OUR LEGAL TEAM

Ms. Schmid started law school at the University of Arizona, then transferred and graduated from the University of Southern California School of Law in 1974. She was a member of Law Review at both law schools and had articles published by both journals. Ms. Schmid earned several honors, including the Am. Jur. Award for excellence in labor law and also academic recognition as a member of the Dean's List.

Before establishing Schmid & Voiles, Ms. Schmid was an Associate Attorney at Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges, where she represented Kaiser hospital physicians. She represented her clients in hundreds of medical malpractice actions during her 10 years at that law firm.

Ms. Schmid also worked as an Attorney at Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, where she specialized in complex coverage matters. In 1985, Ms. Schmid founded the dedicated law firm at CAP.

Ms. Schmid has successfully argued many cases before the Court of Appeal, resulting in published opinions that support medical malpractice tort reform that are frequently cited by attorneys and judges throughout the state and was instrumental in drafting the model for the arbitration agreement currently used by CAP physicians.

Ms. Schmid is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), the nation's most prestigious association of trial attorneys. Acceptance into this organization is only possible with a vote from the members and after having tried a minimum of 20 jury trials to verdict.

Ms. Schmid acts as an ABOTA faculty member, teaching at its annual program to help train trial attorneys. She also serves as an arbitrator and settlement officer and is a frequent lecturer at numerous medical and legal seminars. Ms. Schmid is considered among her peers to be a preeminent Los Angeles Trial Attorney. She has specialized exclusively in the defense of physicians since 1974.

BRUCE G. CARPENTER
Managing Attorney

Mr. Carpenter earned his law degree from Loyola University School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1972. He served in the District Attorney's office as a trial attorney for over seven years. In 1979 he joined the Los Angeles law firm of Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow & Canter where he defended doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals in both jury trials and arbitrations.

In 1983 Mr. Carpenter joined Tenet Healthcare Corporation (formerly National Medical Enterprises) and led the Company's Litigation Department for 12 years. Since 1996 Mr. Carpenter has been with the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. and is presently Co-Managing Attorney of Schmid & Voiles, a 27 attorney firm dedicated to defending its member doctors.

A graduate of California State University, Northridge, he earned a BS in Political Science. Mr. Carpenter attended the UCLA John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management where he completed the requirements for the Executive Program in Business Management.

LISA AGRUSA

Ms. Agrusa received a BA in History, with a specialization in Business Administration, from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1987 and participated in a Congressional Internship for Congressman David Dreier in Washington, D.C. during the winter of 1987. She attended Loyola Law School. Ms. Agrusa obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1990 and was admitted to the practice of law that same year.

For most of Ms. Agrusa's legal career she has specialized in defending physicians and other health care providers. Before joining Schmid & Voiles in 2003, she had gained a positive reputation as an effective medical malpractice defense attorney.

SHEILA ANNE ALEXANDER

Sheila Anne Alexander graduated from Monterey College of Law in 1990. She received several awards for scholarship including the Hornbook Award in 1987, the Corpus Juris Secundum Award for legal scholarship in 1988, 1989, and 1990, and was a Heisler Moot Court finalist in 1990.

While in law school, Ms. Alexander was employed as the Executive Director of the Monterey County Bar Association and Lawyer Referral Service. She also established and administered the Pro Bono Program for Monterey County.

Ms. Alexander joined a large Los Angeles medical malpractice defense firm in 1990 where she assisted the managing partner with case preparation as well as law and motion and appellate work.

From 1992 to 1996, Ms. Alexander was an Associate in a law firm specializing in professional liability defense. She participated in the national breast implant class action suit at both the State and Federal Court levels. Prior to joining Schmid & Voiles in 1998, Ms. Alexander worked for Baker, Silberberg & Keener handling complex, high profile medical and legal professional liability cases.

Ms. Alexander has extensive case management experience from case inception through trial. She has successfully defended dental and medical malpractice actions at arbitration and trial.

RICHARD P. BOOTH JR.

