovered that, while most doctors and nurses are dedicated to providing good care, they are required to take care of too many patients with too little support, and sometimes patients are tragically injured.”

Through his work, he strives to provide incentives for health care providers to focus more on the care of patients than finances.

Pishko is an attorney with Pishko Kalarites in WinstonSalem. He says his clients inspire him to go to work each day.

“I find satisfaction in helping clients understand their situation and holding careless providers accountable,” he says. “This leads to improving the health care system for us all.”

JUDITH VINCENT-POPE PRESIDENT VINCENT-POPE LAW FIRM CARY, N.C.

At the Vincent-Pope Law Firm, Judy Vincent-Pope is known for her dedication to providing outstanding legal representation to residents of the Research Triangle area of North Carolina and across the state.

She has been practicing law for more than 20 years and opened Vincent-Pope Law Firm in 2014. She serves as her firm’s president.

Vincent-Pope strives to alleviate her clients’ stress by making the legal process as easy and comprehensive as possible. She understands her clients are going through serious difficulties that can be devastating for their entire family. She prides herself on her caring approach and compassionate and sensitive handling of cases.

Vincent-Pope Law Firm has been nominated by The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as one of North Carolina's Top 10 Law Firms. The firm is a member of the Cary Chamber of Commerce, the National Kidney Foundation and the East Coast Greenway Alliance.

KAREN STILES PARTNER SHUMAKER CHARLOTTE, N.C.

While in law school, Karen Stiles enjoyed working in a variety of different practice areas during her clerkships. One of them stuck with her.

“I was immediately drawn to medical malpractice defense because it was engaging and allowed me to interact with and represent professionals who do so much for the communities where they live,” she says.

Stiles has specialized in medical malpractice law for the last 20 years, focusing primarily on defending medical malpractice cases and catastrophic personal injury litigation.

She is a partner at Shumaker in Charlotte and serves on the firm’s medical malpractice team. She has successfully defended physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, hospitals and nursing homes in a myriad of cases involving virtually every medical specialty,

Stiles believes in treating everyone with respect and kindness and leading by example.

When advising young attorneys about their careers, she would tell them to “find an area of law they are passionate about and go the extra mile to pursue that passion.”

ROBERT E. ZAYTOUN MANAGING PARTNER ZAYTOUN & BALLEW RALEIGH, N.C.

Robert Zaytoun began his career in 1976 in Tampa, Florida, at a plaintiff personal injury firm before returning to North Carolina, his home state, in 1979 to accept a position as assistant district attorney for Wake County.

Zaytoun returned to private practice in 1982, focusing on criminal defense. Eventually, his practice evolved, and he began representing clients in a variety of matters, including catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death and other areas of personal injury law.

Today he is managing partner at Zaytoun & Ballew in Raleigh.

“I like fighting for the underdog,” he says. “As a plaintiff attorney, you usually are confronting corporations backed by huge insurance companies with lawyers from large firms, well-funded and usually formidable adversaries.”

Zaytoun credits his father, a U.S. Marine in World War II, with influencing his life and career.

“My father told me, ‘Keep your head down, prepare for your adversaries’ best, and never give up.’ He was my all-time hero and role model,” Zaytoun says.