Attorney Profiles

I became a lawyer in the mid-80's-back when there was only one TV show about lawyers and women were still a novelty in the courtroom. A third of my class were women and firms were thinking it just might be good to have some of us around. Back in those days I got hired by the "guys" at Plunkett, Gibson (and Allen), where I learned how to try an automobile accident case, how to depose crane operators and truck drivers and how to ask very personal questions of medical malpractice plaintiffs. Soon after my basic training, I began to work exclusively with Jerry Gibson, who was spearheading the firm's burgeoning medical malpractice section. Having a biology background and a cardiologist in the family gave me a little edge and I loved the work. We tried some cases, wrote papers on hospital staffing and privileges issues, and soon were defending both doctors and hospitals. After three years with this firm, I accepted an offer to open the San Antonio office of a Dallas firm, Bailey and Williams, where I eventually became a partner, representing physicians all over South Texas. Several years later that firm split and I joined two of my former partners at Patterson and Wagner, continuing to represent physicians. While still practicing with that firm, I became an adjunct professor at St. Mary's School of Law, where I created and taught a popular course in Medical Malpractice Litigation for several years. And even though they say you can't go home again, I did---re-joining Plunkett and Gibson in 1998 as of counsel. Our Medical Malpractice section has grown to several lawyers, legal and medical paralegals and cutting edge technology for trials, mediations and discovery. Through these twenty-three years I have handled medical malpractice cases for hospitals and physicians, medical device cases, hospital privilege disputes on both sides, sexual assault cases in the health care setting, dental cases, and healthcare-related libel and slander. With countless summary judgments and over twenty-five medical malpractice jury trials, I have the background and experience needed to represent both physicians and hospitals. Because I respect physicians, nurses and other health care workers, I am able to ease their passage through the stressful stages of their lawsuit.

Telephone: 210.734.7092   ext. 1130

Practice Areas: Healthcare / Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury Defense, Insurance Defense

Of Counsel

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Licensed to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, and the State Courts of the State of Texas.

St. Mary's University School of Law, San Antonio, TX, 1983
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
Law Publication: Associate Editor, St. Mary's Law Journal, 1981 - 1983

Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, 1980
M.A., Master of Arts
Major: English

Memphis State University, Memphis, TN, 1966
B.A., Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Plunkett, Gibson & Allen, Inc., Associate, 1983 - 1986

Bailey & Williams, Associate & Partner, 1986 - 1992

Patterson & Wagner, Of Counsel, 1992 - 1997

Adjunct Professor, Medical Malpractice Litigation, St. Mary's University Law School, 1991 - 1998

Res Ipsa Loquitur in Texas, Medical Malpractice Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April, 1991

Preparing the Defendant Physician for Deposition, Medical Malpractice Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April, 1995

Res Ipsa Loquitur in Texas, Medical Malpractice Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April, 1991

Preparing the Defendant Physician for Deposition, Medical Malpractice Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April, 1995