Mr. Booth graduated from the University of Southern California in 1968, followed by six years as an Internal Revenue Agent. He graduated from Loyola Law School in 1974, joining a prominent Los Angeles law firm which specialized in defending physicians and other professionals. In 1976 Mr. Booth successfully argued before the California Supreme Court the landmark case which established the one-year statute of limitations applicable to medical malpractice actions.

Moving to Orange County in 1979, Mr. Booth joined Richard Madory's law firm, where he made partner in 1984. In 1992 Mr. Booth commenced what turned out to be a 10 year solo practice specializing in Plaintiff's medical malpractice cases.

In 1983 Mr. Booth was elected to the American Board of Trial Attorneys (ABOTA), a pre-eminent trial lawyers' organization, becoming its Orange County President in 1990. Mr. Booth is currently an Advocate in ABOTA, having tried in excess of 55 jury trials to verdict.

MARGARET CAHILL

Margaret Cahill earned her law degree in 1988 from Western State University, College of Law where she graduated in the top 20 percent of her class and earned several honors, including American Jurisprudence Awards in Criminal Law and Contract Law as well as academic recognition on the Dean's List. She received a BS in Laws from Western State University and had earlier received her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Youngstown State University in 1979. She received National Honor Scores on her State Board exams. While in law school, Ms. Cahill was employed as a Registered Nurse at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center and also was employed on a part time basis handling medical malpractice claims for a private company.

Ms. Cahill's law practice from 1988 through 1993 included medical malpractice defense of hospitals and other personal injury claims while employed by Madory, Booth, Zell & Pleiss. This was followed by 10 years in private practice at Law Offices of Hardiman & Cahill where she and her physician partner handled all aspects of medical malpractice and health care litigation, including defense of medical and nursing administrative actions. Ms. Cahill's career included federal court practice and resulted in several published and unpublished opinions after successful argument to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the State Appellate Courts.

With her dual background in nursing and law, Ms. Cahill joined the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. (CAP) as a claims specialist in 2003 and joined Schmid & Voiles in early 2009.

JOHN S. CAYLEY

John Cayley is a North Dakota native and 1985 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. He graduated from the North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy in 1979 and practiced pharmacy thereafter, on a full-time basis prior to law school. Since beginning his legal career in 1986 Mr. Cayley has specialized in the defense of health care providers.

From 1988 until joining Schmid & Voiles in 2003, Mr. Cayley was with the Los Angeles law firm of Rushfeldt, Shelley & Drake, representing doctors and Hospitals in a variety of cases including birth injury, wrongful death, emergency medicine, and elder abuse, among others.

BRADLEY C. CLARK

Bradley Clark was raised in Santa Barbara, California. He earned his law degree from the Santa Barbara College of Law in 1983. Mr. Clark's undergraduate education was at the University of Redlands where he received a BA in Business Administration. He also holds an AA in Banking and Finance from Santa Barbara City College. Prior to that, Mr. Clark served in the United States Navy.

Since 1986 Mr. Clark has been defending hospitals, HMOs, physicians, and physician groups in professional negligence lawsuits. Before joining Schmid & Voiles in 2002, he was a named partner in the Glendale law firm of Hemer, Barkus & Clark, where he specialized in health care law with emphasis on representing individual physicians and hospitals in professional negligence lawsuits.

Mr. Clark has extensive trial experience as evidenced by his membership in the American Board of Trial Attorneys (ABOTA), a national, "by invitation only" association of accomplished trial lawyers. Acceptance into ABOTA is only possible after having tried a minimum of 20 jury trials to verdict.

GLENN H. CLARK

Glenn H. Clark graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western State University College of Law where he earned distinction for academic excellence. He was the Class Valedictorian at graduation in May 1979, was a member of the Editorial Board of the University's Law Review, received numerous scholastic honors including the First American Title Insurance Company Award for 1978 and 1979; West Publishing Company Horn Book Award and Foundation Press Award for second and third year students with the highest cumulative grade point average; and American Jurisprudence Awards presented by Bancroft-Whitney Publishing Company for achievement in: Torts, Trusts, Contracts, Property Law, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure and Corporation. His undergraduate degree is from Whitman College in Walla, Washington.

