Randall L. Kinnard, Attorney

Randall Kinnard was voted the lawyer they would most want to represent them in a medical malpractice case by Middle Tennessee lawyers, said Business Nashville, December 1999, which quoted one lawyer as saying, "It's pretty well recognized that he is the premier plaintiff's medical malpractice attorney in Nashville."

Lawyers Weekly USA, a prominent national law publication, featured Randy Kinnard as a MASTER OF TRIAL ADVOCACY in the article "THE WARRIOR WITHIN" Click here to read the article.

Before entering law school, he attended West Point and served in Vietnam. His combat experience with the 173rd Airborne Brigade has served him well in the practice of law." (August 4, 2003, LWUSA 518). A combat Airborne Ranger, he was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, Bronze Star for Valor and Air Medal for 28 assaults in combat during his two tours in Vietnam. He also served with the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Division.

Mr. Kinnard is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education & Specialization. He is also a Certified Medical Malpractice Specialist. He has won many record-setting verdicts for his clients in over 30 years of practice.

But, as he says, "It's not all about doing the best you can for your client as a lawyer. It's also about being a counselor and a friend to your client." When he teaches other lawyers about how to be a good lawyer, he emphasizes two things: (1) competence and (2) respecting your client. This means "being there" for your client, he says.

Volunteer in the community. Mr. Kinnard is a volunteer for Alive Hospice. He serves on the Quality Council for Alive Hospice. He also is a board member of Centerstone, which is a not-for-profit organization helping over 40,000 with mental illnesses. He is on the Board of Directors of Friends of Warner Parks, which seeks to preserve hundreds of acres of parklands in Davidson County. For decades, Mr. Kinnard has supported The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, which gives free legal services to poor people. When he was Chair of the fundraising campaign for Legal Aid, he helped raise over $700,000, setting a record. He has been a board member of his church, Sunday school teacher, and Scout leader. He is a member of the Exchange Club. He supports dozens of charitable organizations both local and national.

Other professional achievements, memberships, and honors.

• Super Lawyers, Mid-South
• Best Lawyers in America
• Best Lawyers in Tennessee, as listed in Business TN
• Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee, Law and Politics Magazine
• Preeminent Lawyers, Highest AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell
• Past President of Tennessee Association for Justice
• Past Chairman of Lawyers Involved for Tennessee
• State Delegate to American Association for Justice
• Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association
• Fellow of the Nashville Bar Association
• Chairman of the Ethics Committee, Tennessee Association for Justice
• Past Chairman and Current Member of Legal--Medical Relations Committee of the Tennessee Bar Association
• Ethics Committee Member of the Tennessee Bar Association
• Ethics Committee Member of the American Association for Justice
• Advocate Chair of Patient Safety Committee of the Tennessee Association for Justice
• Member of Fellowship for Accurate Courtroom Testimony
• Law Review, Memphis State University School of Law
• American Board of Trial Advocates Member
• Nashville Bar Association Member
• Tennessee Bar Association Member
• American Bar Association Member
• American Association for Justice Member
• Tennessee Association for Justice Member

Published writer. The following articles, written by Mr. Kinnard, have been published in state or national magazines:

• Peremptory Challenges - How Many?
• Mental Anguish Without Physical Injury
• Is Your Action Really Time-Barred?
• Damages in Children Death Cases
• Discovery of Expert Opinions
• Subpoena The Treating Physician to Trial
• The Big Chill
• Reconsider the Motion to Reconsider
• How to Use Lay Witnesses to Prove Damages
• The Personal Injury Trial - Less is More
• New Tennessee Medical Malpractice Laws (2008)
• Tennessee Medical Malpractice Laws Change Again (2009)
• Lawyers Weekly USA, a prominent national law publication, featured Randy Kinnard as a MASTER OF TRIAL ADVOCACY in the article "THE WARRIOR WITHIN"

Areas of Practice:

• Medical Malpractice
• Vehicular Accidents
• Product Liability
• Wrongful Death
• Personal Injury

Bar Admissions:

• Tennessee
• Kentucky

Certification/Specialties:

• Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy
• Continuing Legal Education & Specialization, Tennessee Commission
• Medical Malpractice Specialist, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys

