Meet Kari
Kari is a trial attorney in the Charlottesville office of Allen & Allen with a background in insurance and medical malpractice defense. Kari understands the importance of effective communication, both in her relationships with clients and in the courtroom. She focuses her practice on personal injury cases and is dedicated to fighting for the seriously injured.
Prior to joining Allen & Allen, Kari represented defendants and insurance companies in cases involving medical malpractice, wrongful death, automobile accidents, premises liability, and products liability. Her background gives her unique insight into how insurance companies handle personal injury claims. Further, Kari has experience in federal court, having argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on an issue that was ultimately considered by the United States Supreme Court.
Kari has been named by Super Lawyers as a Virginia Rising Star from 2020 to 2023. She was a double-major in Economics and Political Science at the University of Georgia. She earned her J.D. at the University of Richmond School of Law, where she was a member of the Trial Advocacy Board.
Kari grew up in southwest Virginia, where she was very involved in high school athletics. She has held state records in both basketball and volleyball. In her free time, she enjoys snow skiing, golfing, scuba diving, boating, and travel.
Experience
- Trial Attorney, Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen (2021-Present)
- Attorney, The Mitchell Law Group (2018-2021)
- Associate, Hancock, Daniel & Johnson, P.C. (2017-2018)
- Staff Counsel, Geico (2015-2016)
- Associate, Hall & Hall, PLC (2014-2015)
Education
- J.D., University of Richmond School of Law (2014)
- B.A., Political Science and Economics, University of Georgia (2011)
Bar Admissions
- Commonwealth of Virginia
Honors
- Super Lawyers, Virginia Rising Star (2020-2023)
- Virginia Business Magazine – Legal Elite (2021, 2022, 2023)
Professional Affiliations
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
- American Association for Justice
- Charlottesville-Abemarle Bar Association
- Chair, Medical Malpractice Section, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys (2019-2020)
Allen & Allen supports Georgia’s Friends
Allen & Allen visited Georgia’s Friends in Charlottesville to provide a charitable donation toward their worthy cause. Attorney Kari La Fratta visited the team to learn more about the important...
Sylvia from Richmond
I lost my husband due to a pulmonary embolism. He was seen by a doctor just hours earlier, and the signs were all there. But the doctor dismissed him –...
Medical malpractice: $5,500,000
The plaintiff’s decedent, a 48-year-old man, visited his family physician with complaints of shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and a dry mouth. His vitals were obtained, and the results...
The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA): A Brief Overview
It is well-settled and widely recognized that when an individual is injured by another person’s negligence, the injured person may bring a claim to recover money and compensate for their...
Three attorneys named to Legal Elite
Allen & Allen is thrilled to announce that three attorneys have been named to Virginia Business’s Legal Elite 2023! Bridget Long, James Kessel, and Kari La Fratta have been given...
Medical malpractice – $900,000
The decedent was a 63-year-old woman who underwent elective lumbar spine surgery. The general surgeon described the procedure as difficult due to her body mass index, and the presence of...