Lawyers Who Care host Andrew Samalin welcomes Donavon Sawyer, Senior Counsel at Milanfar Law Firm in Walnut Creek, California. Donavon’s practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury, product liability, trucking and transportation liability, and habitability cases.

Donavon shares that his early experiences reviewing contracts while pursuing a professional football career sparked his interest in law. He describes how trial advocacy and storytelling became central to his work, emphasizing that effectively communicating a client’s experience is critical to achieving meaningful outcomes.

He recounts a case involving an elderly woman who was improperly transported and subjected to unsafe conditions during an emergency evacuation, resulting in serious injuries and a decline in her health. After her passing, Donavon and his team relied on her family to tell her story in court, ultimately securing a $32 million verdict. The case demonstrates how powerful storytelling and careful advocacy can help juries fully understand the human impact of legal claims.

Topics covered:

• Catastrophic personal injury and product liability litigation
• The role of storytelling in trial advocacy
• Representing vulnerable clients in complex cases
• Communicating pain, loss, and non-economic damages
• How to evaluate and choose the right attorney

Connect with Donavon Sawyer:

Website: milanfarlaw.com

Direct: (925) 443-6027

Office: (925) 433-6003

In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin speaks with Jim Morgan, founding partner of Lanzone Morgan in Long Beach, California. James focuses his practice on elder abuse and neglect litigation, representing vulnerable individuals and families harmed by failures in nursing home care.

Jim shares how his early inspiration to help people led him into personal injury law and ultimately into elder abuse advocacy, where he has spent more than two decades representing clients. He recounts a recent case involving a nursing home resident who was not taken to critical cancer treatments and suffered severe neglect, including the development of a serious bedsore due to a lack of proper care.

Despite attempts to resolve the case, the facility refused to take responsibility, leading to a trial. The jury ultimately found over 1,400 violations of the patient’s rights and returned a $7.6 million verdict. Jim reflects on how the outcome provided accountability and validation for the family, highlighting the importance of standing up for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

Topics covered:

• Elder abuse and nursing home neglect litigation
• Patient rights in long-term care facilities
• The importance of accountability in healthcare settings
• When litigation becomes necessary to achieve justice
• Why families must advocate for their loved ones

Connect with Jim Morgan:

Phone: (888) 887-9777

Website: lanzonemorgan.com

In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin speaks with Dominique Pollara of Pollara Law Group in Sacramento, California. Dominique’s practice focuses on defending healthcare professionals, medical groups, and healthcare facilities in medical malpractice litigation.

Dominique shares that her background in a medical family and her studies in animal science naturally led her toward healthcare-related legal work. After beginning her career in labor law, she transitioned into healthcare defense and developed a practice representing physicians and hospitals in complex medical malpractice cases.

She recounts a challenging case involving a pediatric surgeon who faced litigation after a newborn patient died during surgery due to previously undetected congenital abnormalities. Dominique explains how expert testimony and evidence ultimately demonstrated that the physician acted appropriately under the circumstances, resulting in a defense verdict. The case highlights the emotional toll that litigation can have on both families and medical professionals.

Topics covered:

- Medical malpractice defense litigation

- Representing physicians and healthcare providers

- The emotional complexity of healthcare-related cases

- Respectful advocacy within the adversarial legal system

- The importance of jury service in civil justice

Connect with Dominique Pollara:

Website: pollara-law.com

Phone: (916) 550-5880

Lawyers Who Care host Andrew Samalin welcomes Katie Binkley, Deputy Executive Director at the Veterans Legal Institute in Tustin, California. The nonprofit organization provides pro bono legal services to veterans, active-duty service members, and reservists who might otherwise lack access to legal assistance.

Katie discusses how her passion for community service led her to a career dedicated to helping veterans navigate legal barriers, including discharge status issues and access to benefits. She explains how financial limitations and lack of awareness often prevent veterans from obtaining legal help, and how organizations like Veterans Legal Institute work to bridge that gap.

She also shares a story about a veteran who received an “other than honorable” discharge following combat-related trauma. Through the advocacy of a volunteer attorney working with the institute, the veteran successfully obtained an upgraded discharge and regained access to the benefits he had earned through his service.

Topics covered:

- Pro bono legal services for veterans

- Discharge status upgrades and veterans' benefits

- Barriers veterans face in accessing legal help

- The role of volunteer attorneys in expanding access to justice

- Why lawyers should use their skills to serve their communities

Connect with Katie Binkley:

Website: vetslegal.org

Phone: (714) 852-3492

In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin speaks with Jan Meyer, founder of Meyer Estate Law in Dana Point, California. Jan focuses her practice on estate planning, helping families make thoughtful decisions that protect their assets, preserve their legacy, and provide clarity for future generations.