Mr. Clark has specialized in the trial of medical malpractice actions on behalf of the defense for over 26 years. His experience includes numerous successful jury trials and binding arbitrations, all dealing with medical malpractice. Mr. Clark has also tried numerous judicial arbitration matters to conclusion. He enjoys working with physicians, whom he finds to be highly sophisticated, skilled and concerned clients. Mr. Clark has also served as a court-appointed arbitrator.

KYLE CRUSE

Kyle Cruse earned earned his law degree from the University of California, Davis and was admitted to the State Bar of Calfiornia in 1993. He graduated from Middlebury College with a double major in Russian Language and Political Science.

Mr. Cruse is an attorney with a wide range of experience in medical malpractice defense and litigation. Prior to joining CAP, he was an attorney with Dummit, Bucholz & Trapp where he focused primarily on defending hospitals and care facilities.

A native of Marin County, Mr. Cruse and his wife moved to San Diego after law school, and they have lived there for 16 years.

MYRNA L. D'INCOGNITO

Myrna L. D'Incognito graduated from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, CA and was admitted to the California Bar Association in 1990. While attending Southwestern, she received an Outstanding Achievement Award in Civil Rights. Ms. D'Incognito earned her BA in English from California Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA where she was a member of the National English Honor Society.

Ms. D'Incognito spent her first 12 years of practice in defense litigation, with emphasis on defending physicians and related health care practitioners. Experienced in all aspects of medical malpractice litigation, she has gained expertise in crafting winning defense strategies and cost effective case resolutions. Ms. D'Incognito's recognized expertise led to appointment as the Administrative Malpractice Department Head with a major law firm with responsibilities which included supervising and training associate attorneys.

SUSAN FOX DIXON

Susan Fox Dixon was raised in Long Beach. She received her undergraduate degree "with distinction" from California State University, Long Beach, with a major in English Literature.

Mrs. Dixon attended Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and attained her juris doctorate degree in 1985. She was an editor and author for the Entertainment Law Journal.

In 2002 Mrs. Dixon was selected by her peers to become a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and she continues to be active in this organization. She has been involved as an arbitrator and settlement officer for various superior courts. She is also the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her accomplishments, including the CAP annual achievement award on three occasions.

After graduating from law school, Mrs. Dixon joined the firm of O'Flaherty & Belgum as an Associate Attorney where she defended hospitals in malpractice actions. In 1989, she joined the Los Angeles office of Schmid & Voiles. In 1995 she relocated to the Orange County office of Schmid & Voiles.

Mrs. Dixon is one of the firm's most active Senior Trial Attorneys. She has tried numerous medical malpractice cases before juries and at binding arbitrations.

ROBERT B. FESSINGER

Robert Fessinger is a 1991 graduate of University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he was a participant in National Moot Court Competition. As part of his legal training he attended Regents College, Inns of Court, in London, where he studied under Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. His undergraduate studies were completed at California State University, Northridge, where he studied Speech Communications.

Since graduating from law school, Mr. Fessinger has specialized in defending health care providers. Among his many credits, he has received the CAP Annual Superstar Award for outstanding achievement in litigation on behalf of its Members.

Mr. Fessinger has experience in every aspect of medical malpractice defense litigation, from case inception through discovery and trial. He has successfully defended physicians in trial and binding arbitration. He also has experience handling class action matters against health care providers.

Prior to joining Schmid & Voiles in 1994, Mr. Fessinger was associated with the law firm of Rushfeldt, Shelley & Drake, known for its defense of doctors and hospitals.

WILLIAM E. GITT

William Gitt received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 1974 and a BA from Whittier College in 1969. In 1986 he received a MA in Psychology from the California Graduate Institute.

Since 1979, he has devoted his efforts primarily to representing health care providers in matters involving allegations of medical negligence. Throughout his legal career, Mr. Gitt has been a litigator.

