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