Richard C. Mitchell

Richard C. Mitchell is a partner with Mitchell & Shapiro LLP. He concentrates on personal injury matters, including medical malpractice, product liability, and aviation accidents. In December of 2003, he was voted by his peers in Georgia Trend magazine as one of Georgia's "Legal Elite" in the personal injury area. In 2005, 2006, 2007,and 2008 the readers of Atlanta Magazine voted him a “Georgia Super Lawyer” in personal injury litigation. He is regarded as one of the most experienced personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

Richard C. Mitchell was an associate and partner with the major law firm Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy for over 14 years before leaving to start his own firm in 1997. During that time, he successfully represented numerous manufacturers and insurers in product liability cases, including manufacturers of automobiles, aircraft and aircraft components, forklifts, woodworking machinery, chemicals, conveyor belts, and electric limit switches. He left the large firm in order to concentrate on representing injured individuals. Mr. Mitchell’s years of experience defending clients in personal injury cases and working with insurance companies have given him a unique insight into the civil litigation process and an ability to work with defendants to obtain favorable results for his clients. He is a successful veteran of more than 80 trials, arbitrations, and mediations; he therefore has the experience and skills to achieve his clients' goals before a judge and jury in the event a settlement cannot be reached. As one of the finest personal injury lawyers in Atlanta, Georgia, Richard C. Mitchell has been a frequent speaker at seminars and the author of chapters in several treatises and legal articles.

Current Employment Position(s):

Partner

Areas of Practice:

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death - Plaintiff
Medical Malpractice and Nursing Home - Plaintiff
Aviation, Trucking, and Products Liability Litigation - Plaintiff
Brain and Spinal Cord Injury - Plaintiff

Litigation Percentage:

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

Georgia, 1981
District of Columbia, 1986
U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 1981
U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 1993
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1992
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1993

Education:

Stanford Law School, Stanford, California, J.D., 1981
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, B.A. with Highest Distinction, 1978
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
Major: American Government

Published Works:

"Using Government Investigative Reports in Product Liability Litigation", 18 Product Safety & Liability Reporter 48, November 30, 1990
"Products Liability: The Best Offense Is a Good Defense", Homecare, September, 1991
"Products Liability: Think and Act Defensively", Homecare, October, 1991
"A Practical Guide To Ergonomics" (Co-author), Federal Publications, Inc., October, 1993
"Responding to an Appeal and Voluntary Dismissal" (Co-author), Lawyers Cooperative Federal Practice Guide, Federal Appellate Procedure, Eleventh Circuit, Volume 1, June, 1996
"It Is 'Products Liability', Right?", 38 For the Defense 10, October, 1996

Classes/Seminars Taught:

The Apology Statute in Medical Malpractice Claims, Georgia Trial Lawyers Annual Convention, April 16, 2009
Personal Injury Settlements in Georgia, National Business Institute (NBI), January 23, 2002
Program Chair, Issues in Professional Negligence Seminar, Georgia Trial Lawyers, 2000
Program Chair, Issues in Professional Negligence Seminar, Georgia Trial Lawyers, 2002
Sharpening Your Deposition Strategy, Professional Education Systems, November 19, 1999
Spoliation of Evidence, Aviation Law Seminar, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, December 1, 1994
Discovery Issues in Complex Coverage Cases, Seminar on Insurance Excess and Reinsurance Coverage Disputes, Practicing Law Institute, New York, NY, 1991
Evidentiary Issues in Products Liability Litigation, Product Liability Institute, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, 1990
Claims for Psychic Injuries and Property Damage, Proof of Damages Seminar, April and September 1989, Georgia State University Center for Continuing Legal Education, 1989
Jurisdictional Issues in Aviation Cases, Aviation Law Seminar, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, 1988

Honors and Awards:

Phi Beta Kappa; Named One of Ten Outstanding Young Atlantans, 1987; Abe Schwartz Young Leadership Award, Atlanta Jewish Federation, 1990; Leadership Atlanta Class of 1995-96; Named one of Georgia's Legal Elite for personal injury law, Georgia Trend magazine, December 2003; Voted a "Georgia Super Lawyer" in personal injury litigation, 2005, 2006, and 2007, by the readers of Atlanta Magazine.

Professional Associations and Memberships:

State Bar of Georgia, Member Aviation (Chairman 1988), Litigation and Products Liability Sections
Atlanta Bar Association - Member, Litigation Section
American Association for Justice - Member, Medical Malpractice, Products Liability & Aviation Sections
Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Member,1997 - Present; 2000 - 2003, Co-Chairman Professional Liability Committee
American Arbitration Association - Former Member, Panel of Commercial Arbitrators

Past Employment Positions:

Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy, Associate/Partner, 1982 - 1997
Hon. Newell Edenfield, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Law Clerk, 1981 - 1982
Hon. Orinda Evans, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Law Clerk, 1981 - 1982

Pro Bono Activities:

Member, Trial Lawyers Care, organization to provide free legal assistance to families of victims of 9/11 terrorists attacks, 2001 - 2003
Board of Directors, Our House, Inc., Children's Day Shelter, 1994 - 1996
Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer's Foundation, 1982 - Present
Volunteer, One Child, One Lawyer program, 2006 - Present
Cool Girls, Inc., 1999 - 2001 Board of Directors
The Paideia School, 1999 - 2005, Board of Directors
Anti-Defamation League Southeastern Region, 1986 - 1997, Board of Directors
American Jewish Committee Southeastern Region, 1996 - 2000, Board of Directors

Birth Information:

1956, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America