After 34 years of service to CAP members — 29 as CAP’s general counsel — Gordon Ownby is retiring. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Ownby created “Case of the Month,” the most popular column in the monthly member newsletter and the basis for two popular books.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Ownby was a news editor at The Los Angeles Daily Journal, a legal affairs newspaper. He began serving CAP physicians in 1987 as a defense attorney in CAP’s dedicated law firm, Schmid & Voiles, and became CAP’s general counsel in 1992. Mr. Ownby began writing his well-regarded column, “Case of the Month,” in 2000 to share with CAP members how closed litigation claims can offer a wealth of risk management lessons. At the time of his retirement, he will have contributed more than 260 columns to the newsletter. Highlighted case studies appear in the CAP-published book, Medicine on Trial: Risk Management Lessons From Litigated Cases, now in its second edition.
“Gordon has been a valued part of CAP’s growth and development,” says Chief Executive Officer Sarah Scher. “While we will have the legacy of his writings with us for years to come, his day-to-day contributions will very much be missed. We wish him much happiness in his retirement.”
Mr. Ownby will be succeeded by Douglas Shin, who is currently Associate General Counsel and has worked at CAP since 2012. Mr. Shin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at San Diego and his law degree from Loyola Law School, where he was a member of the Loyola Law Review. He began his career as a legal intern for the technology transfer team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and coauthored an article on the commercialization of intellectual property in central and eastern Europe. He also previously worked as a litigator, defending numerous clients in the general and medical malpractice liability, employment, and healthcare arenas, including settlement of numerous matters and arbitration.
Said Ms. Scher, “Doug is an outstanding attorney who has distinguished himself within our organization and in general. We are confident that he will be of tremendous support to our boards, committees, and physician members and help lead CAP to continued growth and excellence in achieving our mission to support healthcare providers with the best products and services.”
CAP members can continue to follow "Case of the Month" as a regular CAPsules feature.