Butler Snow LLP

Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Healthcare Litigation

La'Verne practices within Butler Snow’s Pharmaceutical, Medical Device and Healthcare Litigation Group and serves as the Chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusivity Committee. She is experienced in defending cases involving product liability, medical negligence, premises liability, bad faith insurance, employment disputes and legal malpractice.

Recognized by Chambers USA and as one of the Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Mass Torts/Class Actions since 2016, La’Verne is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and an Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, where she currently serves as President-Elect. She has over 25 years of experience trying cases in very difficult venues in state and federal courts in mass tort, premises liability, medical negligence, and commercial litigation. Her trial practice over the past several years has primarily focused on mass tort litigation involving pharmaceutical products and medical devices.

La’Verne has been called upon to prepare and try cases in challenging venues, such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where in 2019, she obtained a defense verdict in a pelvic mesh trial. See “J&J Dodges Pelvic Mesh Claims In Philadelphia Trial,” Law360, April 17, 2019. La’Verne is known for her ability to connect with jurors, allowing her a unique opportunity to use her relatable life experiences and calm resolve to explain complicated facts and evidence so that it is easy for juries to understand.

In May 2022, La’Verne served as U.S. Delegate at The Forum on the Rule of Law at the U.S. Supreme Court, for which she co-authored a paper and spoke on Human Rights and Civil Liberties. La’Verne is called upon often to speak on topics addressing the unique perspectives women litigators bring to the profession. Most recently, in 2022, La’Verne spoke as a guest panelist on the topic, “Hear Us Roar: Being a Female Litigator in a Male-Dominated Industry” at a conference in Palm Springs, CA. Additional recent recognition includes Capital Area Bar Association’s Professionalism Award in 2021, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, and Mississippi College School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Lawyer of the Year in 2018.

She obtained her B.S. from Alcorn State University and her J.D. from Mississippi College School of Law. Following law school, La’Verne clerked for the Honorable Leslie Southwick on the Mississippi Court of Appeals.