Medical Records from A to Z for Paralegals and Associates (2025 Edition)

Dan Schiavetta | Russo & Gould LLP

Dan Schiavetta, of counsel to Russo & Gould LLP in New York City, has been a litigator for 30 years and is admitted in all New York and New Jersey state and federal courts and the Second and Third Circuit Courts of Appeals. For 20 years he defended the Catholic Church in sexual abuse cases and other matters. He also has wide experience in insurance coverage litigation, nursing home defense, and appellate practice. He is a 1992 graduate of the University of California, Davis School of Law where he was a law review editor and moot court judge. In his previous career as a social worker he was the director of a crisis center and 24-hour hotline. He is also the author of “The Supreme Court for Short Attention Spans: 2000 Tiny Case Summaries Too Short to Bore You”, available on Amazon.

Brandy Robertson | Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC

Brandy Robertson began her career in the legal field as a secretary having earned an associate degree from Gadsden State Community College in Paralegal Studies. Brandy worked as a paralegal for 14 years and attended classes at night to obtain her undergraduate and law degree. Brandy received her B.A. from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Criminal Justice and her J.D from the Birmingham School of Law in 2006. While attending Birmingham School of Law, she was a member of the Sigma Delta Kappa Honors Society where she was elected to serve as secretary.

Brandy joined Heninger Garrison Davis in 2011, in the Mass Tort department helping clients who have been damaged from medical  devices or harmful products. In 2017, Brandy followed her heart and made a move to the civil litigation department at Heninger Garrison Davis where she represents clients who have been wronged or injured. Brandy’s practice area includes personal injury, civil sexual abuse, wrongful death, nursing home abuse/negligence, and medical malpractice matters.

Brandy was selected to be a member of the Birmingham Bar Future Leaders Forum in 2015. She was a member of the Alabama State Bar Leadership Forum – Class 13 for 2017. Brandy has also been appointed to several committees and task forces with the Alabama State Bar such as the Leadership Forum Selection Committee, Lawyer in Every Classroom Task Force, and the Quality of Life, Health and Wellness Committee. Brandy has served as one of the Co-Chairs of the Quality of Life, Health and Wellness Committee from 2022 to 2024. She is currently serving as a member of the Alabama State Bar Board of Bar Commissioners for the 10th Judicial Circuit, Place 9. Brandy is also an active member of the Birmingham Bar Association. Brandy is the immediate past Chair of the Birmingham Bar Association Women Lawyers Section.

Brandy is also passionate about serving those who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury. She served as a member of the Regional Board of the Alabama Head Injury Foundation from 2016-2020 and served as the Birmingham Regional Board president for 2018-2019. Brandy currently serves on the Alabama Head Injury Board of Directors.

Jean Cooper | Benchmark Legal Nurse Consulting LLC

Jean Cooper, MSN, RN, LNCC, AFN-C is an independent legal nurse consultant specializing in criminal defense, medical malpractice, and personal injury cases. Drawing on decades of critical care nursing experience and leadership in the Veterans Healthcare System, Jean delivers clear, authoritative analysis of complex medical issues to help attorneys build stronger cases.

A nationally certified Legal Nurse Consultant (LNCC) and Advanced Forensic Nurse – Certified (AFN-C), Jean combines clinical expertise with deep knowledge of medical-legal processes. Her work translates intricate medical records into compelling, case-relevant insights that stand up to scrutiny in court.

Session I – Medical Records for Associates 2025: Using them in Litigation | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

• The HITECH Act
• EMR’s in the hands of your client
• Agreements as to exchanging EMR’s and use as exhibits at deposition and at trial
• Preparing witnesses who will be asked about EMR’s
• Common mistakes in obtaining and use of EMR’s
• Overlooked EMR’s
• EMR’s in relation to other ESI (Electronically Stored Information)
• Changes in the hearsay and best evidence rules prompted by the advent of EMR’s
• Some relevant and instructive case law

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session II – Turning Medical Records into Litigation Tools | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

• Drafting summaries tailored for legal audiences
• Preparing accurate medical expense itemizations
• Verifying records and cross-checking diagnosis codes
• Creating litigation-ready medical notebooks

Break | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

Session III – Medical Records for Paralegals 2025: Acquisition to Analysis | 3:20pm – 4:20pm

• Where to find medical information
• How to properly question and obtain records
• Best practices for organizing and managing medical records
• A synopsis look at analyzing medical records to uncover critical details that support case strategy