Joan is a partner and chair of the firm's Litigation Group. She concentrates her practice in litigation involving medical liability and in business and insurance disputes.
Joan defends physicians, hospitals and health care companies in medical liability and business disputes. She also represents physicians and other professionals before their professional licensing boards. Joan defends insurance companies and employers on life, health and disability claims brought under state law and under ERISA.
Joan is the past chair of the American Bar Association's TIPS Life Insurance Law Committee and is a member of TIPS CLE board. She is a frequent contributor to the Defense Research Institute's Life, Health and Disability Newsletter and the co-editor of the Mirick O'Connell Life, Health and Disability Newsletter.
Joan was named a Massachusetts "Super Lawyer" by Boston magazine and Law & Politics in 2008, 2009 and 2010.She was also named as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Massachusetts in 2009 and 2010 and as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in New England in 2010.
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended numerous physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals in medical liability cases at trial
- Represented physicians, hospitals and health care companies in business and contract disputes with providers, vendors, suppliers and corporate shareholders
- Successfully defended employers and insurers on claims for life, health and disability insurance benefits under both state law and ERISA in cases pending in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and obtained precedent-setting decisions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- Handled all Massachusetts cases involving products and premises liability for a national retail chain
Trials and Arbitrations
- Medical malpractice. Defense of physician assistant for failure to diagnose nerve sheath tumor. Directed verdict for defendant. January 2010
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician for failure to diagnose stroke. Jury verdict for defendant. December 2008
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician for failure to diagnose pneumonia. Arbitration. Verdict for defendant. September 2008
- Medical malpractice. Defense of kidney transplant surgeon. Jury verdict for defendant. September 2008
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician for failure to diagnose prostate cancer. Jury verdict for defendant. July 2008
- Medical malpractice. Defense of obstetrician in shoulder dystocia case. Jury verdict for defendant. February 2007
- Medical malpractice. Defense of obstetrician in shoulder dystocia case. Jury verdict for defendant. January 2007
- Medical malpractice. Defense of orthopedic surgeon. Jury verdict for defendant. October 2006
- Defense of disability insurer on claim for benefits under disability policy. Jury verdict in part for plaintiff. Contract claim and Chapter 93 A claim settled after verdict. September 2005
- Medical malpractice. Defense of cardiothoracic surgeon. Jury verdict for defendant. January 2005
- Defense of disability insurer on claim for benefits under disability policy. Jury verdict for plaintiff. Bad faith claim settled after verdict. April 2004
- Medical malpractice. Defense of psychiatrist for failure to admit patient who subsequently committed suicide. Jury verdict for defendant. November 2003
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician in failure to diagnose pneumonia in quadriplegic. Jury for defendant. October 2003
- Defense of disability insurer on claim for benefits under disability policy. Bench trial. Settled before Court’s decision. May 2003
- Defense of disability insurer on claim for benefits under disability policy. Jury trial. Settled before closing arguments. August 2002
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician in failure to diagnose bowel obstruction. Jury verdict for defendant. June 2002
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician in failure to properly treat patient with delirium tremens. Jury verdict for defendant. January 2002
- Defense of disability insurer on claim for benefits under disability policy. Jury verdict for defendant. September 2000
- Defense of healthcare insurer in contract dispute with provider. Arbitration. Decision for plaintiff. December 1999
- Defense of general liability claim for national retail store. Jury verdict for plaintiff. April 1999
- Defense of general liability claim for national retail store. Jury verdict for plaintiff. March 1999
- Medical malpractice. Defense of primary care physician in failure to diagnose colon cancer. Jury verdict for defendant. December 1998
- Defense of general liability claim against hospital. Jury verdict for defendant. August 1998
- Defense of breach of contract claim. Bench trial. Verdict for defendant. July 1998
- Defense of general liability claim against hospital. Jury verdict for defendant. December 1997
- Medical malpractice. Defense of orthopedic surgeon. Jury verdict for defendant. November 1997
- Defense of disability insurer for claim for disability benefits under ERISA-governed plan. Bench trial. Verdict for defendant. October 1994
- Defense of general liability claim. Jury verdict for defendant. December 1993
- Defense of breach of contract claim. Bench trial. Verdict for plaintiff. August 1993
- Medical malpractice. Defense of claim for improper nursing care. Jury verdict for defendant. June 1991
