Stebner Gertler & Guadagni is proud to announce that attorneys Karman M. Guadagni, Kelsey S. Craven, Kathryn A. Stebner, and Deena K. Zacharin have been named finalists for the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award for their work in Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, et al.
The SGG attorneys share the nomination with co-counsel Kirsten M. Fish and Valerie T. McGinty.
The Consumer Attorney of the Year Award recognizes California attorneys whose work has made a significant contribution to the rights and interests of consumers. For the attorneys at SGG, the nomination is especially meaningful because the case reflects the firm’s longstanding commitment to protecting older adults and holding care facilities accountable when neglect causes devastating harm.
Seeking Justice After Fatal Neglect at a California Memory Care Facility
The case arose from the care of Theresa Donahue, an 85-year-old resident of MuirWoods Memory Care, a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly in Petaluma, California.
Ms. Donahue lived with dementia and other medical conditions and was known to be at risk for falls. Despite her need for assistance, she suffered a series of falls while residing at the facility, along with other alleged forms of neglect.
Her fourth fall in 2021 resulted in a hip fracture. Her health subsequently declined, and she died.
The case focused not only on the individual failures surrounding Ms. Donahue’s care but also on the staffing practices at the facility. At trial, the plaintiffs presented evidence concerning the facility’s staffing levels and argued that purposeful understaffing contributed to the neglect Ms. Donahue experienced.
For SGG, cases such as this are about more than identifying what went wrong after a vulnerable adult is injured. They are also about examining the decisions, policies, and practices that allowed the harm to occur.
A Hard-Fought Elder Neglect Case
Bringing the case to trial required years of work by the legal team.
The attorneys faced an effort to move the case into arbitration before ultimately proceeding to a jury trial. The litigation surrounding the arbitration issue also resulted in a published appellate decision, an important development in the effort to preserve the family’s ability to pursue their claims in court.
The case eventually proceeded to a five-week trial in Sonoma County.
Throughout the litigation, the legal team worked to demonstrate how failures in Ms. Donahue’s care contributed to her injuries and death and to hold those responsible accountable for the conditions she experienced.
The case ultimately resulted in a significant judgment for Ms. Donahue’s family.
Recognition of SGG’s Commitment to Elder Advocacy
The nomination from Consumer Attorneys of California reflects work that is central to the mission of Stebner Gertler & Guadagni.
Since the firm’s founding in 1991, SGG has focused on advocating for older adults and their families, including cases involving nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care facilities, hospitals, and other care providers.
SGG attorneys have also worked beyond individual cases to advance protections for elders through appellate advocacy, legislative efforts, professional education, and public awareness.
The recognition of Karman Guadagni, Kelsey Craven, Kathryn Stebner, and Deena Zacharin as Consumer Attorney of the Year finalists is an honor for the entire firm and, most importantly, recognizes the work undertaken on behalf of Ms. Donahue and her family.
2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year
Consumer Attorneys of California will announce the recipient of the 2026 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award on November 14, 2026, during its Annual Installation & Awards Dinner held in conjunction with CAOC’s 65th Annual Convention in San Francisco.
Stebner Gertler & Guadagni congratulates all of this year’s finalists and is honored to have members of our team recognized among attorneys working to protect consumers throughout California.