Initially, Mr. Gitt represented hospitals, their staffs, and hospital-based physicians while associated with the firm of Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow & Canter, trying cases at the request of the California Hospital Association and Truck Insurance Exchange. Mr. Gitt continued to gain expertise defending health care providers while associated with the firms of Rushfeldt, Shelley & Drake and Thomas & Price.

He has been a senior litigator with Schmid & Voiles since 2001.

DENISE H. GREER

Denise H. Greer specializes in arbitration agreement enforcement and appellate advocacy.

A graduate of the University of the State of New York, Albany, with a BS in Nursing, Ms. Greer attended Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California, earning her Law Degree in 1988. While at Southwestern she gained recognition as a candidate for the Paul Wildman Scholarship, was a Dean's Merit Scholarship recipient and received the American Jurisprudence Award for excellence in sales.

Before her admission to the bar, Ms. Greer served as an operating room nurse in various units at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles. For nearly eight years she was instrumental in initiating and operating the Outpatient Surgery Center at Cedars and was the Lead Operating Room Nurse of the Gynecologic/Oncology Service. While at Cedars, she served as a member, and later as Head, of the Operating Room Quality Assurance Committee.

Ms. Greer's appellate efforts have resulted in unpublished and published opinions that help promote arbitration in lawsuits filed against health care providers. Published opinions include Mormile vs. Sinclair (1994) which held that one spouse's loss of consortium claim is subject to an arbitration agreement signed by the other spouse; Hollister v. Benzl (1999) 71 Cal.App.4th 582, which held that a physician contracted with an HMO may present an individual arbitration agreement to the patient even if the HMO does not utilize arbitration; and Dees v. Billy (9th Cir. 2005) 394 F.3d 1290, which held that an order granting arbitration and administratively closing a federal court case is an intermediate order that may not be appealed until after the arbitration has been concluded.

Ms. Greer has also achieved success as a trial attorney by successfully trying and arbitrating cases on behalf of CAP members.

REBECCA J. HOGUE

Rebecca J. Hogue graduated cum laude in December 1983 from Western State University College of Law, earning the academic rank of number one in her class. She received numerous awards for legal scholarships including the Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Outstanding Legal Scholarship and four American Jurisprudence Awards for Excellence in Torts, Evidence, Criminal Law, and Community Property. Ms. Hogue was also a member of the Editorial Board of the Western State Law Review. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Irvine, where she majored in social ecology with a pre-law emphasis.

Ms. Hogue has specialized exclusively in the defense of physicians and hospitals throughout her legal career. In 1984, she joined Rushfeldt, Shelley & McCurdy, a medical malpractice defense firm, as an Associate. In 1989, she became a Senior Associate, and in 1991, a partner of Elliot, Lamb, Leibl & Snyder, a 17-attorney firm specializing in the defense of physicians. Prior to joining Schmid & Voiles in 1998, Ms. Hogue was independent legal counsel to several health care providers, coordinating transactional matters and the global marketing of health care services on the World Wide Web.

Ms. Hogue has experience in every aspect of medical malpractice defense work, from case inception through discovery, trial and appeal. She has successfully defended physicians in trial, arbitration, and administrative hearings initiated by the California Medical Board and managed care organizations.

ADAM R. JAMES

Adam R. James graduated from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia in 1999. At Emory, he was Editor-in-Chief of the Bankruptcy Developments Journal as well as a Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute Scholar. During this time, he was also Vice President of the Keener Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity and Treasurer of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society.

Mr. James earned two undergraduate degrees from University of California at San Diego: a BA in Political Science and a BA in History. He was a member of the Dean’s List and a National Merit Scholar.

Mr. James has extensive experience in medical malpractice defense. In 1999, he became an attorney at the law firm of Dummit, Buchholz, & Trapp. His primary focus was in medical malpractice, and he specialized in the defense of hospitals. He is experienced in all aspects of litigation including participation in trials, mandatory settlement conferences, and mediations.

