Invited Faculty

Carl Bettinger, M.D., J.D. concentrates his practice in medical negligence and nursing home litigation.  He is a member of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association and has a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV.  Mr. Bettinger is a founding partner of Shapiro Bettinger Chase, LLP in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

David A. Couch, course advisor, is the current chair of AAJ’s Nursing Home Litigation Group and is a frequent speaker at nursing home litigation seminars.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Citizens Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, an organization that advocates for quality nursing home care nationwide.  In 2003, Mr. Couch was awarded the Civil Justice Advocacy Award by the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association for his efforts in fighting proposed tort reform in the nursing home area.  The Law Office of David Couch is in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Martha Marie Eastman concentrates her practice in the areas of nursing home negligence and medical negligence.  She is a past chair of AAJ’s Nursing Home Litigation Group and the author of Establishing Relief for the Most Innocent of All Aids Victims: Liability for Perinatal Transmission of AIDS.  Ms. Eastman is a frequent speaker on issues regarding nursing home abuse and neglect, as well as trial advocacy, deposition techniques, and medical negligence.  The Eastman Law Office is in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dusti Harvey handles cases against nursing homes for abuse and neglect.  Prior to forming her law firm she directed all aspects of litigation as corporate counsel for Sun Healthcare Group, Inc. for over six years.  She was in charge of the Alternative Dispute Resolution program under the corporation’s bankruptcy and traveled the United States mediating over 1500 nursing home cases.  Ms. Harvey now devotes a significant portion of her practice advocating for well-being of elderly individuals residing in nursing homes and lectures at seminars regarding nursing home neglect and abuse.  She is a member of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, State Bar of New Mexico, Albuquerque Bar Association, New Mexico Women’s Bar Association, the National Citizen’s Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, and AAJ’s Nursing Home Litigation Group.  Ms. Harvey is the principal of the Harvey Law Firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

David M. Kennedy concentrates his practice on plaintiff's Nursing Home/Medical Malpractice cases.  Mr. Kennedy is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Advocacy Specialist and by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a Personal Injury Trial Law Specialist.  Mr. Kennedy is frequent speaker on nursing home cases and is a principal in his own firm in Sherman, Texas.

Mark R. Kosieradzki, course advisor, concentrates his practice in products liability, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and burns.  Mr. Kosieradzki is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Minnesota Bar Association as a Civil Trial Specialist, was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is a past president of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association.  He has served on AAJ’s Board of Governors and is a member of AAJ’s NCA Board of Trustees.  The Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm, LLC is in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Alexandra Rudolph is a litigation consultant who concentrates her practice in focus groups, including conducting and moderating in addition to being involved in all aspects of the research design and methodology.  Ms. Rudolph is an active member of ASTC and is with DOAR, in New York, NY.

M. Chad Trammell practices in the area of nursing home litigation and catastrophic personal injury.  He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arkansas.  Mr. Trammell is a member of the Pulaski County, Arkansas; Oklahoma; and Tennessee Bar Associations, the State Bar of Texas, the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice.  He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force JAG from 1992-1996.   Mr. Trammell practices with the firm of Nix, Patterson, and Roach, LLP in Texarkana, Texas.

Rhonda Hill Wilson represents individuals in automobile negligence, premises liability, medical negligence, and wrongful death cases.  She is a past president of the National Bar Association’s Women’s Law Division—Philadelphia and a member of AAJ’s NCA Board of Trustees.  She is the host of the radio talk show, “Truth Rising” in Philadelphia.  The Law Office of Rhonda Hill Wilson is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.