Colleen Shields is a trial attorney with over 20 years experience in the courtroom defending complex tort cases. She focuses her practice on professional liability defense matters and is frequently selected by insurers, self-insured institutions, non-profit organizations and individual professionals, including colleagues in the Delaware Bar, to handle matters involving complicated liability issues and catastrophic damages. Colleen has extensive experience in defending medical negligence claims, as well as claims against non-medical professionals, product liability and premises liability matters and has represented insurers in coverage disputes involving allegations of bad faith.
Colleen's litigation experience includes guiding clients in all aspects of discovery, case management, negotiation, trial and appeal.
As a result of her achievements in the courtroom, Colleen is frequently consulted by colleagues on complex general litigation matters and has tried a number of high profile cases to verdict.
Representative Matters
· Defense verdicts in medical cases involving general, neurological, cosmetic, urologic, dermatologic, cardiac, radiological, anesthesia, pain management, pharmaceutical and emergency medicine issues;
· Favorable results, including summary judgment, in cases involving delayed diagnosis of cancer, obstetrical care, vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, cosmetic surgery and dentistry;
· Defense of nursing homes and long term care facilities in suits involving death or serious injury of residents;
· Successful representation of physicians, dentists and nurses in administrative hearings involving licensure issues;
· Favorable results, including summary judgment, in cases involving complex legal and accounting negligence;
· Defense verdicts in premises liability cases on behalf of national retail clients;
· Defense verdicts in automobile accident cases;
· Defense verdict in favor of a non-profit institutional defendant in a matter involving allegations of sexual abuse;
· Lead trial counsel in defense of non-profit institutional defendants, including religious orders, schools, churches and youth organizations in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse;
· Product liability defense of automobile and medical device manufacturers;
· Defense of liability and workers compensation insurers in bad faith litigation.
Professional Affiliations
Delaware, Pennsylvania and America Bar Associations
Defense Research Institute
Current Vice President and Past Secretary/Treasurer of Defense Counsel of Delaware
Professional Liability Defense Federation
Community Involvement
Padua Academy Board of Trustees
Past Attorney Coach of Cab Calloway High School Mock Trial Team
Team Leader in Delaware Valley Chapter of Alzheimer's Association