2022 Super Lawyers
Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein (PWHD) is excited to celebrate with our attorneys that have been named to the 2022 Super Lawyers List.
About Super Lawyers
Only the top 5% of attorneys in each state are selected to the Super Lawyers List, which evaluates lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Virginia Super Lawyers can be found by searching the directory online at superlawyers.com
Donald N. Patten
17th time selected as a Super Lawyer
Donald Patten, a Newport News attorney, has represented individuals and businesses in product liability and negligence actions, commercial contract disputes and real estate business matters for over 50 years. Patten, who represents firm clients in multi-jurisdictional asbestos related bankruptcy proceedings, has been named in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2001 and has been chosen as a Virginia Super Lawyer every year since 2006. He is a former President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and has been awarded the highest AV ranking by the Martindale-Hubbell® lawyer rating service. Approximately 10% of all attorneys hold an AV Preeminent Rating, a designation trusted worldwide by buyers and referrers of legal services.
Robert R. Hatten
17th time selected as a Super Lawyer
For over 40 years Bobby Hatten has been a pioneer and national leader in asbestos litigation, prosecuting cases across Virginia and the nation for shipyard workers, Navy veterans, industrial workers, and their families. His work has established landmark decisions relating to maritime jurisdiction, statutes of limitations, conflicts of law, monetary damages, and product liability. For over 25 years he has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America and chosen by Best Lawyers as Lawyer of the Year for 2019. In 2010 he was chosen to be a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. VTLA, ATLA, and Lawyers Weekly have each conferred special advocacy awards for his many contributions to the law. Jury verdict in the Top 10 Verdicts in Virginia for 8 consecutive years (2006-2013) and 2016.
James H. Shoemaker, Jr.
16th time selected as a Super Lawyer
Jamie Shoemaker has served as lead counsel in very significant employment cases around the U.S. resulting in numerous six and seven figure recoveries. He is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Highly experienced in complex litigation, Jamie has served as lead counsel or co-lead counsel in several False Claims Act Qui Tam matters involving various types of healthcare fraud and fraud against the Department of Defense. In 2019, he served as lead counsel representing the successful whistleblower resulting in the $1.4 billion recovery against Reckitt Benckiser Group and a related $600 million recovery against a former RBG subsidiary. As of 2019, this was the largest opioid-related fraud settlement in U.S. history.
