Biography

Steve Wasserman defends medical negligence lawsuits. For nearly 20 years, he has represented doctors, nurses, therapists and other health care providers, as well as hospitals and the largest health care provider systems in the greater St. Louis region. Steve defends cases in courts throughout Missouri and in southern and central Illinois.

Steve lectures frequently at Grand Rounds and to other health care provider and insurance groups on a variety of medical negligence topics, ranging from documentation practices to tort reform. He has also given presentations to lawyers and law students on the defense of malpractice cases, and has written articles on hot topics in the malpractice arena.

Steve spends a significant portion of his time in the area of transportation law, and has successfully defended North America's leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services at trial.

In addition to his practice, Steve serves on the firm's Management Committee where he participates in key decision-making and the overall development of Williams Venker & Sanders.

Steve proudly received the John C. Shepherd Professionalism Award, presented by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis to a young lawyer who best exemplifies the tenets of professionalism of BAMSL, and of former BAMSL and ABA President, John C. Shepherd.

Education

• Creighton University School of Law, J.D., 1990
• University of Missouri - Columbia B.J., 1987

Professional Affiliations

• Missouri Bar
• American Society for Healthcare Risk Management
• Defense Research Institute
• Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Awards and Honors

• Recognized as receiving a “Top 20 Defense Verdict for 2007” as reported by Missouri Lawyers Weekly
• John C. Shepherd Professionalism Award, awarded by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Bar Admissions

• United States District Courts
  • Eastern District of Missouri
  • Southern and Central Districts of Illinois
• Missouri
• Illinois

Publications & Lectures

• “Avoiding the Double Windfall: Limiting Medical Expense Claims to the Actual Amount Accepted as Full Payment for the Services Rendered,” Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers Quarterly Newsletter
• “Fear May Not Be Enough In HIV-Exposure Claims,” Medical Malpractice Law & Strategy, Volume XV, Number 7
• “Update on Missouri Tort Reform,” Seminar for health care client (August 2009)
• “Legal Advice for Young Physicians,” Saint Louis University School of Medicine New Resident Training (June 2009)
• “Medical-Legal Issues,” Saint Louis University GI/Hepatology Grand Rounds with Dr. Bruce Bacon (May 2009)
• Mock Deposition Demonstration for local nursing students (April 2009)
• “The Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case: A Defense Perspective,” Washington University School of Law (October 2009 and March 2009)
• “Legal Advice for Orthopaedic Surgeons,” Saint Louis University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Grand Rounds with Dr. Howard Place (March 2009)
• “Medical Malpractice Litigation Basics,” Saint Louis University School of Medicine with Dr. L. James Willmore (February 2009)
• “Liens and Minor's Settlements,” Defense Counsel Seminar for health care client (November 2008)
• “Medical Malpractice Litigation Basics,” Seminar for health care client (November 2008)
• “The Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case: A Defense Perspective,” Washington University School of Law (October 2008 and October 2007)
• “Joint and Several Liability and Related Issues in Missouri and Illinois,” Seminar for health care client (April 2008)
• “Ethical Issues in Medical Malpractice Litigation,” MoBar CLE Seminar entitled The Defense of Medical Malpractice Cases After Tort Reform (2007)
• “Highlights of Missouri's Medical Malpractice Tort Reform Litigation of 2005,” Seminar for health care client (2006)
• “Tort Reform in 2005-What is on the Horizon?” Grand Rounds, Missouri Baptist Medical Center (2005)