Karen E. Terry

Karen E. Terry


Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA

Recognized since 2009

West Palm Beach, Florida

Practice Areas

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
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KAREN E. TERRY is a Shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. in West Palm Beach and has been with the firm for 25 years. Recently, Ms. Terry became Florida Bar Board Certified in civil trial law as well as in health care and medical malpractice, which are the highest honors one can achieve. For the last 10 years in a row, she has been named as one of The Best Lawyers in America. Recently honored as one of the top-rated lawyers in health care in the United States, Ms. Terry also was selected as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the country and Top 10 Best Female Attorneys in Florida.

Courtroom View Network cited Ms. Terry for Top Plaintiffs’ Verdicts in 2015 and the Daily Business Review recognized her for Top Plaintiffs’ Verdicts in 2019. She received the highest honor awarded by the Daily Business Review as its 2016 Product Liability Litigation Lawyer of the Year. Ms. Terry was selected as The Lawyer of the Year, 2017, in Mass Torts Litigation/Class Actions by Best Lawyers in America. In 2018, she became a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator in Florida.

Ms. Terry has tried many big cases, but in August 2007, she received a jury verdict of over $25 million in Polk County, Florida against Walgreens for misfilling a prescription. In 2013 she also received a jury verdict of over $12 million in Palm Beach County, Florida and was inducted into the Florida’s Verdicts Hall of Fame for this case. She achieved the first verdict in the U.S. against a medical concierge company for the negligence of its doctor in causing catastrophic consequences for a woman.

Ms. Terry has been selected as one of the top five litigators by Florida Trend magazine and the South Florida Legal Guide. For the past 21 years she has been a member of the Florida Justice Association and the Palm Beach County Justice Association and has been active in her community. She recently was selected into the prestigious organizations the International Society of Barristers and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Ms. Terry is currently vice president of the Palm Beach Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, with aspirations to become president.

Before joining Searcy Denney, Ms. Terry clerked for former Chief Judge Walter Colbath of the 15th Judicial Circuit. A native of South Florida, she graduated cum laude from Duke University in three years and earned a master’s degree from the University of Florida. She then graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 2139 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
    West Palm Beach, FL 33409-6601
Languages
  • English
Education
  • University of Florida, J.D., graduated 1995
  • Duke University, AB, graduated 1991
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, The Florida Bar
  • Florida, The Palm Beach County Bar
Affiliations
  • Florida Justice Association - Member
  • International Who’s Who Registry of Outstanding Professionals 2010-Present - Honored as Member-Premiere
  • Judicial Relations Committee and Personal Injury Committee for the Palm Beach County Bar Association - Appointed
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • International Society of Barristers - Elected to Foundation Board 2022
  • American Association for Justice - Member
  • American Board of Trial Advocates - Member
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America - Member
  • Florida Bar - Member
  • Florida Justice Association - Eagle Member
  • Palm Beach County Bar Association - Member
  • Palm Beach County Justice Association - Member
State Clerkships
  • Florida - Trial Courts

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, West Palm Beach (2023)
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, West Palm Beach (2022)
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, West Palm Beach (2017)
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs, West Palm Beach (2016)
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, West Palm Beach (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Special Focus:
  • Birth Trauma
  • Brain Injury
  • Catastrophic Injury
  • Hospital Malpractice
  • Medical Negligence
  • Nursing Homes
  • Personal Injury
  • Product Liability
  • Wrongful Death
Awards:
  • Super Lawyers 2019
  • Top Lawyers 2019 by Palm Beach Illustrated
  • Selected by peers as Best Lawyers in America, 2009Present in five categories-personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, professional malpractice, and mass torts/class action litigation
  • Chosen as 1 of 10 Best Female Personal Injury Attorneys by American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 2016
  • West Palm Beach Product Liability Litigation Lawyer of the Year 2016
  • National Trial Lawyers, selected as top 100 trial lawyers in US
  • Honored as Member-Premiere International Who’s Who Registry of Outstanding Professionals, 2010-Present
  • South Florida Top Lawyer 2010 – Present
  • Florida Super Lawyer 2009 - Present
  • Selected as one of the top five litigators under the age of 40 by Florida Trend Magazine and South Florida Legal Guide
  • American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell 2013 Top Rated Lawyers
  • Best Lawyers in America 2009-Present
  • Florida Legal Elite 2009-Present
  • Florida Verdicts Hall of Fame 2014
  • Lawyer of the Year 2015 in Mass Torts/Class Actions Best Lawyers
  • Top 100 National Trial Lawyers
  • Top 50 Women Attorneys in Florida
  • Top 500 Lawyers in US by Law Dragon 2010
  • Top Attorneys to Watch in 2014 by Attorney at Law Magazine
  • Top Lawyer in South Florida Leagal Guide 2009-Present
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Mass Tort Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation
  • Professional Malpractice Law

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Publications

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