Trial-Tested Fitzpatrick Joins Denver Trial Firm

DENVER: John M. Fitzpatrick ("Fitz"), a "go-to" trial attorney for high exposure liability cases, formerly of Richmond, Virginia, joins Denver-based trial law firm Wheeler Trigg Kennedy LLP.

In 20 years of private practice, John Fitzpatrick has tried and obtained defense verdicts in 18 states in over 140 cases involving product liability, medical malpractice, asbestos, construction defects, professional negligence and gas releases from chemical plants.

Fitz has served as national trial counsel for many major corporations, including GE, Georgia Pacific, Foster Wheeler, United Health Services, Global Aerospace and Air Products & Chemical Co. He was named CNA’s Health Pro Litigator of the Year in 2004.

The former concert pianist and Army Airborne Ranger, Fitz began his legal career trying criminal cases in Colorado and South Korea with the U.S. Army JAG Corps. After entering private practice in 1988, he soon established a reputation for trying high exposure medical malpractice and asbestos cases to verdict across the country. In 2003 and 2004, Fitz had three cases listed in the top 10 defense verdicts in Virginia. In June 2005, Fitz tried and won the first-ever asbestos case for GE in Madison County, Illinois – voted the “#1 Judicial Hellhole” for corporate America by the Wall Street Journal. Since 2004, Fitz has tried 17 high exposure cases to verdict in eight states, prevailing in 16 with one appeal pending. Fitz is a 1981 honors graduate from Notre Dame Law School and a 1974 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in engineering.

At WTK, Fitz will focus his practice in the areas of product liability, asbestos, medical malpractice and high exposure negligence cases. Firm Chairman Michael O’Donnell says, "We are delighted to have John Fitzpatrick join the WTK team and enhance our ability to serve corporate America and the medical and legal professions with some of the finest and most experienced trial lawyers in the country."

At Wheeler Trigg Kennedy, 40 attorneys handle trials and appeals of complex civil litigation, class action lawsuits, malpractice matters and pattern litigation - most often in the role of national or regional trial counsel.

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