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September 5, 2023 — Bennett Bigelow & Leedom, P.S. is proud to have 8 lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^® and 4 lawyers recognized in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America 2024 editions (Best Lawyers).

Michael Madden was selected as the Best Lawyers^® 2024 Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year” in Seattle. Mike previously earned this accolade in 2020 for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants and in 2019 for Litigation – Health Care.

Kathy Brindley was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Litigation – Health Care

Jennifer Crisera was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Rhianna Fronapfel was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants and Litigation – Health

Elizabeth Leedom was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

William Leedom was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Michael Madden was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Appellate Practice, Litigation – Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Bruce Megard was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Litigation – Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Jennifer Moore was included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Eric Byrd was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America for Insurance Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Amy DeLisa was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Lauren Martin was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

Erica Roberts was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

August 17, 2023 — BB&L is pleased to announce and congratulate its attorneys named to this year’s Super Lawyers and Rising Stars – Washington. All of our attorneys, coupled with talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and practice. We want to especially recognize Jennifer Crisera and Elizabeth Leedom who were included in both lists of Top 100 Lawyers and Top 50 Women Lawyers. In addition, Elizabeth Leedom was named in the list for Top 10 Lawyers.  Please read on for a list of all recognized attorneys.

Super Lawyers: Katharine Brindley, Jennifer Crisera, Rhianna Fronapfel, Carol Sue Janes, Elizabeth Leedom, William Leedom, Michael Madden, Bruce Megard, Jennifer Moore, David Norman

Rising Stars: Aida Almasalkhi, Lauren Martin, Erica Roberts

August 18, 2022 – BB&L is pleased to announce that seven of our attorneys have been recognized in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, and five of our attorneys have been included in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. All of our attorneys, together with our talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and overall practice. Congratulations to the following BB&L attorneys on their recognition:

2023 Best Lawyers in America®

Katharine W. Brindley
Litigation – Health Care
Jennifer G. Crisera
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Elizabeth A. Leedom
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
William J. Leedom
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Michael Madden
Appellate Practice
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Amy M. Magnano
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Bruce W. Megard, Jr.
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America

Eric R. Byrd
Insurance Law
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Amy J. DeLisa
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Jonathan S. Litner
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Michael J. Madderra
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Lauren M. Martin
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

July 18, 2022 – Congratulations to Amy Forbis, Lauren Martin, and the rest of the BB&L team for a defense verdict in favor of their client, a local obstetrician-gynecologist and her practice. The allegations were that the physician negligently performed the patient-plaintiff’s laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and negligently provided post-operative care, resulting in a ureteral injury. Plaintiff asked the jury to award over $2.5 million in alleged damages. After a two week trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the defendants. (King County Superior Court, Case No. 20-2-07760-7 SEA).

July 15, 2022 – Congratulations to the BB&L attorneys selected as 2022 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®. All of our attorneys, together with our talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and overall practice. The following BB&L lawyers were recognized:

2022 Super Lawyers®: Katharine W. Brindley, Jenny M. Churas, Jennifer G. Crisera (Top 100 Lawyers, Top 50 Women Lawyers), Rhianna M. Fronapfel, Carol Sue Janes, William J. Leedom, Elizabeth A. Leedom (Top 100 Lawyers, Top 10 Lawyers, Top 50 Women Lawyers), Mike Madden, Amy M. Magnano (Top 50 Women Lawyers), Bruce W. Megard, Jr., Jennifer L. Moore, David M. Norman

2022 Rising Stars®: Aida Almasalkhi (recognized in Kentucky), Lauren M. Martin

June 24, 2022 – Congratulations to Mike Madden, Jenny Churas, and the rest of the BB&L team for a defense verdict in favor of their client, a local hospital.  The allegation was that the vascular neurologists failed to obtain a consult for possible thrombectomy in a stroke patient, resulting in the patient’s death.  After a three-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the defendants. (King County Superior Court, Case No. 20-2-01323-4 KNT).

June 16, 2022 – Bennett Bigelow & Leedom is pleased to announce that it has been recognized for Healthcare in the 2022 edition of Chambers and Partners Guide. We are also pleased to announce that Amy Magnano and Mike Madden have been recognized by Chambers for their Healthcare law experience. Chambers and Partners is an independent research company that operates across 200 jurisdictions providing unique insight into complex areas of law. Lawyers and law firms are ranked based on several factors and considerations, which are investigated by their research team. Congratulations to Amy and Mike on this recognition!

