Virginia L. McGrane

Virginia McGrane is a senior attorney with more than 30 years of experience who focuses her practice on personal injury defense, including transportation technology and medical malpractice claims in state and federal courts. Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Virginia was a partner at a prominent defense firm. She has defended premises, labor law, product liability, lead poisoning, disability insurance, legal malpractice and sex abuse cases, and has acted as lead national counsel in defense of pharmaceutical claims. She also has worked in the areas of environmental and family law, and commercial litigation. 

Having represented the plaintiff and defense sides of claims, Virginia has a balanced perspective and insight on a plaintiff’s claims and strategy and a defendant’s defenses and counter-strategy. Drawing on her training and career as a registered professional nurse, Virginia uses her understanding of medicine to analyze high-injury cases, and applies her skills to develop defenses based on causation and mitigation of damages. She often says that as a nurse attorney she speaks two languages: medicine and law. Virginia benefits her colleagues through collaboration and has conducted a seminar on "How to Review Medical Records" for attorneys. 

Virginia has vast experience in defending professional malpractice claims against the health care industry including hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, dentists, laboratories, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, audiologists, optometrists, psychologists, radiologists and sonogram technicians. She is often called upon to work on cases with very complex medical issues, whether or not the claim is based on medical malpractice. Virginia also has defended the Catholic Church in cases involving premises, transportation and sensitive matters.

Upon graduation from law school, Virginia served a federal clerkship for the Hon. William L. Hungate, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Litigation Advantage
Her passion  for the practice of law is embodied in litigation, and Virginia thrives in the defense of a case every step of the way, from the initial evaluation, through investigating  the facts, challenging the plaintiff and opposing counsel, constructing a strong case and viable strategies, drafting and arguing (and winning) summary judgment motions, coordinating settlements and mediations, and taking a case through jury selection. Her clients know she understands the business aspect of litigation and throughout the life of each case she will continually evaluate the best and most cost-effective method to move the case toward the fastest and most economically favorable resolution.