Randall L. Kinnard

online at

visit superlawyers.com

Frequent speaker. During his career, Mr. Kinnard has given dozens of speeches to lawyers to help them in their practice. He has spoken to judges about challenges in the courtroom. He has given speeches to hospitals, physicians, and nurses about how to avoid committing malpractice and how to improve the quality of care for patients. Here are the titles of some of the speeches he has given to national, state and local trial bar associations and to judges:

• Medical Malpractice In a Nutshell
• Medical Malpractice - - Best Tips from 25 Years of Trial Work
• The Personal Injury Trial: Voir Dire to Closing
• Trial Advocacy In Tennessee - Initial Considerations; How to Assess Damages
• Voir Dire in Auto Cases
• Putting the Case Together for Trial
• Mistakes Made in the Preparation and Trial of Personal Injury Cases
• Children and Loss of Consortium; Comparative Fault Challenges
• Advanced Trial Techniques
• Opening Statement and Closing Argument - Trial Advocacy in Tennessee
• Medical Malpractice - Tips for Tennessee Judges
• How to Evaluate and Settle Personal Injury Claims in Tennessee - Plaintiff's Perspective
• Proving Damages; Medical Malpractice
• Tennessee Evidence
• Cross-Examination of Experts – Punch Quickly and Get Out
• Deposing and Cross Examining The Opposition's Medical Expert
• Taking the Defendant Physician's Deposition
• Cross-Examining the Opposition's Medical Expert
• Taking the Opposing Expert Witness' Deposition
• Settling the Federal Case - - The Plaintiff's Perspective
• Mistakes Made in the Preparation of Trials
• Assessing and Evaluating the Malpractice Case: Plaintiff's View
• Choosing and Qualifying Your Medical Experts - Plaintiff's Perspectives
• Removing the Chance for Recovery
• Handling Your Opponents' Experts
• Maximizing Your Chances to Win at Trial
• Ethics & Professionalism
• Evaluating Your Client's Medical Malpractice Case
• Medical Malpractice
• Medical Malpractice - Plaintiff Perspective
• Exhibits: Kiss Me, You Fool
• Opening Statements - Life is Not as Simple as It Used to Be
• Damages in a Medical Malpractice Case; Humanizing Your Case
• Personal Injury Evaluation of Damages from a Plaintiff's Perspective
• Preparation and Direct Examination of Plaintiff's Orthopedist and Cross Examination of the Defense Orthopedist
• Personal Injury Litigation Practice in Tennessee
• Use of Depositions - Back to The Basics
• The Big Chill and How to Avoid It. Establishing the Just Right Impression
• How to Use Lay Witnesses to Prove Damages
• Proving Damages at Trial
• Procedural Technicalities: Filing Suit and Discovery
• Preparation for Trial Includes Initial Consideration (A) Jury or Non-Jury (B) Evaluating Your Case (C) Economic Considerations
• Videotaped Depositions and Deposition of Experts
• Taking the Defendant Physician's Deposition
• Tips on Your Client's Discovery Deposition
• Notice and Certificate of Good Faith Laws Change Again!
• The Burden of Proof and Related Evidence Issues
• What I Would Tell the Doctor if I Were His Lawyer
• BLINK-Mastering the Unconscious Mind in Jury Trials
• The New Medical Malpractice Statutes
• Taking the Defendant's Deposition to Win at Trial
• Trial Strategies - Medical Malpractice
• Less is More in the Personal Injury Trial
• Opening Statements
• Malpractice and Other Tort Issues
• Evaluating Your Client's Case - Effectively Handling Malpractice Cases in Tennessee
• R-E-S-P-E-C-T

In his most recent speech to lawyers in the Tennessee Association for Justice on the topic of respect, Mr. Kinnard advised how important it is to respect your client, the jury, and yourself. He said, "Sometimes lawyers fail to respect the time of a juror. Jurors expect you to be organized and prepared. Do not waste their time. They want you to get to the point and sit down. Doing that requires you to be extremely competent, to know your case and to communicate it." He emphasized that "respecting your client" means far more than just being competent as a lawyer. "Be your client's friend. Due to tragic things that may have happened to your client, you may be one of the last friends your client says."

Other information. Mr. Kinnard is in the process of founding The Children's Justice Center, a non-profit, charitable organization which will provide free legal help, advice, and court representation for abused and neglected children.

Mr. Kinnard is an avid outdoorsman, enjoys running, golf, fishing, and hiking. He also likes to read, especially history.