March 8, 2022 – Congratulations to Erin Seeberger, who has been awarded the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers’ Community Leadership Award for 2022!

The Community Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has provided substantial support and benefit to the community through volunteerism or pro bono efforts while embodying outstanding professionalism, ethics, and civic virtue.

December 17, 2020 – Congratulations to Jennifer Crisera for being recently elected to join the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC). FDCC membership is limited, selective, and by nomination only, with a total of 1,450 members from the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, Canada, and Europe. The FDCC is an organization comprised of “recognized leaders in the legal community who have achieved professional distinction, [and it] is dedicated to promoting knowledge, fellowship and professionalism of its members as they pursue the course of a balanced justice system and represent those in need of a defense in civil lawsuits.” Jennifer joins fellow BB&L shareholders William “Bill” Leedom and Rhianna Fronapfel as part of this distinguished organization.

January 1, 2021 – Bennett Bigelow & Leedom is pleased to announce that our associates, Eric Byrd, Jenny Churas, and Erin Seeberger, have been elected to become Shareholders and Directors at BB&L.

ERIC BYRD joined the firm in 2017. He leads our Spokane office and has developed a practice defending health care providers, hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes in medical negligence lawsuits, as well as representing individual physicians, dentists, and mental health service providers in credentialing matters in both Washington and Idaho. He has also built a practice representing the insureds of multi-state insurers in personal injury, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. Eric has been selected to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, in the Insurance Law and Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants categories. He is on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington. Eric spent several years practicing as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and litigating in private practice in Spokane before joining the firm. For more on Eric and his practice, please click here.

JENNY CHURAS joined the firm in 2013. She has built a practice representing a range of hospitals and individual health care providers. Her practice includes representing health care providers and entities in medical negligence litigation, medical administrative actions, nursing home litigation, and peer review and credentialing matters. She has an extensive background in general liability defense and has represented clients in complex negligence litigation and wrongful death claims in both state and federal court. Jenny has been selected to the Washington Super Lawyers® list and to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, in the Medical Malpractice Law and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants categories. Before joining BB&L, Jenny was a Law Clerk for the Honorable Linda C. Krese, Snohomish County Superior Court, and in private practice at a Seattle firm.

ERIN SEEBERGER joined the firm in 2015. Her practice focuses on defending physicians and health care institutions against claims of medical malpractice and in disciplinary actions. She also provides advice and counseling to healthcare clinics and other professional services clients on employment-related issues. Erin has tried cases in both state and federal court, including claims for employment discrimination, contractual indemnity, medical and dental malpractice, and wrongful death. Erin serves on the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers’ Board of Trustees and previously served as its Practice Development Chair. She is an instructor for the University of Washington School of Law, teaching its medical malpractice course. Erin has been selected to the Washington Super Lawyers Rising Stars® list for the last five years. Before joining the firm, Erin’s legal career began in California, where she worked full-time as a law clerk while attending law school, and then as an associate attorney in private practice in both California and Seattle.

August 20, 2020 – BB&L is pleased to congratulate our attorneys who have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021, an award based entirely on peer-review. This year marks the inaugural year of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch award.  Those recognized as Ones to Watch are at a stage in their legal careers that warrant recognition for outstanding professional excellence in private practice. All of our attorneys, together with our talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and overall practice. Congratulations to the following BB&L attorneys on their recognition:

2021 Best Lawyers®:

Jennifer Crisera
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Elizabeth A. Leedom
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
William J. Leedom
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Michael Madden
Appellate Practice
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Amy M. Magnano
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Bruce W. Megard, Jr.
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Caroline E. Greene
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

Jenny M. Churas
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Amy J. DeLisa
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Jonathan S. Litner
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Michael J. Madderra
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Eric R. Byrd
Insurance Law
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants

July 16, 2020 – BB&L extends sincere congratulations to its attorneys selected as 2020 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®. We want to especially recognize Elizabeth Leedom, who was also named a Top 100 Lawyer and, for the fourteenth time, Top 50 Women Lawyer. All of our attorneys, together with our talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and overall practice. The following BB&L lawyers were recognized:

