Carolyn Reinhard Sleeper doesn’t notice or even acknowledge barriers. Undeterred, she just walks right through them. Becoming the firm’s first female shareholder in 1995 was part of a long string of “firsts” for this seasoned litigator. She is the first and only firm shareholder to join invitation-only organizations like the Litigation Counsel of America and the American Board of Trial Advocates, Southern New Jersey Chapter. She is the first and only woman at the firm invited to join the American College of Trial Lawyers and to become a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, a rare certification. Upon reflection, she says her series of “firsts” started back in high school. She wanted to play golf. Since there was no girls’ team, Carolyn simply made the boys’ Varsity team and became captain her senior year.

For more than 30 years, Carolyn has continued to achieve “firsts” in her practice devoted exclusively to the defense of medical malpractice lawsuits and claims. She has represented healthcare professionals, medical institutions, and several major hospitals in a wide variety of specialty areas, including cardiology, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, family medicine, anesthesia, dentistry, psychiatry, and nursing.

She has successfully negotiated catastrophic loss cases involving death, brain damage, blindness, wrongful birth and other permanent disabilities. As a trial attorney she has represented numerous physicians, nurses and hospital systems in and out of court. Carolyn has also appeared before the Board of Medical Examiners to represent physicians who are the subject of a Board inquiry.

Carolyn believes that experience, commitment and communication are key elements to the resolution of difficult matters. In her practice, Carolyn has made it her first priority to provide her clients with impeccable service from one professional to another. Being on the receiving end of a lawsuit or Board inquiry can be extremely stressful without a trusted adviser who has already navigated the barriers. 

Honors & Awards

• Named to 2012-2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers List, published by Thomson Reuters. See Super Lawyers Selection Methodology HERE.
• Named to 2018-2025 Best Lawyers list. View their Peer Reviewed Selection Methodology HERE.
• Ms. Sleeper is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America which is composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers, and represents the best in law among its membership. 
• She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation and only after a rigorous and lengthy investigation to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Fellowship is limited to one percent of lawyers in any individual state.
• Ms. Sleeper is an associate member of the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. 
• Martindale-Hubbell® has identified Ms. Sleeper as an attorney with the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.  This designation is known as AV Preeminent®. This rating represents the pinnacle of professional excellence.  Ms. Sleeper was awarded this rating each year from 2008 to 2016.

Professional Activities

• American College of Trial Lawyers (New Jersey State Committee)
• Burlington County Bar Association (Former trustee)
• Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow)
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• Trial Attorneys of New Jersey (Member)
• American Board of Trial Advocates (President-elect, South Jersey Chapter)