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F A L L 2 0 1 4 W W W . V O I C E - T R I B U N E . C O M | T H E V O I C E O F L O U I S V I L L E 77 502.584.0404 | www.Casi-Law.com P aul A. Casi, II is an all-around family man. "If I'm not working, I spend most of the rest of my time with my wife and sons," he said. But when Casi's travel-intensive schedule pulls him from his family, he's working for other families. Now in his 20th year of practicing law, Casi is Vice President of the Kentucky Justice Association and is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America," an annual peer-review publication and the Martindale Hubbell "Register of Preminent Lawyers." He concentrates his practice in medical negligence, product liability, and trucking cases, and in cases involving catastrophic personal injuries. He has also held leadership positions with the American Association of Justice as the Past Chair of the Professional Negligence Section and Past Co- Chair of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group, and he has spoken frequently throughout the country in continu - ing legal education programs on topics including med- ical malpractice, hospital liability, birth injury cases, accident reconstruction, and trucking cases. "I wanted a client that was a person and not a busi - ness," he said. "I wanted a person who I could help make a difference with. What I found was that this type of work, if you are successful, and the case has merit, the money can make a really big difference," he said. Many of Casi's cases involve catastrophic injuries such as loss of limb, brain damage or paralysis. "Any time you have that kind of a severe injury, it's going to impact the entire family." In September 2013, Casi obtained a substantial jury verdict in Calloway County, Kentucky for the estate of a woman who died in 2008 from a post-partum hemor - rhage. She left behind her newborn daughter and her frst daughter, then age 4. By gathering a team of med - ical experts, Casi successfully showed that the doctor had failed to properly manage her condition. "The two primary clients I had were little girls," Casi said. The doctor was held accountable, and the girls were taken care of. Casi has lived in Louisville since he was eight years old. He knew he wanted to be an attorney even before he graduated from St. Xavier High School. He'd had a lot of fun with high school debate, and he was good at it. "You think logically," he said, "you try to respond, try to understand your opponent's position." Casi also drew inspiration from G. Murray "Butch" Turner, a vet - eran Louisville attorney who was a friend of the family. After earning his bachelor's degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, Casi returned to Louisville to study law at UofL where he graduated as the Valedictorian and Outstanding Graduating Senior. "You go into law school, and you really don't know what you want to practice. The only thing I knew for sure that I wanted to do was, I wanted to do something where I was representing people and helping people," he said. Fortunately, Casi began clerking in law school with attorney, Bill Hoffman, who introduced him to this area of law. "Bill was an outstanding lawyer. I began work - ing with him in law school and spent the frst six years of my career as his employee and the next six years as his law partner before starting my own frm. No one has had a greater infuence on my career than him." In July of this year, Casi received a lifetime achieve - ment award from his peers in the American Association of Justice Birth Trauma Litigation Group. He was given the "Dan Cullan Memorial Award" in "recognition of his passionate and unwavering commitment to excellence in advocacy and his devotion and service to this orga - nization and the children that it serves; and in recogni- tion of the fact that he has exemplifed the fnest quali- ties of our late beloved colleague for whom this award is named." Casi said that receiving the award was a "humbling experience" as prior recipients of the award are among the most successful medical malpractice lawyers in the country and are people he has consid - ered mentors and friends. Paul A. Casi II Law Ofce Paul A. Casi II