Not Your Typical Elder Law Firm

Kathryn A. Stebner

Location:

Phone:

(800) 610-9641

Fax:

415-362-9801

Email:

Email me

Testimony

Bill AB 859, California Assembly and Senate, Elders and dependent adults: abuse or neglect. – 5/02/17.
Senate Bill 1065, Federal Arbitration Act, Appeal process for denial of petitions to compel arbitration in Elder Abuse Cases, 3/01/16.
Senate Bill 2947, California Assembly and Senate, Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse: Waiver of Rights.
Senate Bill 558- Standard of Proof for Physical Elder Abuse Cases.
Senate Bill 2171 – Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly – Bill of Rights.
Senate Bill 314- Elder and Dependent Adults- Abandonment.

Kathryn Stebner’s profile in the February 2013 edition of Plaintiff’s Magazine.

Presentations/Speaking Engagements

“Software: The New Frontier of Care” May 3, 2024, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs
“Litigating Sexual Abuse in Elder Care Facilities” May 6, 2023, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs
“SB 278 (Dodd): Protecting Elder Californians from Financial Scams by Holding Entities Accountable for Assisting in Financial Elder Abuse” March 10-11, 2023, CAOC & Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association Sonoma Travel Seminar
“Helping Your Constituents Combat Elder Financial Scams and Consumer Fraud: Capitol Staff Briefing” March 9, 2023, CAOC, CLICC and Elder Law & Advocacy
“Elder Abuse” November 26, 2022, CAOC Hawaii Travel Seminar
“Elder Abuse in 6-Bed Facilities – Living Nightmares” November 19, 2022, CAOC 61st Annual Convention SF
“Jury Selection and Opening Statements” November 17, 2022, CAOC 61st Annual Convention SF
“Elder Abuse: Injury and Death in Nursing Homes and Residential Care” November 15, 2022, CEB
“Financial Abuse: Redress for Scams & Theft Against Elders & Dependent Adults” November 8, 2022, CEB
“Elder Abuse in Six Bed RCFEs-Living Nightmares” CAOC October 18, 2022
“Picking a Jury: An Interactive Workshop. What Do You Do When You’re Representing Clients with Warts” May 20, 2022, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs CA
“Maximizing Damages in Elder Abuse cases” May 21, 2022, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs CA
“The Beginner’s Mind” April 26, 2022, CAHNR
The Truth Behind ALF Point Systems as part of the American Association for Justice’s Insider Look at Your Nursing Home Cases Webinar Series, April 6, 2022
“RCFE Point Systems: Experience form Class Cases” November 22, 2019, CANHR’s 23rd Annual Elder Law Conference, Monterrey, CA
“Breaking Banks that are Breaking Bad” November 22, 2019, CANHR’s 23rd Annual Elder Law Conference, Monterrey, CA
“A Cluster What? Tips for Navigating Expedited Multi-Plaintiff Suits When Class and Mass Don’t Apply” November 13, 2019, CAOC
“Preferential Trial: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied” November 5, 2019, SFTLA 120 Days Before Trial, San Francisco, CA
“Sonoma Fire Case: A Case Study in Preferential Cluster Cases.” October 4, 2019, SCTLA Beyli Seminar, Santa Clara, CA
“Head Injuries and the Aging Brain”, May 17, 2019, CAOC Masters Seminar on Traumatic Brain Injuries, Stockton, CA
“Elder Class Actions: Notes from the Long and Winding Road”, May 3, 2019, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs, CA
“The RCFE Point System Charade”, March 9, 2019, The Donald L. Galine Sonoma Travel Seminar by CAOC, Sonoma, CA
“Elder Abuse: Quick Hits from the Masters, Tubbs Fire Cases” March 16, 2018, The Donald L. Galine Sonoma Travel Seminar CAOC, Sonoma, CA
“Rolling with the Punches,” November 17, 2018, CANHR Annual Convention, Monterey, CA
“Head Injuries and the Aging Brain”, November 16, 2018, CAOC Convention, San Francisco, CA
“Brain Injuries,” November 16, 2018, CAOC Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA.
