Stebner Gertler & Guadagni's Legal Excellence Earns CAOC Finalist Spots
Stebner Gertler & Guadagni is proud to announce that six of its attorneys have been named finalists for the 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year award by Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC).
California (Newsworthy.ai) Saturday Sep 5, 2026 @ 11:00 AM PDT
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"From the beginning, this case was about speaking truth to power, and despite many obstacles, we were in lockstep with our clients about seeing it through to get justice." - Karman Guadagni, Stebner Gertler & Guadagni
Stebner Gertler & Guadagni is proud to announce that six of its attorneys have been named finalists for the 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year award by Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). This recognition is due to the firm's successful litigation in Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, where they held a Petaluma facility accountable for elder neglect and death.
Doug Saeltzer, president of CAOC, announced the finalists for the 2026 award on August 18. Consumer Attorney of the Year honors a CAOC member or members who significantly advanced the rights or safety of California consumers through a noteworthy case result. Winners will be selected by secret ballot of the CAOC board on September 10 and announced November 14 at the Annual Installation and Awards Dinner during CAOC's 65th Annual Convention in San Francisco.
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"From the beginning, this case was about speaking truth to power, and despite many obstacles, we were in lockstep with our clients about seeing it through to get justice." - Karman Guadagni, Stebner Gertler & Guadagni
The finalist attorneys on the case are Karman M. Guadagni, Kelsey S. Craven, Kirsten M. Fish, Kathryn A. Stebner, Deena K. Zacharin, and Valerie T. McGinty.
About the Case
Theresa Donahue was an 85-year-old resident of MuirWoods Memory Care, a residential care facility for the elderly in Petaluma. Staff knew she was at risk for falls and needed assistance because of her dementia and other medical conditions, but repeatedly failed to meet her needs. She suffered four falls and weeks of untreated scabies before a fourth fall in 2021 caused a hip fracture that led to her decline and death.
At trial, the Stebner Gertler & Guadagni team built its case around the facility's purposeful understaffing to protect profits. When the defense destroyed multiple categories of staffing records, the attorneys proved the understaffing through witness testimony and admissions from staff. The first trial ended in a hung jury. The team retried the case and won.
The case led to two significant legal changes enhancing elder protection in California. The defense's motion to compel arbitration was denied and upheld on appeal in a published decision, creating favorable law for elders fighting long-term-care arbitration agreements. And the evidence of spoliation in the case helped drive passage of Assembly Bill 251 (Kalra), which significantly revised the California Elder Abuse Act to better protect elders and hold bad actors accountable.
About Stebner Gertler & Guadagni
Founded in 1991, Stebner Gertler & Guadagni is a San Francisco-based elder abuse litigation firm with more than 35 years of combined experience holding nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, and hospitals accountable. The firm's attorneys represent elders and their families in cases of neglect, physical and financial abuse, and wrongful death, and pursue class actions and multi-party litigation against unethical and deceptive business practices targeting seniors. Stebner Gertler & Guadagni strongly believes in preserving the dignity and independence of elders throughout their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What recent awards or recognitions has Stebner Gertler & Guadagni received?
- Six attorneys from Stebner Gertler & Guadagni have been named finalists for the 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year award by the Consumer Attorneys of California. This recognition is for their significant work on the case Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, which advanced the rights and safety of California consumers.
- What was the outcome and impact of the Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC case?
- The Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC case resulted in a published decision denying a motion to compel arbitration, creating favorable law for elders in long-term-care disputes. Additionally, evidence from the case supported the passage of Assembly Bill 251, which revised the California Elder Abuse Act to enhance protection for elders.
- What is Assembly Bill 251 and how does it affect elder protection laws in California?
- Assembly Bill 251, influenced by the Tennier case, significantly revised the California Elder Abuse Act. It enhances protections for elders by holding facilities accountable for neglect and spoliation of evidence, thereby strengthening legal recourse for elder abuse victims.
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