2020 Super Lawyers®: Jennifer Crisera, Amy Forbis, Rhianna Fronapfel, Elizabeth Leedom, William Leedom, Mike Madden, Amy Magnano, Bruce Megard, Jennifer Moore, Carol Sue Janes, Jenny Churas, David Norman

2020 Rising Stars®: Lauren Martin, Erin Seeberger

On May 11, 2020, Elizabeth Leedom was named a recipient of the 2020 Industry Defender Award (IDA) by the Board of Directors of the Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Association. This award is presented to individual defense attorneys who have made outstanding lifelong contributions to defending physicians, other healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics, and their exceptional work on behalf of medical liability insurers.

Liz was nominated for this award by Physicians Insurance for her years of stellar representation of its insureds, its knowledge of the work she has done throughout the legal community, and its overall respect for her.

Brian K. Atchinson, President and CEO of the MPL Association, released a statement acknowledging this year’s IDA recipients. “Our legal colleagues play a key role in the defense of care delivery. Through their work with medical professional liability companies and indemnifiers, [they] have been valuable partners through their effective representation of physicians, healthcare practices, and hospitals. Both recipients personify excellence in the field.”

Bennett Bigelow & Leedom is please to congratulate Liz on this well-deserved recognition.

The full press release from the MPL Association is available here.

August 15, 2019 – BB&L is again pleased to announce and congratulate its attorneys selected as 2019 Super Lawyers®, and Rising Stars, and to the 2020 Best Lawyers in America©.  We want to especially recognize Michael Madden, who was named the 2020 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” Medical Malpractice Law- Defendants in Seattle and Elizabeth Leedom, who for the thirteenth time, was named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers®.  All of our attorneys, coupled with talented legal support and administrative professionals, have done an excellent job representing BB&L’s clients and overall practice.  The following BB&L lawyers were recognized:

2019 Super Lawyers®: Jennifer Crisera, Amy Forbis, Carol Sue Janes, Elizabeth Leedom, William Leedom, Michael Madden, Amy Magnano, Bruce Megard, and Jennifer Moore.

2019 Rising Stars®: Lauren Martin and Erin Seeberger.

2020 Best Lawyers®: Jennifer Crisera (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants), William Leedom (Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants), Elizabeth Leedom (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants), Michael Madden (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, Appellate Practice and Litigation – Health Care), Amy Magnano (Health Care Law), and Bruce W. Megard (Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants).

June 2019 – Congratulations to Lauren M. Martin and Sarah S. Silverman, who were recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Washington Healthcare Risk Management Society (WHCRMS).  Lauren will serve as one of WHCRMS’ Western Washington Trustees and Sarah will serve as the Board Secretary.  Both Lauren’s and Sarah’s’ legal practices focus on medical malpractice defense.

WHCRMS initially organized in 1983 as a forum for risk managers and others within the healthcare industry whose professional practice contributes to the identification, assessment, prevention, and control of risk.  Bennett Bigelow & Leedom has been a long time supporter of WHCRMS’ core mission to “promote and enhance the professional practice of healthcare risk management through education, collaboration and member services”.  As a firm that practices in healthcare, we are pleased that two of our attorneys are giving back by serving on WHCRMS’ Board of Directors.

May 10, 2019 – Congratulations to Amy DeLisa, Amy Forbis and the rest of the BB&L team for a defense verdict in favor of their clients, a physician and his practice group.  The case centered on an allegation that the defendant anesthesiologist failed to appropriately assess and manage the patient’s aspiration risk, resulting in her death.  After a one and one-half week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants.  (Clark County Superior Court, Case No. 17-2-02162-1).

May 9, 2019 – Congratulations to Rhianna Fronapfel for being recently elected to join the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC).  FDCC Membership is limited, selective, and by nomination only.  There are slightly over 1400 members and includes members from each of the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, Canada, and Europe.  FDCC is an organization comprised of “recognized leaders in the legal community who have achieved professional distinction, is dedicated to promoting knowledge, fellowship and professionalism of its members as they pursue the course of a balanced justice system and represent those in need of a defense in civil lawsuits”.  Rhianna joins William “Bill” Leedom who has been an FDCC member for over 30 years.