Brian Whitelaw is a Partner with Foley, Baron, Metzger, & Juip, PLLC. He has devoted over 35-years to defending health care professionals throughout the State of Michigan. He is preferred defense counsel for many of the insurance companies serving Michigan doctors. He has had over 70 jury trials with a 95% win rate.
Brian has successfully defended hospital systems, physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in suits arising out of a variety medical specialties, including: emergency medicine, orthopedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, anesthesiology, allergy and immunology, ophthalmology, oculoplastics, retinal surgery, dermatology, pathology, family medicine, pain medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, cardiology, interventional cardiology, urology, dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, infectious diseases, neurology, chiropractic, oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, neuroradiology and interventional neuroradiology.
In 2018 Brian was selected as a Michigan Super Lawyer in the field of medical malpractice for the 11th year running, among only a handful of lawyers receiving that honor in the State of Michigan. He is also an elected member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). ABOTA is a highly selective, invitation-only organization that works to advance the jury system, support judicial independence and elevate standards of integrity, civility and professionalism in the legal profession. He is a member of the Michigan Bar Association, the American Bar Association (ABA), the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the Michigan Health Care Institute, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC), the Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Michigan Society of Hospital Attorneys and sits on the Medical Liability Committee of the DRI.
Whitelaw is the author of many articles on medical and legal issues, including “The Tort Reform Act and Alternative Dispute Resolution,” published in the Michigan Bar Journal. Brian has also published in Medscape and WebMDregarding a variety of topics, including non-compete clauses in physician contracts, and so-called “never events,” such as patient falls or infections in hospitals.
Brian has given more than 70 presentations to healthcare practitioners on topics related to medical malpractice litigation. He has headed medical-legal residency rotations for emergency medicine and internal medicine and has been a featured speaker on Medical Malpractice Tort Reform at the Annual Meeting of the Michigan State Bar Association.
In addition to defending medical malpractice claims, Brian assists physicians and medical practices with contract and licensing issues.