“Fear of Death and Loss –Ask It Now or Fear the Reaper”, June 23, 2017, CAOC the Donald L. Galine Lake Tahoe Seminar, Lake Tahoe, CA.
“Litigating Elder Abuse/ Neglect in Assisted Living Facilities”, June 21, 2017, National Webinar
“Opening Your Own Firm”, March 1, 2017, CAOC Women’s Caucus Brain Trust Speaker, San Francisco, CA
“Elder Care Facility Abuse –Litigation and Estate Planning for the Protection of Elder Residents in Elder Care Facilities”, December 7, 2016, Chuck Finney’s “Your Legal Rights” Philip & Sala Burton High School, San Francisco, CA
“The Truth Behind RCFE Point Systems”, November 18, 2016, CANHR Elder Law Conference, Monterey, CA
“Fall Cases: The Good the Bad and the Ugly”, November 12, 2016, CAOC Convention, San Francisco, CA.
“Assisted Living Facility Point Systems: What Happens Behind the Scenes”, October 21, 2016, WRC- ALCCA Monterey Conference, Monterey, CA
“Investigating, Trying, and Winning Elder Abuse Cases (Roundtable re: Discovery, Themes, Trial Strategies and Legal Developments to Help You Fight on Behalf of California’s Seniors”, April 2, 2016, CAOC the Donald L. Galine Travel Seminar, Sonoma, CA
“Litigating Long Term Sexual Assault Cases”, November 21, 2015, CANHR Elder Law Convention, Monterey, CA
“Cases against residential care facilities”, November 20, 2015, CANHR Elder Law Convention, Monterey, CA
“Ditching the One Size Fits all Approach – Strategizing with your client in mind.“, November, 7, 2015, CAOC Convention- Elder Abuse Panel. , San Francisco, CA
“Rape and Molestation in Long Term Care Facilities”, May 19, 2015, 10th Annual Elder Abuse Conference, UC Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA
“Cases Against Assisted Living Facilities”, September 30, 2015 CAOC Practice Pointers –Webinar
“Civil Attorneys: Your Friends in the Fight Against Elder Financial Abuse”, January 23, 2015, Institute on Aging: Swindles, Scams and Schemes Conference, San Francisco, CA
“RCFEs and Class Action Lawsuits”, CANHR’s 18th Annual Elder Law Conference, November 22, 2014, Monterey, CA
CAOC 53rd Annual Convention, November 15th, 2014, San Francisco, CA
“Elder Abuse: Having the Newest Tools Will Build the Best Case,” Sponsor and Moderator, Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention, November 15, 2014, San Francisco, California.
“APS and Civil Litigators: Allies in the Fight against Financial Elder Abuse”, October 31, 2014, NAPSA 5th Annual Summit on Elder Financial Exploitation, Portland, OR
“Proving a Rape or Molestation Case with an Unknown Perpetrator” October 10, 2014, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association (SCCTLA) Belli Seminar, San Jose, California
“Cluster Cases and Staffing to Acuity”, November 16, 2013, CAOC Convention, San Francisco, CA
“Is It Working?”, 11/23/13, CANHR Elder Law Convention, Monterey, CA
“Elder Neglect Under Kaiser Watchful Eye,” Consumer Attorneys of California Kaiser Seminar, October 15, 2013, San Francisco, California.
“New Models for Nursing Home Cases”, November 17, 2012, CANHR Elder Law Conference, Monterey, CA
“Money Not Medicine: Proving Corporate Recklessness”, November 10, 2012, CAOC 51st Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA
“Medical School for Lawyers Series: Bedsores and Hospital Infections.” National Web Seminar, March 3, 2011.
“Resident Rights Litigation: A Tool for Quality Care”, November 19, 2011, CANHR Elder Law Conference, Monterey, CA
“Elder Abuse: Focus on the Corporation”, November 12th, 2011, CAOC 50th Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA

Areas of Practice

Class Action
Medication Errors
Physical Elder Abuse
Bedsores
Falls
Wandering
Actions Against Skilled Nursing Facilities
Residential Care Facilities and Assisted Living Facilities
Hospitals
Fraud, Mishandling Finances and Unfair Business Practices
Actions Against Insurance Companies & Financial Advisors
Sexual Abuse
Dehydration
Malnutrition
Home Health Agencies
Physicians
Estate Planning

