Jeffrey P. Bates

As a member of the Health Care Liability Practice Group, Jeffrey concentrates his practice in the defense of medical/dental malpractice, products liability and premises liability claims. In his career to date, Jeff has worked on several hundred medical and dental malpractice cases. He also handles large-scale personal injury claims arising from construction accidents and explosions.

Jeff has represented a large number of doctors, dentists, physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners and nurses in a multitude of malpractice actions. He has also handled mass tort actions involving drug studies, medical device cases and pharmaceutical actions.

Jeff has taken 35 cases to trial, 15 of which were tried to jury. He received 14 defense verdicts in his jury trials and a high percentage of defense verdicts in his bench trials. A high percentage of the remaining case outcomes consisted of settlements or verdicts significantly below the settlement demands. Through the creative use of medical, vocational, life care and accident reconstruction experts, Jeff's team was able to reduce demand from $20 million to $6 million. Jeff has also handled more than 30 arbitrations and 10 mediations. In addition, he successfully resolved a tort action with potential exposure of $8-$10 million by convincing the plaintiff that our client was not liable for injury causing quadriplegia in a 21-year-old.

Jeff is involved in various professional, civic and cultural organizations. He is active in the Philadelphia Bar Association's Professional Responsibility Committee. In 1997 and again in 2010, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award from the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. In 1998, Jeff received the Regional Outreach Award from the Philadelphia Baptist Association. He was elected as a member of the Abington School District Board of Directors for the 2002 -2005, 2006-2009 and 2010-2013 terms. He has also dedicated time and energy to the Abington Educational Foundation and has participated in the Philadelphia VIP program. In addition to his professional and community service activities, Jeff enjoys cycling, playing the horn and beekeeping.

Honors & awards

Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, PVLA volunteer of the year award, 1997, 2010

AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell

Philadelphia Baptist Association, Regional Outreach Award, 1998

Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Outstanding Service Award
1997, 2010

Year joined

2002

Thought Leadership

Kate McGrath (King of Prussia, PA), Kevin FitzPatrick (King of Prussia, PA) and Jeff Bates (Philadelphia, PA) presented a seminar to representatives of OneBeacon Insurance Group in Connecticut

October 1, 2011
Kate McGrath (King of Prussia, PA), Kevin FitzPatrick (King of Prussia, PA) and Jeff Bates (Philadelphia, PA) presented a seminar to representatives of OneBeacon Insurance Group in Connecticut. Topics included update

When Is 50/50 Enough To Win?

Philadelphia - Headquarters
Health Care Liability
June 1, 2012
Pennsylvania - Health Care LiabilityKey Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 18, No. 2, June 2012

This Class Action Lacks Class

Philadelphia - Headquarters
Class Action Litigation
Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Liability
May 24, 2011
Mondaq: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration, May 24, 2011

This Class Action Lacks Class

Philadelphia - Headquarters
Class Action Litigation
Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Liability
June 1, 2010
Pennsylvania -- Class Action Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 16, No. 2, June 2010

Classes/Seminars Taught

Is The Fair Share Act Really That Fair?, Marshall Dennehey Health Care and Health Law Seminar, November 9, 2017

Medical Legal Implications of Syncope: When Can You Drive After a Syncopal Event, Cardiovascular Institute's 4th Annual New Paradigms in Arrhythmia Management, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 26, 2015

Medical Documentation - Class for Nurses