Attorneys

Amy Askew Amy Askew

Amy E. Askew

Principal
410-319-0512410-361-8219
aaskew@kg-law.com
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Biography

“Ranked by Chambers USA and noted for her work in complex commercial disputes and medical malpractice defense. Sources describe Amy as 'a lawyer’s lawyer. She is organized, thorough and quick on her feet. A bet-the-company litigator, she is at home in the courtroom.'”

Serving a variety of industries, Amy Askew is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer. Her practice includes handling complex commercial disputes, as well as defending companies in class-action litigation, particularly consumer class actions. She has been listed in Benchmark Litigation as a "Local Litigation Star" in commercial litigation since 2017. Amy also has been named in The Best Lawyers of America for her achievements in commercial litigation and mass tort litigations/class actions since 2021.

Amy has extensive experience representing railroads in injury and property claims brought by individuals or entities, as well as claims brought by railroad employees under the Federal Employers' Liability Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act. She is active in the National Association of Railroad Trial Attorneys. Since 2018, Amy has been listed in The Best Lawyers of America for her accomplishments in railroad law. In addition to matters involving railroad employers, Amy has an impressive record of favorable results in defending employers generally, particularly in matters involving non-compete agreements, trade secret misappropriation, wrongful termination, and discrimination actions.

Amy also takes great pride in representing professionals in the health and legal communities. In the health care industry, Amy has successfully defended liability actions against physicians and hospitals, including medical malpractice claims and claims against health care businesses that provide products and services. She has represented health care providers before their respective professional boards. Similarly, Amy has experience handling professional liability matters involving legal malpractice and attorney grievance allegations. As a result of her efforts, Amy has been recognized in Chambers USA (since 2019) where sources describe her as "an excellent trial lawyer… incredibly thorough, organized and focused on detail." The Best Lawyers in America also recognizes Amy in the fields of litigation, professional malpractice (defendants) for which she is named 2023 "Lawyer of the Year" Baltimore, and - health care, for which she was named 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" Baltimore.


Recognition

Recognized in Chambers USA, since 2019

Listed in Benchmark Litigation, "Local Litigation Star," Commercial Litigation, since 2017

Named in The Best Lawyers in America, Railroad Law, since 2018; Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants, since 2019; Commercial Litigation, since 2021; Litigation - Health Care, since 2021; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants: 2021; Baltimore Litigation-Health Care Lawyer of the Year 2022

Recipient, Maryland State Bar Association, Litigator of the Year, 2017

Recipient, The Daily Record, Maryland's Top 100 Women, 2017, 2022

Recipient, The Daily Record, Maryland's Leading Women, 2010


Service

American Bar Foundation, Fellow

Baltimore Girls' School Leadership Coalition, Mentor, 2007 - present

Baltimore Urban Debate League, Member, Board of Directors, 2010 - 2015; 2017 - 2020

Maryland Professionalism Center, Mentoring Program for New Admittees, 2015


Memberships

American Bar Association

Bar Association of Baltimore City

DRI

Federal Bar Association

International Association of Defense Counsel

Maryland Defense Counsel, President-Elect; Co-chair Judicial Nominating Committee

Maryland State Bar Association

National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel


Events

Presenter, "The Science of Human Factors: Case Studies from the Field," Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc., 2021

Presenter, "Practice Pointers from the Pandemic," Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc., 2020

Presenter, "Do's and Don'ts for Litigators," Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc., 2013


Publications

Co-author, "Maryland Court of Special Appeals Affirms Trial Court's Decision that the Improper and Untimely Designation of Experts Results in Summary Judgment," The Defense Line, November, 2020


Representative Matters

Successfully obtained a dismissal of a putative class action lawsuit alleging, among other counts, fraud, RICO violations, and negligent misrepresentation, on behalf of a medical professional. The case was covered in the Law360 article, “Miners Can't Sue Johns Hopkins Over Black Lung Benefits,” August 29, 2017. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the decision in favor of the firm's client by published opinion. See Day v. Johns Hopkins Health Sys. Corp., 907 F.3d 766 (4th Cir. 2018).

Served as a member of the defense team that successfully represented one of six Baltimore police officers who were charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray. The firm’s client faced the most serious charges among the six officers charged. Following extensive discovery, motions, and a two-week bench trial, the defense team secured acquittals on all seven counts of the indictment, including second-degree murder, three manslaughter counts, assault, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. In this highly publicized trial, the defense team relied on the depth of its criminal defense experience, exceptional facility with complex medical issues, and extensive trial practice. By obtaining key pre-trial evidentiary rulings combined with the team’s presentation at trial, the firm succeeded in acquiring a not-guilty verdict as to all charges. 

Successfully defended a national healthcare provider in a medical malpractice case. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that the healthcare provider failed to diagnose his evolving stroke, and that this failure caused him to develop a permanent brain injury. The health care provider moved for summary judgment, arguing that the plaintiff’s causation expert did not have an adequate factual basis for his opinion (as required under Maryland Rule 5-702). The trial court agreed and struck the causation testimony of plaintiff’s expert. The striking of this testimony was fatal to his claim, and the court subsequently entered summary judgment in favor of the healthcare provider and dismissed the case. The plaintiff appealed, and the Court of Special Appeals issued an opinion affirming the circuit court’s decision. The Court of Special Appeals held that summary judgment was appropriate because, without expert testimony on causation, a reasonable jury could not have found in favor of the plaintiff.

Recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of a national railroad company in the Circuit Court for Allegany County, Maryland. The plaintiff filed suit against the railroad under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. §§ 51 et seq., seeking $25,000,000 in damages. The circuit court granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment on the grounds that it was undisputed that the defendant provided the plaintiff with a reasonably safe place to work, that the plaintiff failed to establish negligence, and that there was no evidence to support the plaintiff’s theory of causation.

News

Publications

Events

Recognition

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