FREDRICK JAMES

Fredrick James, having served in the United States Navy for four years, went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 1983. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1986 from the USC Law Center.

Mr. James began defending health care clients when he joined the Los Angeles litigation firm of O’Flaherty, Abrams & Carl, which specialized in the defense of health care providers. Prior to joining Schmid & Voiles in 2003, Mr. James was associated with Fonda & Fraser, a Los Angeles law firm with emphasis on defending health care professionals.

With 12 jury trials to verdicts, Mr. James has defended cases in both arbitration and superior court.

MICHAEL V. LAMB

Michael V. Lamb earned his law degree in 1979 from Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu. Mr. Lamb received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he graduated with distinction. He holds a BS in Political Science.

Mr. Lamb, following his admission to the Bar in 1979, worked as a claims representative and supervisor for The Travelers Insurance Company, handling legal malpractice claims for nearly three years.

Since 1982 he has specialized in the defense of physicians and hospitals. After working as an associate with Rushfeldt, Shelley & McCurdy for seven years, in 1989 he became a founding partner in a 17-attorney firm specializing in medical malpractice defense, Elliot, Lamb, Leibl & Snyder. As a trial attorney, Mr. Lamb has successfully defended physicians on numerous occasions in both the Superior Court and arbitration.

Immediately prior to joining Schmid & Voiles, in 1997, he gained insight into the plaintiff's bar, working at Grassini & Wrinkle, where he prevailed at trial in a legal malpractice case.

DENA J. HAYDEN LAMBIRTH

Dena J. Hayden Lambirth received her BS in both Microbiology and Psychobiology in 1982 from UCLA. She earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School in 1987. Upon admission to the California State Bar, Ms. Lambirth joined the law firm of Fonda & Garrard in Los Angeles where she gained knowledge and expertise as a medical malpractice defense attorney.

Building on her litigation experience, her degrees in science and the knowledge she gained from working as a medical and research assistant at UCLA from 1981 through 1984, Ms. Lambirth joined Schmid & Voiles in 1990. Since that time, she has focused exclusively on her area of interest: medical malpractice defense. Ms. Lambirth has successfully arbitrated matters on behalf of CAP members and excels in obtaining favorable resolution of her cases. Ms. Lambirth is also a member of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, and the Italian Lawyers Association.

SIDNEY J. MARTIN

Sidney "Jerry" Martin received his BA from Vanderbilt University in 1968, and his JD from the University of Mississippi in 1975, where he served on the staff of the Mississippi Law Journal. Mr. Martin served on active duty as an officer in the United States Naval Reserve from 1968 to 1972. He was decorated for his work as a Shipboard Engineering Officer and served on a special advisory panel to the Chief of Naval Operations.

Mr. Martin began the practice of law in Mississippi where he gained both civil and criminal trial expertise. In 1984 he joined the Mississippi Attorney General's Office where he directed the Civil Litigation Division as chief counsel. Mr. Martin worked in both State and Federal courts defending medical malpractice claims brought against state-operated hospitals.

In 1989 Mr. Martin was admitted to the California State Bar. For the past 14 years, he has successfully defended medical malpractice actions brought against doctors and medical facilities.

Mr. Martin is a frequent lecturer on trial practice subjects for local bar associations, continuing legal education providers, and in-service training for physicians and hospitals.

PATRICK W. MAYER

Patrick W. Mayer was raised in Maryland. He received his Bachelors degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland.

Mr. Mayer attended Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California where he received the AmJur award in Real Property. He attained his Juris Doctorate degree in 1984.

In 1986 Mr. Mayer began focusing his practice of law on the representation and defense of health care professionals. From 1993 until joining Schmid & Voiles in September 2002, Mr. Mayer was a partner in a Century City law firm where he defended claims on behalf of physicians, medical groups, and institutional providers. His experience includes the successful resolution and trial to verdict in the Superior Court of numerous medical malpractice cases.

