Stebner Gertler & Guadagni, a San Francisco-based elder abuse litigation firm, announced that six of its attorneys have been named finalists for the 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year award by the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). The recognition stems from the firm's successful litigation in Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, which held a Petaluma facility accountable for elder neglect and death.
Doug Saeltzer, president of CAOC, announced the finalists on August 18. The Consumer Attorney of the Year award 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.
The finalist attorneys are Karman M. Guadagni, Kelsey S. Craven, Kirsten M. Fish, Kathryn A. Stebner, Deena K. Zacharin, and Valerie T. McGinty. Their work on the case, which involved the death of 85-year-old Theresa Donahue, a resident of MuirWoods Memory Care, highlighted systemic failures in elder care facilities.
Donahue, who suffered from dementia and other medical conditions, was known to staff to be at risk for falls and required assistance. Despite this, the facility 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 legal 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, but the team retried the case and won.
The case has had a lasting impact beyond the courtroom, leading to two significant legal changes enhancing elder protection in California. First, 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. Second, the evidence of spoliation in the case helped drive passage of [Assembly Bill 251](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB251) (Kalra), which significantly revised the California Elder Abuse Act to better protect elders and hold bad actors accountable.
Stebner Gertler & Guadagni, founded in 1991, brings more than 35 years of combined experience to representing elders and their families in cases of neglect, physical and financial abuse, and wrongful death. The firm also pursues class actions and multi-party litigation against unethical and deceptive business practices targeting seniors. This recognition underscores the importance of legal advocacy in safeguarding vulnerable populations and holding negligent facilities accountable.
