SZS

Kat Todd

Kat Todd
Partner
Sacramento, CA
Telephone: 916-567-0400
FAX: 916-568-0400
E-mail: kt@szs.com
PDF View PDF Version

Kat was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She practiced law in Canada for two years before moving to California; she has practiced law in California since 2002. Kat’s practice focuses on healthcare law, including professional negligence defense and representation of healthcare providers in disciplinary actions. She also has an interest in assisting acute care facilities with patients with difficult placements, including conservatorships and court petitions to obtain approval for treatment without a conservatorship.

Kat recently retired from her volunteer activities in rugby. In an athletic career spanning 28 years, Kat represented Canada as a player in two Women’s Rugby World Cups, and also worked as a selector for international referees in the 2014 and 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cups. Kat has retired to pursue more local volunteer opportunities.

Professional History

  • 2007 to Present - Schuering Zimmerman & Doyle, LLP, Sacramento, CA
    Partner
  • 2003 to 2007 - Dummit, Buchholz & Trapp, Sacramento, CA
    Associate
  • 2000 to 2001 - Wheatley Sadownik, Canada
    Associate
  • 1999 to 2000 - Bryan & Company, Canada
    Law Clerk

Education

  • LL.B. (J.D.), University of Alberta, Canada, 1999
  • B.A. (Psychology), Bishop’s University, Quebec, Canada, 1995

Admissions

  • Provincial Bar of Alberta, Canada, 2002
  • California, 2002
  • United States District Court, Eastern District, 2004

Honors and Memberships

  • Northern California Super Lawyer 2019, 2021 & 2022
  • Member of the California Academy of Attorneys for Health Care Professionals
  • Member of the California Medical Legal Committee
  • Provincial Bar of Alberta (Inactive Status)
  • State Bar of California
  • Sacramento County Bar Association
  • Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada
  • California Society for Healthcare Risk Management (Northern California)
  • Fellow of ABOTA National Trial College. Harvard; July 2012
  • Community Member on UC Davis Medical Center Bioethics Committee
  • Temporary Judge for Small Claims for the Sacramento County Superior Court
  • Pro tem for Mandatory Settlement Conferences for the Sacramento Superior Court

Presentations

  • Documentation to Defend a Legal Case. Presentation to Nursing Staff at UC Davis Medical Center. June 2022
  • Family Medicine Case Presentation. Presentation to FM Residents. March 2022
  • Medical Malpractice Issues. Virtual co-presentation to Emergency Medicine Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. November 2020.
  • Anatomy of a Lawsuit. Presentation to Anesthesia Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. November 2020.
  • Documentation to Defend a Legal Case. Presentation to Nursing Staff at UC Davis Medical Center. February 2020.
  • Anatomy of a Lawsuit. Presentation to Anesthesia Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. January 2019.
  • Documentation to Defend a Legal Case. Presentation to Nursing Staff at UC Davis Medical Center. October 2018.
  • Issues in the Provision of Anesthesia Services. Presentation to Anesthesia Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. February 2018.
  • Keeping Physicians Informed. Presentation to The Regents of University of California Risk Management Summit. October 2016.
  • Legal Issues in Community Psychiatry. Presentation to Psychiatry Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. May 2016.
  • Anatomy of a Lawsuit. A presentation to Anesthesia Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. February 2016.
  • Issues with Patient Boarding in the Emergency Department. In conjunction with The Mutual Risk Retention Group, Inc., to the Emergency Medicine Providers at Barton Memorial Hospital. South Lake Tahoe, CA. May 2015.
  • Legal Issues in Community Psychiatry. Presentation to Psychiatry Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. April 2015.
  • Lengthy Difficult Patient Discharges in the Acute Care Setting. In conjunction with Sutter Health, at the CSHRM Annual Conference. Napa, CA. March 2015
  • Pain Management & Opioid Prescribing: Managing the Risks. In conjunction with NORCAL Mutual Insurance to the Sutter Gould Medical Group. The Stockton Golf and Country Club in Stockton, CA. May 2014.
  • Anatomy of a Trial: What Risk Managers Need to Know. A webinar to CSHRM members. May 2014.
  • Transitions in the Acute Continuum of Care. In conjunction with The Mutual Risk Retention Group, Inc., to the Emergency Medicine Providers at Barton Memorial Hospital. South Lake Tahoe, CA. May 2014.
  • Informed Consent and Informed Refusal. Presentation at UC Davis Medical Center. April 2012.
  • Medical-Legal Issues in Psychiatry Cases. Presentation to Psychiatry Residents at UC Davis Medical Center. April 2012.
  • The Art of the Deal. In conjunction with The Mutual Risk Retention Group, Inc., to SWOPE Medical Group in Nevada City, CA. September 2011.
  • Electronic Charting Roundtable. CEP Sutter Davis Hospital. June 2011.
  • Nursing Peer Review Board Presentation. UC Davis Medical Center. Sacramento, CA. June 2011.
  • Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Depositions. Video series for UC Davis Medical Center. Sacramento, CA. February 2011.