S. Todd Willson

About

Mr. Willson co-supervises the litigation teams at Bodie that focus on the defense of long-term care institutions and medical malpractice defense. Before becoming a partner of the Firm, Mr. Willson was a senior attorney at an international insurance law firm and then was a partner with Eccleston & Wolf for over ten years. Throughout his career, Mr. Willson has concentrated his practice in a wide variety of insurance defense matters, including professional liability, nursing home defense, and toxic tort litigation. Mr. Wilson is also a proud kidney donor!

Mr. Willson has had an AV preeminent rating for more than 20 years from Martindale-Hubbell. He has successfully tried numerous multi-million dollar cases before the toughest jury panels in Maryland and has represented nursing homes, doctors, nurses, administrators, and other health care providers in complex liability cases, as well as licensing matters. He has also represented lawyers, insurance agents, corporations, accountants and other professionals in a wide variety of insurance defense matters. He has tried and won high exposure cases before juries in Baltimore City. He has successfully represented both billion dollar corporations and the disadvantaged in numerous litigation matters. Mr. Willson is a frequent lecturer to the long-term care profession and insurance industry on risk management and avoidance.

Mr. Willson began practicing law in 1984 and is a member of the Maryland Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar, and the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He has been admitted to the bar in California (1983); the District of Columbia (1990); Maryland and the U.S. District Court of Maryland (1991); and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit (1996). Mr. Willson was responsible for trying to verdict and arguing on appeal the seminal decision of the Maryland Court of Appeals in Thomas v. Bethea, 351 Md. 513, 718 A.2d 1187 (1998).

Mr. Willson is a summa cum laude graduate of the California State University at Dominguez Hills (B.A., 1980) and the University of North Dakota (J.D., with distinction 1983). He served as Senior Editor of the North Dakota Law Review. He also won major trial competitions during law school which enabled him to successfully try and win multi-million dollar jury cases early in his career as a lawyer. He was also selected as a member of Baltimore SmartCEO’s Legal Elite in Maryland.

Accreditations

Mr. Willson has repeatedly been recognized numerous times as a “Super Lawyer” for Civil Litigation Defense, including for 2023. Only 5% of attorneys in Maryland receive this honor.

Reported Opinions:

• Thomas v. Bethea, 351 Md. 513, 718 A.2d 1187 (1998).
• Korotki v. Attorney Services Corp., 931 F.Supp. 1269 (D.Md. 1996), aff’d, 131 F.3d 135 (4th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 523 U.S. 1118 (1998).
• Green v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 152 Md. App. 32, 828 A.2d 821 (2003).
• Rochkind v. Finch, 196 Md. App. 195, 9 A.3d 88 (2010).
• Butler v. S & S Partnership, et al., 207 Md. App. 60, 51 A.3d 708 (2012), cert. granted, 429 Md. 528, 56 A.3d 1241 (Dec. 14, 2012).

Presentations:

• How Do You Avoid Those “What the Hell Just Happened?” Moments at Trial? Ethics CLE for Defense and Plaintiffs’ Lawyers. HB Litigation Conference (2015).
• New Insurance Considerations: Pennsylvania National Insurance v. Roberts. Presentation of What Defense and Plaintiffs’ Lawyers must do in litigating, trying, and settling personal injury cases, including medical malpractice. Ethics CLE. HB Litigation Conference (2012).
• Beacon Institute – August 7, 2012: “Litigation – A Long Term Care Case: You Be The Jury!” with co-Presenters Thomas Rockwell, Esq. of Rockwell & Kauffman, the Hon. Clifton Gordy, Jr., Retired Circuit Court for Baltimore City Judge and Christopher M. McNally, Esq. Mock trial in a fact scenario involving allegations of failure to communicate change in condition and severely abnormal lab values to physician based on facts from a real death case.
• Beacon Institute – April 27, 2010: “Involuntary Discharge of Long-Term Care Residents – The ‘Nuts and Bolts,’ Special Considerations, Real Life Examples…” With Christopher M. McNally, Esq.
• “Litigation and Long-Term Care: Strategies, Documentation, Standard of Care and Depositions – An Overview.” HFAM. With Christopher M. McNally, Esq. April 15, 2010.
• “Long-Term Care Litigation: Lessons Learned to Help Avoid Malpractice and Stay Out of Court” with co-Presenters The Hon. Carol E. Smith, Retired Circuit Court for Baltimore City Judge and Christopher M. McNally, Esq. March 25, 2010.
• “Town Hall Meeting for LTC: A Panel Discussion of Key Issues” Lifespan Conference. Discussion of liability issues affecting long-term care providers. With Christopher M. McNally, Esq. May 6, 2008.
• Beacon Institute – November 1, 2007: “You Be the Jury!!!” The Beacon Institute with co-presenters the Hon. John Carroll Byrnes and Christopher M. McNally, Esq.
• “The Litigation Virus: Strengthen Your Facility’s Immunity Against the Common Claim.” HFAM, with Christopher M. McNally, Esq. October 11, 2007.