Heather Hansen, Esquire

Heather Hansen

Heather Hansen was born in Massachusetts and received her BA from the American University in Washington, D.C. She began working at O'Brien & Ryan, LLP as a law clerk in 1994 and received her J.D. from Villanova University in 1997. She has practiced at O'Brien & Ryan, LLP ever since.

Ms. Hansen is a trial attorney and she has tried cases in Philadelphia County, the surrounding counties and the Federal Courts. She has successfully defended hospitals and physicians of numerous specialties in complex medical negligence litigation. A substantial portion of her practice involves catastrophic obstetric and orthopedic claims.

Ms. Hansen has lectured extensively on these issues and has made presentations to the National Judicial Conference and at Grand Rounds at numerous hospitals. She has also served as a trained mediator for medical negligence claims for Health Care Resolutions and authored a chapter in a medical text regarding medical malpractice litigation. She was named a "2006 Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Legal Intelligencer and a "2007 Top Lawyer" in Main Line Today.

Named 2006, 2007 and 2008 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers "Rising Star" in Super Lawyers Magazine.

Bar Admissions:
Pennsylvania, 1997

Education:
Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 1997, J.D.

The American University, Washington, D.C., 1994, B.A.
Major: Psychology

Published Works:
Co-Author of Chapter, Legal Implications and Strategies, The Textbook of Spinal Surgery, 3rd ed. (Paul Craig, R.N., J.D., et al., publication pending)

Co-Author, Legal Implications and Strategies for Managing Complications in Spinal Surgery, Complications of Pediatric and Adult Spinal Surgery, Chapter 47, (Alexander R. Vaccarro et al. eds. 2004)

Classes/Seminars Taught:
Faculty, Drexel University College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Grand Rounds, Philadelphia, PA, July 2010

Presenter, Medical Legal Issues in Ultrasound, Virtua Hospital Voorhees, Voorhees, NJ, June 2010

Presenter, "Medical Legal Issues in Ultrasound", 30th Annual Leading Edge in Diagnostic Ultrasound Conference, Atlantic City NJ, May 2010

Presenter, Mock Trial, Pennsylvania American College of Emergency Physicians Annual Scientific Assembly, April 2010

Presenter, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case” Seminar, Philadelphia, PA, December 2009

Faculty, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Practical Aspects of Personal Injury Depositions”, Philadelphia, PA, December 2009

Presenter, "Electronic Medical Records", Drexel University College of Medicine, Psychiatry Department Grand Rounds Philadelphia, PA, November 2009

Presenter, "Medical Legal Electronic Medical Record Program", Drexel University College of Medicine, Nephrology Department Faculty, Philadelphia, PA, April 2009

Speaker, Medical Legal Update, 9th Annual Thomas Jefferson Spine Fellows Alumni Symposium, Orlando, FL, July 2009

Presenter, Management Options and Their Implications, Globus Medical Complex Case Review Meeting, San Diego, CA, March 2009

Faculty, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, February 2009

Presenter, "Medical Legal Electronic Medical Record Program", Drexel University College of Medicine, Department of Medicine's Grand Rounds, January 2009

Presenter, “The Defense Perspective On Medical Malpractice”, University of Pennsylvania - Torts Class, November 2008

Presenter, “Legal Documentation”, Riddle Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds, October 2008

Faculty, Thomas Jefferson Spine Fellows Symposium,
Newport, Rhode Island, July 2007

Faculty, Innovative Technology in Spine Surgery,
Los Cabos, Mexico, June 2007

Faculty, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, ER: Trying the Emergency Room Med Mal Case, Philadelphia, 2007

Presenter, Mock Trial, Temple University School of Medicine, 2007

Faculty, Ross Conference for Hospital Nurse Managers, Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories Inc., “The Labor of Litigation”, December 2006

Presenter, Mock Trial, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2006

Faculty, Medicine Deparment Grand Rounds, Prevention of Medical Chart Irregularities and Preparation for Case Defense, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2006

Faculty, Thomas Jefferson Spine Fellows Symposium,
Newport, Rhode Island, July 2006

Faculty, Innovative Technology in Spine Surgery,
Los Cabos, Mexico, June 2006

Faculty, Innovative Technology in Spine Surgery, Los Cabos, Mexico, July 2005

Presenter, Mock Trial, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005

Faculty, Psychiatry Grand Rounds,
Documentation & Communication,
Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005

Faculty, 11th Annual Health Law Institute,
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2005

Faculty, Mastering Med Mal Mediation,
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2005

Faculty, Physicians' Assistant, Grand Rounds, Documentation and Communication,
Drexel University College of Medicine, 2004

Faculty, Maximizing Efficiencies in Arthroplasty,
Pennsylvania Hospital, 2002

Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association - Co-Chair of the Medical Legal Committee
Montgomery County Bar Association

Heather Hansen

Practice Areas