Kimberly Rathbone
Member Partner

Phone:
855-535-7191

Fax:
216-370-6645

Email:

[email protected]

Cleveland – Main Office:
1250 Granger Road
Cleveland, OH 44131-1234


Kim is one of the founding Partners of the insurance subrogation firm of Rathbone Group, LLC.  She has focused on insurance subrogation throughout her entire legal career. Kim was elected Managing Partner in 2019.

Her responsibilities include supporting the firm’s clients through quality assurance, process creation, data analysis and problem solving to provide innovative solutions to further the clients’ goals. Kim also develops creative business and client development strategies for the long-term success of the firm. Along with the daily management of the firm, she is involved in the support and management of the network of counsel throughout North America.

Kim’s work history involves working as a production assistant and sports reporter for news and commercials for three television stations before law school. After law school, she was employed by a large law firm as a corporate litigator and subrogation attorney for three years. Subsequently, she led the insurance subrogation practice at a creditors’ rights firm for ten years. In 2014, she and her fellow partners formed Rathbone Group, LLC.

While attending law school on the Nurenberg, Plevin, Heller & McCarthy Endowed Scholarship in Law, she was Editor-in-Chief of the Cleveland State Law Review and published in the Journal of Law and Health.

Aside from spending time with family and friends, Kim enjoys strength training and traveling.

Education

• The Ohio State University, B.A. 1996
• Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, cum laude, J.D. 2001
• Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, Certificate, Leadership Deep Dive, 2010

Bar Admissions

• Ohio
• Northern District of Ohio
• 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
• 7th Circuit Court of Appeals

Awards/Recognition

• Best Lawyers, 2021
• Super Lawyer, Ohio, Super Lawyer Magazine, 2020
• Northeast Ohio Smart 50 Executive, Smart Business Magazine, 2020
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating, 2018-2020
• National Women in Law Honoree, Corporate Counsel Magazine, 2018
• Super Lawyers Rising Star, Super Lawyer Magazine, 2011-2014
• Ohio to Watch, Inside Business, 2009
• Top 25 Under 35 Movers and Shakers, Inside Business 2006

Professional Affiliations

• National Association of Subrogation Professionals
• Vermont Captive Insurance Association
• Association of Government Risk Professionals
• A.M. Best Insurance Attorney
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Published Works

• Rathbone, Kimberly L., “The Benefits of Civic Involvement” Smart Business Network Magazine, 2005.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. and Joel H. Rathbone, “The Balancing Act of Small Subrogation Claims” NASP Subrogator, Winter 2005
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. and Mark J.A. Demian. “Sticking It to the Man: Holding Employers Responsible for Negligent Acts of so-Called “Independent Contractors” NASP Subrogator, Spring/Summer 2006.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. “Forwarding As A Partnership” National List Newsletter, 2008.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. “So, You Know Retail… Now What About Subro?” National List Newsletter, 2009.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. “Sign Me Up,” Council on Smaller Enterprises, 2010.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. and Jason M. Sullivan. “Credit Bureau Reports: When Can You Use Them?” NASP Subrogator, Fall 2010.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. and Jason M. Sullivan, “U.S. Supreme Court Declines Review of Pintos” NASP Subrogator, Winter 2011.
• Contributing Editor of CSRP Curriculum, Service Provider Chapter, 2013.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L., “Wait – You Haven’t Used Arbitration Forums Yet?” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, February 2018.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L and Mackenzie Robinson, “Insurtech is Innovating the Insurance Industry” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, February 2019.
• Rathbone, Kimberly L. “Keep the Short Check and Proceed on the Remaining Claim? Not so Fast…” NASP Subrogator, Spring/Summer 2019.

Seminars and Speaking Engagements

National Association of Subrogation Professionals
• “Women and Sports,” Moderator, Union Club of Cleveland” June 8th, 2022.
• “Leading the Business: Stories from the Second Generation,” Panel Member, Union Club of Cleveland, September 12, 2019.
• “Balancing Small Subrogation Claims” 2006.
• “Vicarious Liability Law: How to Avoid An Ambush,” Litigation Skills Conference, 2007.
• “Identifying Conflicts of Interest,” Chapter Meeting, 2009.
• “Identifying Conflicts of Interest,” Annual Conference, 2009.
• “Increase Recoveries From the Uninsured,” Annual Conference, 2010.

Continuing Legal Education Presentations
• “Fortune Cookie – A Fresh Look at Subrogation” 2017
• “Insurtech: Changing The Way Insurance Works” 2019

General Presentations
• “Successfully Managing and Growing a Family Business,” COSE Small Business Conference Workshop, 2009.
• “Other People’s Torts – Third Party Liability in Subrogation Claims” Insurance Adjuster Continuing Education Provider Instructor, 2018 and 2019.

Podcasts

On Subrogation Podcast
• “Subro LIVE! – Brian Suchoff on Best Practices Intake,” Airdate February 6, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – Allen Mills on Workers’ Compensation Subrogation,” Airdate February 6, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – The Benefits of Early Motion Practice,” Airdate April 23, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – Subrogation When Your Insured has Out of Pockets,” Airdate December 3, 2019

Webinars

• “How to Handle Resistant Uninsured Tortfeasors,” NASP Webinar, July 2014.

Videos

On Subrogation YouTube Channel
• “Statute of Limitations,” Published March 19, 2021
• “Release Language in Subrogation Claims,” Published November 9, 2018
• “Depositing a Check for Less Than Full Balance,” Published November 26, 2018
• “Pre-Suit License Suspensions,” Published January 4, 2019
• “Post-Judgment License Suspensions,” Published February 15, 2019
• “Vicarious Liability – Respondeat Superior Doctrine,” Published March 1, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – Allen Mills on Workers’ Compensation Subrogation,” Published March 11, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – Brian Suchoff on Best Practices in Intake,” Published March 11, 2019
• “Parental Liability,” Published March 15, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! – The Benefits of Early Motion Practice,” Published April 26, 2019
• “Independent Contractor Defense,” Published June 21, 2019
• “Liability for Serving Alcohol/Substances,” Published July 5, 2019
• “Subrogating when a Tortfeasor Files Bankruptcy,” Published July 19, 2019
• “Family Car Doctrine,” Published August 2, 2019
• “Subrogating Underinsured Tortfeasors,” Published August 16, 2019
• “When a Tortfeasor Dies During Subrogation Pursuit,” Published October 11, 2019
• “Subro LIVE! When Your Insured has Out of Pockets,” Published December 6, 2019

Volunteer/Public Service

• Tools for Schools
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Insurance Section
• Vermont Captive Insurance Association Conference Task Force
• Union Club Women’s Committee
• John Carroll Women’s Entrepreneurship Advisory Council