Conn. Attorney Elected President Of Top Legal Group
BRIDGEPORT, Sept. 8, 2011 -- Attorney Michael P. Koskoff has been elected to a two year term as President of the Inner Circle of Advocates, at its fortieth anniversary convention in Santa Barbara, California. Called by the National Law Journal "a fraternity of superstar personal injury litigators," the Inner Circle is limited to 100 top trial lawyers in the nation handling major damages suits. Koskoff is the only member from Connecticut.
"Mike Koskoff is one of America's most respected lawyers," said Honolulu Attorney Mark Davis, outgoing President of the Inner Circle. "He is a thoughtful teacher and an innovator in the court room, both of which make him distinctly qualified to lead the Inner Circle."
Atty. Richard (Rick) H. Friedman, of the Seattle based law firm Friedman & Rubin, was elected to the post of Vice President and will succeed Koskoff as President. Friedman is the co-author of several well-known books on trial law, including the best-selling "RULES OF THE ROAD: A Plaintiff's Lawyers Guide to Proving Liability." "I'm looking forward to working with Rick Friedman over the next two years," Koskoff said. "Rick is one of the most innovative legal minds in the country today."
The Inner Circle of Advocates was founded in 1972 as an organization devoted to the exchange of ideas among record setting lawyers handling complex cases. According to its founder, Richard Grand of Tucson, the Inner Circle was designed to be a think tank for "the most qualified legal brain trust in the USA." It was formed as an attempt to level the playing field between the average consumer and the enormous resources of the insurance, auto, tobacco, and pharmaceutical industries, among others.
Membership in the Circle is by invitation only. For admission, each member must meet high ethical standards, have achieved multiple jury verdicts in excess of $1 million, and must have tried a minimum of 50 cases to verdict. "Now, most of our members have verdicts that far exceed the million dollar mark," Koskoff said. "One member, attorney Brian Panish of Los Angeles, had a record verdict of close to $5 billion dollars."
"I'm enormously proud to have been selected President," Koskoff said. "This is by far the most talented group of lawyers I have ever met. As a result of their record verdicts, we have a safer and saner society. Industry has had to stand up and listen."
Koskoff, a principal of the law firm Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder, has practiced law in Connecticut for more than 30 years. In 2008, he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Connecticut Trial Lawyers' Association. He is a member of the faculty of the American Association of Justice's National College of Advocacy and is a Fellow of The International Society of Barristers. He has been a member of the Inner Circle since 1998 and was elected Vice President in 2009.
Widely known for his courtroom litigation experience, Koskoff has handled major medical malpractice cases, aviation cases, personal injury cases, drug product liability, civil rights and class action cases. A resident of Westport, Koskoff has been featured on the covers of Connecticut Magazine and Super Lawyer TM magazine. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in AmericaTM and was named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in 2010. Koskoff lectures frequently to trial lawyer groups throughout the nation and is featured on numerous educational tapes for lawyers.
Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder is located at 350 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, Conn., One Moss Avenue, Danbury, Conn., 27 Elm Street, New Haven, Conn., and 1172 Bedford Street, Stamford, Conn.
