Laura D. Eschleman

Laura D. Eschleman is a partner with Nall & Miller, LLP.  She practices in the areas of medical malpractice, professional licensing, medical board matters and hospital privileging issues and has represented numerous medical professionals including chiropractors, dermatologists, emergency room physicians, family practice physicians, obstetrician-gynecologists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, perfusionists, podiatrists, radiation oncologists, radiologists and surgeons in medical malpractice cases and in front of their respective licensing boards. 

Ms. Eschleman also represents healthcare companies and mental healthcare facilities in cases involving claims of negligent hiring, negligent retention and negligent credentialing, as well as professional negligence, negligence and intentional torts.

Ms. Eschleman has additionally represented clients in an assortment of cases including bankruptcy, catastrophic injury, commercial litigation, construction litigation, contract disputes, insurance coverage, legal malpractice and professional liability, premises liability, product liability, real estate litigation, trucking litigation and wrongful death. 

With a national practice, Ms. Eschleman works on cases throughout the country and has tried cases to verdict in Georgia, Iowa and South Carolina.  In addition to her Alabama, Georgia and Missouri state bar licenses, Ms. Eschleman has been admitted to practice pro hac vice in courts in Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.  She has additionally worked on cases in California, Kentucky, Michigan,  Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington.

A native of Atlanta, Ms. Eschleman attended the University of Georgia where she earned a B.A. with high honors in 2002.  She earned her J.D. from the University of Georgia with honors in 2005.  While at the University of Georgia, Ms. Eschleman was on the Editorial Board and was an Articles Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law.  Additionally, while in law school, Ms. Eschleman was sworn in under the Third-Year Prosecutor's Act and gained trial experience with her involvement in the prosecution clinic and work in the Office of the District Attorney. 

Bar Admissions

Georgia, 2005
Alabama, 2009
Missouri, 2011

U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2006
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 2009
Court of Appeals of Georgia, 2006
Supreme Court of Georgia, 2006

Education

University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia, 2005
J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Articles Editor, Journal of Intellectual Property Law
Honors: Editorial Board, Journal of Intellectual Property Law

University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 2002
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Honors: Golden Key National Honors Society
Honors: Order of Omega
Honors: Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honors Society
Honors: Phi Sigma Tau International Honors Society for Philosophy
Major: Political Science
Minor: Philosophy
Minor: Speech Communication

Selected Results

Obtained a defense verdict for a surgeon and his practice in a medical malpractice case in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2010.  The plaintiff suffered an extremity amputation following the defendant's surgery to the extremity.  Despite allegations, supported by the plaintiff's subsequent treating doctors, that the surgeon caused not only the amputation but also CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and phantom and chronic pain, the jury returned a defense verdict for the surgeon and his practice.   (DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar, June 9, 2010, Volume 9 Issue 23.)

Obtained a defense verdict for a surgeon and his practice in a medical malpractice case in Charleston, South Carolina in 2009.  The plaintiff alleged that the defendant surgeon negligently performed tarsal tunnel release surgery by cutting a nerve and causing CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in the plaintiff's foot.  The plaintiff's subsequent treating surgeon testified in the plaintiff's favor and opined that the defendant cut plaintiff's lateral plantar nerve.  Despite these allegations, the jury returned a defense verdict for the surgeon and his practice in under 10 minutes.  (DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar, August 26, 2009, Volume 8 Issue 34.)

Successfully moved to dismiss an accusation filed by the California Board of Optometry against an optometrist in 2011.

Successfully set aside, through judicial review, disciplinary sanctions issued by the Nevada Board of Optometry against an optometrist in 2010.

Successfully moved to dismiss charges filed by the Iowa Board of Podiatry against a podiatrist in 2009.

Successfully defeated a summary judgment motion brought by a real estate lienholder against a mortgage company.  Further defended the ruling in the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court.  The case is reported at Deljoo v. SunTrust Mortg., Inc., 295 Ga. App. 187, 671 S.E.2d 234 (2008) and is cited in secondary sources at Fletcher Cyclopedia Law of Private Corporations § 2467, Necessity and use of seal--Deeds, mortgages, leases and contracts respecting real property (2010) HN:  1,2 (S.E.2d); Georgia Real Estate Finance and Foreclosure Law § 3:1, The nature of collateral (2010) HN:  1 (S.E.2d); Georgia Real Estate Sales Contracts § 12:11, Mortgages and security deeds (2010) HN: 1 (S.E.2d); Georgia Real Estate Title Exam and Closings § 2-35, Security deeds (2010) HN: 1 (S.E.2d); Georgia Admissibility of Evidence in Civil Cases C33, Corporations (2010) HN: 1,2 (S.E.2d); Pindar's Ga. Real Estate Law & Proc. with Forms § 21-16, Execution of security deeds (2010) HN: 1 (S.E.2d); Pindar's Ga. Real Estate Law & Proc. with Forms § 21-18, Recording (2010) HN: 1 (S.E.2d); Ga. Jur. Corporations, etc. § 5:24, Statutory apparent authority; effect of attestation (2010).

Successfully defended a roofing company against claims of negligent construction made by an Atlanta, Georgia nightclub. The case was resolved in 2009 with no payment by the defense and full payment by the nightclub of amounts owed to the roofing company.

Obtained a bench trial verdict in favor of a shipping company for amounts owed in 2008.

Published Articles

"GA Court Strikes Noneconomic Caps; Two Other Tort Reform Provisions Survive," DRI, 2010.  (DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar, Medlaw Update, December 13, 2010, Volume 15 Issue 2.)

"Default by Purchaser and Judicial Process After Termination,"  National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education, 2003 (Co-authored by Charles W. Brown, Esq.)

Speaking Engagements

"Collaborative Care:  The Use of Consultants," The Podiatry Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, 2010

Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of Georgia
Alabama State Bar
The Missouri Bar
Defense Research Institute

• Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee 2010-Present
  • Seminar Steering Committee 2010-Present
  • Vice-Chair, Publications 2011-2012

• Young Lawyers Committee 2008-Present
  • Steering Committee 2010-2012
    • Co-Chair, Legislative Liaison Subcommittee 2011-2012
      
    • Co-Vice-Chair, Legislative Liaison Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Activities Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Annual Meeting Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Legislative Liaison Subcommittee 2009-Present
  • Seminar Planning Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Women's Mentoring Subcommittee 2010-2011

• Women in the Law Committee 2010-Present
  • Annual Meeting Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Program Marketing Subcommittee 2010-2011
  • Young Lawyers Subcommittee 2010-2011

Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
American Health Lawyers Association
Lawyers Club of Atlanta
Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
Alabama Defense Lawyers Association
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers
Atlanta Bar Association
American Bar Association