Overview
Matthew is our go-to lawyer for difficult general liability and malpractice claims. He is extremely effective and consistently obtains the best results.
- Chambers USA 2024
Matthew S. Podolnick is a Shareholder in the Litigation Department. His practice focuses on medical malpractice defense for healthcare institutions and practitioners, as well as premises liability defense.
Prior to joining the firm, Matthew worked as a commercial litigator in Manhattan for two years, followed by 11 years of medical malpractice defense. Prior to practicing law, Matthew graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in zoology in 2000, and then received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004.
Representative Experience
- Represented Cleveland Clinic Florida (“CCF”) and Cleveland Clinic Hospital (“CCH”) at trial in the United States District Court Southern District of Florida. The Plaintiff alleged that CCF, through its employed emergency medicine physician, and CCH, committed medical malpractice in failing to diagnose, treat, and admit the patient to the hospital for an abdominal infection thus leading to multiple surgeries and permanent scarring. The Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $2,000,000. The trial lasted six days (with deliberations briefly spilling over to a seventh day). CCH’s motion was granted for directed verdict at the close of our case in chief. The jury subsequently returned a verdict in favor of the remaining Defendant, CCF. The jury took less than three hours total to deliberate before finding the CCF’s emergency room physician met the standard of care in all regards as it related to the Plaintiff’s medical care.
- Represented individual physicians and prestigious hospitals in complex medical malpractice litigation with multi-million dollar sustainable values from pre-trial through verdict in state and federal court.
- Represented hospitals in Baker Act hearings.
- Represented hospitals and clinics in premises liability litigation.
- Obtained defense verdict in federal court as lead counsel on behalf of hospital and its employed physician in medical malpractice trial seeking over $2,000,000 in damages.
- Obtained defense verdict as second chair on behalf of hospital and its employed physicians in month-long medical malpractice trial seeking over $10,000,000 in damages.
- Drafted and successfully argued various motions, including motions for summary judgment and motions to dismiss, on behalf of defendant hospitals and physicians.
- Led pre-trial settlement negotiations, including mediation, to achieve favorable outcomes for clients.
- Created and presented CLE lecture on managing discovery to law firm.
- Conducted internal investigation, prepared materials for the SEC, and interviewed international witnesses in connection with corporate violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Recognition
- Chambers USA, Litigation: Medical Malpractice Defense (South Florida), Band 1, 2021-Present
Publications & Presentations
Government Affairs News Update, Publications:
Rotunda Report Week 7 | February 19-23, 2024
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2024
Newsroom
Firm Announcements:
35 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers and 11 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2024
June 2024
Firm Announcements:
29 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 11 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2023
June 2023
Firm Announcements:
28 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 12 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2022
June 2022
Firm Announcements:
29 Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers in 12 Practice Areas Ranked In Chambers USA 2021
May 2021
In the Media:
Stearns Weaver Team Successfully Defends Cleveland Clinic in $2M MedMal Suit
Daily Business Review|May 2019
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Names Five New Shareholders
September 2015
In the Media:
Cleveland Clinic Defense Team Wins Malpractice Case
Daily Business Review|April 2015