KATHLEEN McCOLGAN

Ms. McColgan received her Juris Doctorate from Whittier College School of Law in 1989, and received an American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Legal Process during law school. Ms. McColgan, an accomplished textile artist, received her BA in Textiles in 1979 from California College of the Arts.

Ms. McColgan has over 18 years of experience in personal injury litigation as an Attorney, Law Clerk, and Paralegal and has worked for a number of prominent personal injury defense and plaintiff firms in Los Angeles. She has a wealth of experience in all aspects of personal injury litigation, and has a number of arbitration awards to her credit.

Since joining Schmid & Voiles in 1999, Ms. McColgan has specialized in the enforcement of Physician-Patient Arbitration Agreements to compel plaintiffs to arbitrate their claims rather than litigate them in court, and in Law and Motion matters where she researches, writes, and argues motions in professional liability matters on behalf of the firm's trial attorneys.

JULIA E. MURRAY

Julia Murray is a 1986 graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law. She was admitted to the California State Bar the same year. Ms. Murray's under graduate studies were completed at UCLA in 1983 where she earned a BA in Political Science.

Ms. Murray had over 16 years experience in all facets of litigation, with emphasis on cases involving alleged medical negligence, prior to joining Schmid and Voiles in 2003. During that time she gained a unique perspective on medical malpractice litigation through representation of plaintiffs. Initially with the firm of Sherman, Dan & Portugal, and later with the Law Offices of Michael A.K. Dan, she engaged in preparation of cases for trial and trial of complex litigation, including management of over 300 cases in the breast implant global settlement.

An effective legal writer, and while a practicing litigator, Ms. Murray spent several years as a Research Attorney with the Orange County Superior Court.

DEBORAH S. TAGGART

Deborah Taggart received her Juris Doctorate Degree with academic honors from Loyola University School of Law, Los Angeles. While attending Loyola she participated in the Honor Society Speakers Program and Tutorial Project.

Ms. Taggart's undergraduate studies were completed at UCLA where she earned a BA in Psychology, Cum Laude, with a French minor. Prior to receiving her undergraduate degree, Ms. Taggart attended the Sorbonne at the University of Paris where she studied French literature and art history.

Ms. Taggart joined Schmid & Voiles in 1990 with 10 years of broad-based litigation expertise in both trials and arbitrations. From 1984 to 1990 she represented health care providers while serving as a litigation associate with the law firm of Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges. She gained expertise in defending medical malpractice actions in both binding arbitrations and jury trials.

Ms. Taggart has become one of Schmid & Voiles’ most accomplished trial attorneys, and has served as an arbitrator in binding arbitrations involving medical malpractice litigation.

RODNEY G. TOMLINSON

Rodney G. Tomlinson earned his law degree in 1984 from the University of San Diego. While attending law school he studied in London, England, at the London Institute of International Comparative Law. Mr. Tomlinson's undergraduate education was at Knox College where he received his BA.

Mr. Tomlinson has a strong background in all areas of trial and arbitration. Specializing in the defense of health care providers since 1984, he has tried and arbitrated to conclusion more than 50 cases involving complex medical and legal issues.

A frequent speaker and lecturer, Mr. Tomlinson shares his knowledge and insights with claims specialist, medical groups, residency programs, hospitals, and attorneys. Topics include effective risk management, efficient case handling, trial preparation, and successful arbitration practices.

LAWRENCE WONG

Lawrence Wong is a native of Southern California. He is a 1992 graduate of California Western School of Law, San Diego, where he was a dean's scholarship recipient. While an undergraduate student at the University of California at Irvine, he participated in the Economics Honors Program and earned his BA in Economics.

Mr. Wong began his legal career and gained his knowledge and proficiency in the defense of medical malpractice actions as an Associate in the Long Beach office of O'Flaherty & Belgum. In addition to his experience as a defense attorney, Mr. Wong also practiced on the plaintiff’s bar while working with a physician-lawyer specializing in catastrophic birth injury and products liability litigation.

Since 1997, Mr. Wong has limited his practice exclusively to the defense of physicians and other health care practitioner in professional liability matters.