Jan shares her personal journey from growing up on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia to building a legal career in the United States. After initially considering corporate law, she discovered estate planning in law school and was drawn to its meaningful impact on families. Through her work drafting estate plans, handling probates, and administering trusts, Jan helps clients prepare not only for the transfer of wealth but also for incapacity and life transitions.

She also recounts a client story in which thoughtful estate planning helped successfully administer a multimillion-dollar estate without estate taxes or family conflict—demonstrating the value of careful preparation and long-term attorney-client relationships.

Topics covered:

- Estate planning and protecting family legacies

- Trust administration and probate experience

- Planning for incapacity as well as death

- The long-term impact of thoughtful estate plans

- Why individuals should begin planning earlier than they think

Connect with Jan Meyer:

Website: danapointwills.com

Phone: (949) 607-9412

Email: jan@danapointwills.com

In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin interviews Sarah Kroll-Rosenbaum, founding partner of Grove Law in Los Angeles. Sarah serves as a trusted advisor to executive teams and founded Grove as a values-driven legal services platform rooted in authentic lawyering, collaboration, and integrity.

Sarah shares how her grandmother—an attorney in the late 1930s and early 1940s—inspired her legal career. After years of practicing in New York and building a class-action practice in California, particularly in the staffing industry, Sarah launched Grove to create a new model of legal service. Her firm combines elite training and sophisticated legal strategy with systems thinking, long-term partnership, and a focus on removing friction from complex business environments.

She explains how aligning legal integrity with client operations allows businesses to reduce risk while maintaining strong, values-based leadership—and why the future of legal services should prioritize both excellence and fulfillment for lawyers and clients alike.

Topics covered:

• Transition from Big Law to a values-driven firm model
• Advising executive teams and the staffing industry
• Systems thinking in complex business environments
• Reducing legal risk through strategic partnership
• Building a firm rooted in integrity and long-term relationships

Connect with Sarah Kroll-Rosenbaum:

Phone: (310) 853-6020

Website: grove.law

Email: skrollrosenbaum@grove.law

In this episode of Lawyers Who Care, host Andrew Samalin speaks with Matthew Stein, partner and owner of Law Stein Anderson in Irvine, California. Matthew represents clients in probate and trust litigation, including will and trust contests, breaches of fiduciary duty, trustee wrongdoing, and elder abuse claims.

Matthew shares how personal experiences watching his grandmother lose capacity shaped his passion for protecting vulnerable individuals and their legacies. He explains the complex intersection of family dynamics, grief, money, and power that often drives trust disputes. While he is an experienced trial attorney, Matthew emphasizes that the best outcomes often happen before entering the courtroom—through transparency, communication, and proactive family planning.

He also offers practical advice for families seeking to avoid litigation, including the importance of family meetings and the consideration of professional fiduciaries rather than appointing children as successor trustees.

Topics covered:

• Probate and trust litigation in California
• Protecting elders from undue influence and fiduciary misconduct
• The psychology behind family inheritance disputes
• Why courtroom trials are often a last resort
• How transparency and professional trustees can prevent lawsuits

Connect with Matthew Stein:

Website: lsalawyers.com

Email: mstein@lsalawyers.com

Phone: (949) 501-4800

Lawyers Who Care host Andrew Samalin welcomes Anthony Lanzone, founding partner of Lanzone Morgan LLP in Long Beach, California. Anthony leads one of the nation’s prominent practices focused on elder abuse and neglect litigation, representing victims and families harmed by nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and caregivers.

Anthony shares how he discovered elder abuse law early in his career and why it became his calling. He explains the unique legal framework that protects vulnerable elders in the civil arena and discusses the emotional realities families face when seeking a lawyer after a traumatic event. Anthony emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the sensitivity of these cases and building trust from the very first conversation.

He also leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: if something feels wrong when a loved one is in a care facility, trust your instincts and seek independent advice.

Topics covered:

• Elder abuse and neglect litigation
• Representing vulnerable victims in long-term care settings
• Building trust with families during traumatic events
• How elder abuse law differs from traditional personal injury claims
• Why listening to your instincts can protect loved ones

Connect with Anthony Lanzone:

Website: lanzonemorgan.com

Email: acl@lanzonemorgan.com

Phone: (562) 596-1700