Bar Admissions

California
Oregon

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California
- J.D. - 1985
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
- B.A. - 1982
- Major: Political Science

Published Works

“Unconscionable Actions”, Los Angeles Lawyer, The Los Angeles County Bar Association, June 2024
“Letting elders down: Falls and traumatic brain injuries at long-term care facilities,” Forum, July/August 2019.
“Elder Abuse Class Actions: Notes from the Long and Winding Road,” Kathryn Stebner and George Kawamoto, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association The Gavel, Summer 2019.
“What’s the Point? Use of point systems at Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly”, Kathryn Stebner, Brian Umpierre, and Karman Guadagni, Forum Magazine, May/ June 2019, Vol. 49 No. 3
"Know the Score", Trial Magazine, December, 2017
"Practice and Procedure in Actions Against Residential Care Facilities", Chapter Five, California Elder Law Litigation: An Advocate's Guide (Co-Author with Peter Lomhoff), Continuing Education of the Bar, California
"Litigating Financial Abuse Actions Against Institutions, Agents and Fiduciaries", Chapter 6A, California Elder Law Litigation: An Advocate's Guide (Co-Author with Kirsten Fish), Continuing Education of the Bar
“Proving Low Staffing Against Long Term Care Facilities.” CAALA, November 2014 (with George Kawamoto).
“Inside the Minds- Elder Law Litigation Strategies.” Chapter One, The Deceptive Complexity of Elder Law Litigation. West Publishing Co., 2012
"Drop That Negligence Claim for a Claim of Custodial Neglect", The Trial Lawyer, Spring, 2008
"Elder Neglect Cases in Acute Care Facilities: It's Not Just a Nursing Home Problem", Journal of Consumer Attorneys Associations for Southern California (Advocate), February, 2008
"Elder Abuse and Medical Malpractice: Intersection with Parallel Roads?", Forum, January/February, 2006
"Pressure Sore Cases in Acute Care Facilities: No Matter What the Defense Tries to Tell You, These Are Elder and Dependent Neglect Cases", Forum, January/February, 2006
"Recent Decisions In Elder Abuse Law: 'Take Up The Cause'", Trial Lawyer, 2006
"Pressure Ulcers in Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly - Look at the Regulations", California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Winter, 2005
"Practice and Procedure in Actions Against Residential Care Facilities", Chapter Five, California Elder Law Litigation: An Advocate's Guide, Continuing Education of the Bar, California, 2003
"Elder Abuse: Do You Know It When You See It?", The Trial Lawyer, Fall, 2003
"Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly: The New Frontier in Litigation", Forum, June, 2002
"Transfer Trauma' Class Action Filed Against California Nursing Home Operator", Nursing Home Litigation Reporter, August 9, 2002
"Discovery for the Motion to Amend for Punitive Damages in an Elder Abuse Case", Forum, July/August, 2000

