Profile
Karen M. Rabenau is a partner of the law firm of Twiggs, Beskind, Strickland & Rabenau, P.A., in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she concentrates her practice on cases involving catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical negligence, defective products and property owner negligence or premises liability.
Karen M. Rabenau holds an AV Preeminent* peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell. She was named to the Best Lawyers in America from 2003 to 2011 for her accomplishments in personal injury litigation and medical malpractice law, and she has been selected for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers listings from 2008 to 2011.
Karen has written amicus briefs on behalf of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers regarding where Rule 9(j) extensions may be filed in medical negligence cases and the enforceability of mandatory arbitration clauses in medical negligence cases. She has authored articles on appellate developments and mandatory arbitration clauses regarding medical negligence. Ms. Rabenau is a frequent speaker on medico-legal guidelines and issues in emergency medicine, practice issues, arbitration clauses and mediation in medical negligence cases.
*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.
About Karen Rabenau
Law School: University of North Carolina School of Law
Admitted: 1992, North Carolina
Professional Webpage: www.nctrial.com/Attorney-Profiles/Karen-Rabenau/
Honors and Awards:
- Best Lawyers in America, 2003 - 2011 Editions, Personal Injury Litigation, Medical Malpractice Law
- Barrister, Braxton-Craven Inn of Court, Duke University School of Law
- Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV
-
Best Brief, Holderness Moot Court Invitational Team Competition, University of North Carolina, Albany, York, 1991
-
Best Brief, Holderness Moot Court Competition, University of North Carolina, 1990
-
Holderness Moot Court, National Team, University of North Carolina, 1990 - 1992
Bar/Professional Activity:
-
Convener,
North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys
-
North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, Wake County Chapter, 2008 - Present
-
Fundraising Committee, Courthouse Kids Center, Wake County Bar Association, 1997
-
Public Service Committee, Wake County Bar Association, 1997 - 1998
-
Member, American Association for Justice, 1998 - 2001
-
Co-Chair, Publications Committee, American Association for Justice, 1998 - 1999
- Regional Coordinator, Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association for Justice, Raleigh, North Carolina, February, 2001
- Regional Coordinator, Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association for Justice, Raleigh, North Carolina, February, 1997
-
Member, American Association for Justice, 1996 - Present
-
Co-Chair, Student Trial Advocacy Committee, American Association for Justice, 1998 - 2000
-
Board of Governors, American Association for Justice, New Lawyer’s Division, 2002 - 2003
-
Legal Affairs Committee, American Association for Justice, 2006 - 2007
-
Member, President’s Club,
American Association for Justice
-
Chair, 1996 Annual Convention, North Carolina Advocates for Justice
-
Secretary, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 1996 - 1997
-
Chair, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Young Lawyer’s Division, 1997 - 1998
-
Chair, Education Committee, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 1999 - 2001
-
Secretary, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2000 - 2001
-
Chair, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Professional Negligence Section, 2001 - 2002
-
PAC Trustee, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2007 - Present
-
Personnel Committee, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 2001 - 2002
-
Education Committee, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 1999 - 2002
-
Board of Governors, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, 1999 - 2005 and 2007 - 2010
-
Member, President’s Club,
North Carolina Advocates for Justice
-
Child Advocacy Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 1996 - 1998
-
Chair, Law Day Poster Art Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 1997 - 2005
-
North Carolina Bar Association,
Law Day Committee, 1997 - 2005
-
Medico-Legal Liaison Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 2002 - Present
-
Chair, Medico-Legal Liaison Committee, North Carolina Bar Association, 2006 - 2008
-
North Carolina Bar Association, Litigation Section Council, 2003 - 2006 & 2009 - Present
- United States District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 1992
- North Carolina State Bar, 1992
- United States District Court Middle District of North Carolina, 1993
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1994
- United States District Court Western Districts of North Carolina, 1994
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Board Member, International Montessori School, 2008 - 2011
-
Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina,
Benefit Host, 2002 - 2006
-
Choice Affairs Committee, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, 2003 - 2006
-
Board of Governors,
Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, 2004 - 2006
-
Avid Runner, Gardener & Seamstress
-
House Committee, Hope Valley Country Club, 2009 - Present
-
President, Hope Valley Garden Club, 2008 - 2009
-
Secretary, International Montessori School, 2009 - 2010 Academic Year
Scholarly Lectures and Writings:
- Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2011
- Amicus on behalf of North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Stewart v. Southeastern Regional Medical Center, et al., North Carolina Court of Appeals, May, 2000. Issue: Where Rule 9(j) Extensions may be filed in Medical Negligence Cases
- Amicus on behalf of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Milon v. Duke, et al., North Carolina Supreme Court, December, 2001. Issue: Enforceability of Mandatory Arbitration clause in Medical Negligence Case
-
Speaker: Investigation Through the Internet, American Association for Justice, Winter Convention, Maui, Hawaii, February, 1998
-
Speaker, Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in Medical Negligence Cases, Western Trial Lawyers Association, Sun Valley, Idaho, February, 2000
-
Speaker, Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in Medical Negligence Cases, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Raleigh, North Carolina, May, 2000
-
Speaker, Powerpoint in Mediation, American Association for Justice, Winter Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, February, 2001
-
Speaker, Powerpoint in Mediation, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Summer Convention, Sunset Beach, North Carolina, June, 2001
- Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2004
- Speaker, Mandatory Arbritration in Medical Negligence Cases, North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, Raleigh, North Carolina, February, 2004
-
Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Otolaryngology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine ENT Department Harrell Lecture, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, March, 2004
-
Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2005
-
Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2006
-
Speaker, North Carolina Medico-Legal Guidelines, North Carolina Health Information Management Association, Southeastern Region, Sampson Regional Medical Center, April, 2007
- Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, March, 2009
- Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2008
-
Speaker, North Carolina Medico-Legal Guidelines, Webinar for North Carolina Bar Association, Raleigh, North Carolina, May, 2008
-
Speaker, Trying Your First Case, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Raleigh, North Carolina, September, 2009
- Speaker, Panel Discussion on Introduction to Practice, Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina, February, 2010
- Speaker, Medico-Legal Issues in Emergency Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Asheville, North Carolina, February, 2010
-
Abrams & Rabenau, The Interplay between Workmen’s Compensation and Third Party Actions, The Litigator, October, 1993
- Mandatory Arbitration Clauses in Medical Negligence Cases NCATL Medical Negligence, May, 2000
- Appellate Developments in Medical Negligence, Trial Briefs. April, 2001
Educational Background:
- Hollins College, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1989, Hollins Scholar, 4 Year Scholarship, Top Ten Applicant to Freshman Class, Renewed through Maintaining Honors GPA, Sarah McCutchen Cook Award for American Studies, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Court Packing Plan, University of London, Spring 1988
profile