Our Team

William Artz, Esq.

Andrew Waghorn, Esq.

Elizabeth Wochok, B.S.

Theresa Burgess

Mina Koochekzadeh

Our firm concentrates on the representation of medical malpractice victims in the District of Columbia and Virginia. We are committed to advancing the legal rights of the injured and to representing their interests with integrity, respect, courtesy, and compassion. We function
as a team, a group of persons who have specific responsibilities in the prosecution of all of our cases.

William (Bill) E. Artz, Esq.
Email: wartz@artzlawfirm.com

William E. Artz, a principal in the law firm of William E. Artz, P.C., is a member of the Virginia and District of Columbia Bars and has practiced law for forty years.  He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Washingtonian’s Best Lawyers in Washington, DC, Best Lawyers in Washignton, DC, Best Lawyers in Virginia, a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates.

Bill is past President of the Trial Lawyers of Metropolitan Washington, DC, the Arlington County Bar Association, former Chairman of the Virginia State Bar Tenth District Committee (Grievance Committee) and the Arlington County Bar Foundation.  Bill specializes in the field of medical malpractice and represents the interests of injured victims of medical malpractice and/or their families.  He has also represented the interests of doctors, hospitals and insurance companies in this field.  Bill is board certified in Civil Trial Advocacy, certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.  In May 2002, Bill was the recipient of the “Trial Lawyer of the Year Award” from the D.C. Trial Lawyer Association.

Bill’s concern for the victims of medical negligence has also led him to seek legislative changes in their favor in Virginia, a traditionally conservative state.  In that regard he has testified before the General Assembly; has drafted legislation for its consideration; appeared on radio and television to inform the public on the status of the law; authored articles and book chapters on the subject of Medical Malpractice; and, lectured extensively to lawyers at continuing legal education seminars.

In July 2001, Bill competed in the Maccabiah World Games in Tel Aviv, Israel.  He made the United States tennis team, which selects six players in each age group.  In the international competition featuring players from forty nations, Bill won a bronze medal in singles and a silver in doubles.

Andrew (Andy) Waghorn, Esq.
Email: awaghorn@artzlawfirm.com

Andy joined the Firm in August 2002. He is a 1990 graduate of Catholic University Law School, where he was a Member of the Law Review and the Moot Court Association. He also received the prestigious Frank A. Giordano scholarship for legal studies and was a finalist in several moot court competitions.

Andy has 18 years of trial experience in federal and state courts. He began his legal career as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy's, Judge Advocate Generals' Corps, where he defended military physicians and hospitals in civil claims brought under the Federal Torts Claims Act. He also conducted all aspects of trial litigation in the defense of sailors and Marines before courts-martial and administrative discharge hearings. Andy won a competitive assignment to a mobile trial team in the Persian Gulf where he flew onto ships at sea to conduct trials and administrative proceedings.

After his military service, Andy served the District of Columbia as an Assistant Corporation Counsel where he participated in civil trials in the defense of doctors, hospitals, police officers, school districts, and other employees of the District of Columbia government. He then worked for an insurance defense firm, Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman, Dicker, LLP where he concentrated his practice in the field of medical malpractice litigation in state and federal courts. Andy has been practicing medical malpractice litigation for plaintiffs exclusively since 1999. He is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, New York, and Connecticut.

Elizabeth (Eli) Wochok, B.S.
Email: ewochok@artzlawfirm.com

Eli holds a degree in biology/microbiology and has been certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists since 1976. As our firm's medical paralegal, Eli is conversant with our clients' medical records, as well as the medical authorities and literature, and works closely with the medical experts that ultimately testify to establish our cases. Because locating credible, competent and well-respected experts is critical to the successful prosecution of a medical malpractice case, Eli plays an integral role in accumulating the evidence necessary to meet the burden of proof.

Theresa Burgess , Office Manager / Legal Assistant
Email: tburgess@artzlawfirm.com

Theresa's broad based skills and ability to handle multiple tasks for all aspects of the Firm are based on her 22 years of legal experience and 4 years in office administration.

As the Office Manager, Theresa coordinates the functions of the office, serves as liaison with all the vendors and sees to the maintenance of the office equipment.

As the Legal Assistant, Theresa's responsibilities include providing legal support for the cases for the attorneys, reviewing and organizing all case files for trial, maintaining document production throughout the litigation process, and obtaining medical records and bills of our clients from healthcare providers. Theresa also schedules the defense experts and organizes trial exhibits prior to trial.

Mina Koochekzadeh, Paralegal
Email: mkoochekzadeh@artzlawfirm.com

Mina holds art history degrees from Tufts and Oxford and received a paralegal certificate from George Washington University. She has been working for the Firm as a paralegal providing support with organizing and scheduling experts for trial. In addition, Mina coordinates plaintiffs' expert depositions and the organization of medical records and medical bills.