Classes/Seminars

Elder Abuse, University of San Francisco, 2006 to Present
Ten Tips to Minimize Litigation and the Costs of Litigation - The Plaintiff Attorney's Perspective, Annual Conference Aging Services of California, Long Beach, California, 05/04/2010 to 05/05/2010
Kaiser Home Health - Discovery into Common Areas of Neglect, Consumer Attorneys of California, Oakland, California, 04/20/2010 to 04/20/2010
Financial and Physical Abuse to the Elderly, Class Action and Individual Cases, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 04/13/2010 to 04/13/2010
Potential Strategies in Skilled Nursing Facility Cases, Consumer Attorneys of California, Live Webinar, 12/10/2009 to 12/10/2009
Legal Nurse Consultant Developing Partnership with Elder Abuse Litigation Team, American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, Phoenix, Arizona, 04/24/2009 to 04/24/2009
Direct Examination of an Adverse Witness-Evidence Code section 776, Consumer Attorneys of California, Tahoe, California, 03/21/2009 to 03/21/2009
Elder Abuse: Plaintiff and Defense Perspectives, Individual and Class Action Cases, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, San Francisco, California, 03/10/2009 to 03/10/2009
Gender Bias in the Courtroom, Consumer Attorneys of California College of Trial Arts and San Joaquin County Trial Lawyers' Association Presents Masters Seminar-Stockton,CA, 01/23/2009 to 01/23/2009
Elder Abuse and Long Term Healthcare Litigation (Plaintiff vs. Defense Perspective-Debate), Consumer Attorneys of California, 47th Annual Convention, 11/08/2008 to 11/08/2008
Remedies for Financial Abuse, Class Action Cases in Financial Elder Abuse, Continuing Education of the Bar - California, 08/14/2008 to 08/14/2008
Mock Trial - Plaintiff and Defense Day-Long Mock Trial, California Association for Healthcare Quality, 06/25/2008 to 06/25/2008
Update on Long-Term Care Litigation, Point/Counterpoint: Plaintiff and Defense Perspective, Common Ground: Estate Planners and Litigators Working Together, 12th Annual Elder Law Conference, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, 05/09/2008 to 05/10/2008
Assisted Living: Three Different Perspectives, West Legal Education Center, 04/24/2008 to 04/24/2008
Using the Elder Abuse Statute To Its Fullest, Business and Professions Code section 17200 and Financial Elder Abuse Cases, San Francisco Trial Lawyer and Litigation Practice, 04/22/2008 to 04/22/2008
One Stop Shop - Ethics, Consumer Attorneys of California 46th Annual Convention, San Francisco, California, 11/11/2007 to 11/11/2007
Medical Malpractice vs. Elder Abuse, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Las Vegas, Nevada, 09/08/2007 to 09/08/2007
Ways of Helping Your Jury Get to Know Decedent, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association San Francisco, CA, 06/12/2007 to 06/12/2007
Financial Elder Abuse Class Action and Individual Cases, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform Elder Law Conference, Berkeley, CA, 05/05/2007 to 05/05/2007
Elder Law Seminar, New College of California, School of Law, 2006 to 2006
Elder Abuse: Point/Counterpoint with John Supple, California Regional TLA Conference, Santa Barbara, CA, 06/09/2006 to 06/09/2006
The Many Faces of EADACPA, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Los Angeles, CA, 05/13/2006 to 05/13/2006
Using EADACPA in Actions Against Hospitals, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Manhattan Beach, CA, 05/12/2006 to 05/12/2006
Elder Abuse, Golden Gate School of Law, 2005 to 2005
Can The Expert Be Destroyed? Live Prep and Unrehearsed Cross of Real Experts, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 12/13/2005 to 12/13/2005
Long-Term Care Litigation and EADACPA Issues, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, San Francisco, CA, 11/19/2005 to 11/19/2005
The Home Brewed Multi Media Trial: Presenting High Tech and Old School Demonstrative Evidence, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 11/15/2005 to 11/15/2005
Who Are These Plaintiff Attorneys and Why Are They Saying These Awful Things About Us?, QCHF Institute 2005 & CAHF August Quarterly Conference, San Diego, CA, 08/15/2005 to 08/15/2005
Elder Abuse in Acute Care; Elder Financial Abuse: Relevance, Representation and Remedies; Elder Abuse Litigation: Ethical Advocacy, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's Elder Law Conference, Monterey, CA, 2005 to 2005
When You Least Expect It-Elder and Dependent Neglect in Hospitals, California Regional Trial Lawyers Association Conference, MCLE Program, 06/03/2005 to 06/03/2005
Gender and The Law, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 03/07/2005 to 03/07/2005
Elder Abuse, University of San Francisco, 2004 to 2005
Elder Abuse: Cases and Controversies; Elder Abuse Litigation: Point/Counterpoint-A Panel of Defense and Plaintiff Litigators; The Role of Experts in Elder Abuse Litigation; Scams, Scandals and Elder Fiduciary Abuse; Elder Abuse Litigation: New Directions, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's Elder Law, Pasadena, CA, 2004 to 2004
How to Produce a Film of the Incompetent Plaintiff-Let The Jury Get to Know the Plaintiff Maximizing the Value of Your Case Through Its Greatest Asset-The Plaintiff-Litigation Practice, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, San Francisco, CA, 09/07/2004 to 09/07/2004
Defendants Gone Wild! What To Do When Discovery Issues Are Taking Over Your Case (And Your Life). Roundtable Discussion, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 11/18/2003 to 11/18/2003
Representing Elders, Minors and Sexual and Racial Minorities, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, San Francisco, CA, 09/09/2003 to 09/09/2003
Relevant Code Sections and Causes of Action-Scams, Scandals and Elder Fiduciary Abuse, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's Elder Law, 2003 to 2003
Remedies for Physical Abuse and Neglect, Education of the Bar, Elder Law Litigation, 05/10/2003 to 05/10/2003
Current Elder Abuse Law-Physical and Financial, California College of Trial Arts/Consumer Attorneys of California's 42nd Annual Convention, 2003 to 2003
Elder Abuse, Golden Gate School of Law, 2002 to 2002
Residential Care Facilities-The New Frontier in Litigation, Consumer Attorneys of California's 41st Annual Convention, 2002 to 2002
Trial Advocacy, Hastings College of the Law, 2002 to 2002
Transfer Trauma-The Perfect Psychological Injury Tort, San Francisco Trial Lawyer's Association, 07/11/2002 to 07/11/2002
Long Term Care and Medi-Cal and Long Term Care Litigation, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, 12/01/2001 to 12/01/2001
Elder Abuse Litigation: Early Investigation and Discovery; Trial Preparation, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, 2001 to 2001
What is Elder Abuse and Why is it Not Med-Mal?, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association-Elder Abuse Litigation, 2000 to 2000
SNF Litigation, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's Workshop, 11/04/2000 to 11/04/2000
Investigating Elder Abuse, Alameda County District Attorney's Office, 2000 to 2000
Elder Abuse Litigation, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's 4th Annual Elder Law Conference, 2000 to 2000
Issues and Advocacy, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's 3rd Annual Elder Law Conference, 04/30/1999 to 05/01/1999
Elder Abuse & Long Term Litigation Workshop, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, 11/14/1998 to 11/14/1998
Law Practice Management: Elder Abuse Litigation; The Outer Limits: Elder Abuse Litigation., California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform's First Annual Elder Law Conference, 1997 to 1997
Toxic Torts, Willamette University School of Law, 1995 to 1995

