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Overview

I can always count on him for thoughtful, intelligent legal advice and his litigation skills are top-notch.

- Chambers USA 2022

Matthew S. Podolnick is a Shareholder in the Litigation Department. His practice focuses on medical malpractice defense for healthcare institutions and practitioners, as well as premises liability defense.

Prior to joining the firm, Matthew worked as a commercial litigator in Manhattan for two years, followed by 11 years of medical malpractice defense. Prior to practicing law, Matthew graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in zoology in 2000, and then received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004.

Representative Experience

  • Represented Cleveland Clinic Florida (“CCF”) and Cleveland Clinic Hospital (“CCH”) at trial in the United States District Court Southern District of Florida. The Plaintiff alleged that CCF, through its employed emergency medicine physician, and CCH, committed medical malpractice in failing to diagnose, treat, and admit the patient to the hospital for an abdominal infection thus leading to multiple surgeries and permanent scarring. The Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $2,000,000. The trial lasted six days (with deliberations briefly spilling over to a seventh day). CCH’s motion was granted for directed verdict at the close of our case in chief. The jury subsequently returned a verdict in favor of the remaining Defendant, CCF. The jury took less than three hours total to deliberate before finding the CCF’s emergency room physician met the standard of care in all regards as it related to the Plaintiff’s medical care.
  • Represented individual physicians and prestigious hospitals in complex medical malpractice litigation with multi-million dollar sustainable values from pre-trial through verdict in state and federal court.
  • Represented hospitals in Baker Act hearings.
  • Represented hospitals and clinics in premises liability litigation.
  • Obtained defense verdict in federal court as lead counsel on behalf of hospital and its employed physician in medical malpractice trial seeking over $2,000,000 in damages.
  • Obtained defense verdict as second chair on behalf of hospital and its employed physicians in month-long medical malpractice trial seeking over $10,000,000 in damages.
  • Drafted and successfully argued various motions, including motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss, on behalf of defendant hospitals and physicians.
  • Led pre-trial settlement negotiations, including mediation, to achieve favorable outcomes for clients.
  • Created and presented CLE lecture on managing discovery to law firm.
  • Conducted internal investigation, prepared materials for the SEC, and interviewed international witnesses in connection with corporate violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Recognition

  • Chambers USA, Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense (South Florida), Band 1, 2021-Present

Publications & Presentations

Government Affairs News Update, Publications: Rotunda Report Week 7 | February 19-23, 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2024

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