Kerry D. Staton

"I chose the practice of law as a profession because of a desire to serve the community and to provide equal access to justice for persons most deserving but without financial resources."

Kerry D. Staton is a founding and senior partner with Schochor, Federico and Staton.

Mr. Staton attended Oberlin College and the University of Maryland School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1980.

Mr. Staton is a member of the Maryland Association for Justice (formerly the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association) where he served on the Board of Governors from 1988 through 1995. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now the American Association for Justice), where he has served as the Maryland State Delegate and Minority Caucus Member for Maryland. Mr. Staton is a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation, the Reginald Heber Smith Law Fellowship, and the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference.

As a testament to his reputation within the legal profession, Mr. Staton was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Membership in the College is restricted to the top 1% of lawyers in each state. He was also appointed as a Commissioner to the Attorney Grievance Commission by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland. Previously, he served as a Peer Review Panel member, a Review Board member, as well as Chairman of the AGC Review Board.

He has also lectured widely, including the University of Maryland School of Law, the Office of the Attorney General, Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Western Shore Dental Society, as well as testifying before the Maryland legislature on issues of law, medicine and tort reform.

Mr. Staton experienced the pain of medical malpractice first hand when his mother received negligent surgical care that led to severe brain damage and her being confined to a nursing facility for the rest of her life. It was this experience that led Mr. Staton to focus his legal career on helping the victims of medical malpractice and to one that ensures patient rights.

Mr. Staton is on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, which provides legal services to low income citizens. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Howard Community College Foundation Board, and Marian House, a transitional housing program for homeless women.

Mr. Staton and his wife, who is also an attorney, have raised two children. They currently live in Clarksville, Maryland.

Bar Memberships

• Maryland (State and Federal)
• District of Columbia (State and Federal)
• (On special motion, Mr. Staton has handled medical negligence cases in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and other jurisdictions)

Appointments and Honors

• Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland: Commissioner (2010-Present); Peer Review Panel (2000-2010); Review Board (1992-1997); Chairman (1996-1997); Vice-Chairman (1995-1996); Inquiry Panel (1987-1992)
• American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow (2010-Present)
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2007-Present)
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2007-Present)
• American Board of Trial Advocates (2005-Present)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating (1995-Present)
• Maryland Super Lawyers (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• Maryland Super Lawyers, Top 50 Lawyers (2011)
• Best Lawyers in America (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• Strathmore's Who's Who, Professional of the Year in Medical Malpractice Law (2010, 2011)
• Washington, D.C.'s Top Lawyers (2009)
• Top Attorneys in Maryland (2009)
• Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (2009)
• American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Lawyers (2008, 2009)
• National Registry of Who's Who (2000)
• Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship, Fellow (1980-1982)
• Strathmore's Who's Who (Lifetime Member)

Professional Associations

• American Association for Justice
• American Bar Association
• American Judicature Society
• Baltimore City Bar Association
• Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference
• Maryland Bar Foundation
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Monumental City Bar Association
• National Bar Association
• Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
• Trial Lawyers for Public Justice