Honors and Awards

"William Taylor Award," California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
"Civil Justice Award," San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
"Super Lawyer," Elder Abuse
"Street Fighter of the Year," Consumer Attorneys of California, 2014
Marvin E. Lewis Award from CAOC
"Presidential Award of Merit," Consumer Attorneys of California
"Legal Advocate of the Year," California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
"Trial Lawyer of the Year," San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
"Volunteer of the Year," San Francisco Bar Association
"Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in California for 2021"

Professional Associations and Memberships

Consumer Attorneys of California, Board of Governors
San Francisco Trial lawyers Association, Past-President, 2012 to 2012

Past Employment Positions

Lopez, Hodes, Restiano, Milman, Skikos & Polos, San Francisco, California, 2000 to 2003
Law Offices of Edward J. Nevin, San Francisco, California, 1998 to 2000
Law Offices of Dan Bolton, San Francisco, California, 1997 to 1998
Williams and Troutwine, Portland, Oregon, 1993 to 1996
McTernan, Stender & Walsh, San Francisco, California, 1990 to 1992
Hoberg, Finger, Brown, Cox & Molligan, San Francisco, California, 1986 to 1990
Lewis & Lewis, San Francisco, California, 1986 to 1986
Law Offices of Jesus M. Maldonado, Oakland, California, 1986 to 1986
Law Offices of Kathleen Lucas-Wallace, San Francisco, California, 1986 to 1986
Public Advocates, San Francisco, California, Law Clerk, 1985 to 1985
US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Employment and Voting Sections, Washington, D.C., Law Clerk, 1984 to 1984
Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Attorney General, Trial Division, Salem, Oregon, Law Clerk, 1984 to 1984
Paul Cominskey, Attorney at Law, San Francisco, California, Law Clerk, 1984 to 1984