Practice areas: Elder Law, Health Care; view more
Licensed in California since: 1996
Education: University of California Davis School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2012, 2014 - 2026 Call today:
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Sacramento, CA 95811 Visit website
Ed Dudensing is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier elder abuse attorneys. Based at Dudensing Law in Sacramento, California, he devotes his practice to representing plaintiffs in severe elder abuse and neglect cases across Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego. He holds skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers, acute hospitals, home health agencies and hospice providers accountable for failing vulnerable seniors.
Over a career spanning more than 23 years, Mr. Dudensing has secured over $250 million for victims and their families while taking on California’s largest corporate healthcare entities. His record-setting courtroom victories include historic jury verdicts of $29.1 million in 2010, $42.5 million in 2019, $30.9 million in 2023 and a landmark $110 million verdict in 2026, which is marked as the largest assisted living elder abuse verdict in the history of U.S. law.
Beyond his historic trial results, Mr. Dudensing actively shapes statewide legal precedent in elder law. Serving as lead counsel in seminal appellate decisions, such as Valentine v. Plum Healthcare Group, Hutcheson v. Eskaton Fountainwood Lodge and Goldman v. Sunbridge Healthcare, he has expanded legal protections for vulnerable seniors across California. Through relentless advocacy, intellectual rigor and an unyielding commitment to justice, he continues to drive corporate accountability and transform the landscape of healthcare litigation nationwide.
Mr. Dudensing earned his political science degree from UC Berkeley before graduating from the University of California, Davis School of Law with a Juris Doctor. Admitted to The State Bar of California in 1996, he serves on the Consumer Attorneys of California Board of Directors. Recognized in Chambers and Partners, Lawdragon’s 2026 500 Leading Lawyers in America guide and included in the Top 100 Lawyer list by the Daily Journal, he continuously advances legislative policy and consumer rights while maintaining nationally ranked leadership in plaintiff litigation.
Practice areas
Elder Law, Health CareFocus areas
Health & Health Care Law, Nursing Home
- 90% Elder Law
- 10% Health Care
First Admitted: 1996, California
Professional Webpage: https://dudensinglaw.com/about/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Board of Directors, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2025
- Member, State Bar of California, 2025
- Member, Sacramento County Bar Association, 2025
- Member, California Advocates For Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), 2025
- Member, American Association of Justice Nursing Home Litigation Group, 2025
- Member, The National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care, 2025
- Adjunct Professor, UC Law San Francisco, 2025
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Hernandez v. Colony Capital, Inc., et al.: Jury verdict of $110 million, 2026
- Evans v. Windsor Vallejo Care Center, LLC: Jury verdict of $15.75 million, 2026
- Sam Rios, Jr., et al. v. Pine Creek Care Center, Plum Healthcare Group LLC, et al.: Jury verdict of $30.9 million, 2023
- Barbara Lovenstein, et al. v. Eskaton Fountainwood Lodge, et al.: Jury verdict of $42.5 million, the largest elder abuse verdict against an assisted living facility in the history of Sacramento County, 2019
- Family and Estate of Frances Tanner v. Horizon West Healthcare, Inc. and Colonial Healthcare, Inc.: Jury verdict of $29.1 million, the largest nursing home verdict in the history of Sacramento County, 2010
Educational Background
- University of California Davis School of Law, Juris Doctorate
- University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, Author, Why Esther’s Law may be worth copying in every state, McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, 2026
- The Hill, Author, Loss of legal immigrant caregivers puts America’s seniors at risk, The Hill, 2026
- Daily Journal, Author, Why Loosening Sedative Rules in Nursing Homes Would Put Vulnerable Patients at Serious Risk, 2026
- Law.com, Author, How I Founded a Law Firm: 'Take Your Time to Build Foundational Skills,' Says Edward Dudensing of Dudensing Law, 2026
- The Rutter Group Civil Litigation Series, Author, Elder Abuse Litigation, 2025
- The University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings), Adjunct Professor, 2025
- American Association of Justice (AAJ), Speaker, Proving Punitive Damages in Your Elder Abuse Cases, American Association of Justice (AAJ), 2026
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), Speaker, Financials 101 for Elder Abuse Lawyers, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), 2026
- Nursing Home Litigation Group, Speaker, Commanding The Courtroom: Persuasion Techniques That Win, Nursing Home Litigation Group, 2026
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), Speaker, Elder Abuse Litigation: Updates/Stuff You Should Know, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), 2025
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Speaker, Corporate Liability: Four models of long-term care ownership, what to know about them, and how to attack them, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2025
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Speaker, Efforts to avoid liability: Strategies for assessing corporate structure and financial viability, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2025
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) Conclave, Speaker, "Hidden Games And Scary Pitfalls", 2025
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) Conclave, Speaker, "CC 3345 & Punitive Damage Denominator Issues", 2024
- CANHR Annual Conference, Speaker, "Post-Mortem On Rios Trial", 2023
- CANHR Annual Conference, Speaker, "Limitations On Punitive Damages", 2023
- Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) Annual Conference, Speaker, "Securing Punitive Damages", 2023
- Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association (CCTLA), Speaker, "Document Requests & Methods to Combat Defense Concealment Tactics", 2023
- CANHR, Speaker, "LRS Training Series", 2022
- CAOC Annual Conference, Speaker, "Getting DPH Violations Admitted", 2020
- AAJ, Speaker, “Champions of the Courtroom: Winning Techniques for Nursing Home Litigation Seminar”, 2019
- CANHR, Speaker, "AB 1629 – Bad Deal, Bad Care", 2019
- Justice.org, Speaker, "Nursing Home Verdicts", 2019
- American Association for Justice (AAJ) Nursing Home Litigation Group, Speaker, "Post-Mortem on Tanner Trial", 2014
- CAOC Annual Convention, Speaker, "Effectively Using DPH Records to Prove Recklessness in Nursing Home Litigation", 2012
- Kaiser, CAOC/ San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA), Speaker, "Choosing Between Arbitration & Trial, and Challenging Kaiser’s Arbitration Agreements", 2011
- AAJ, Speaker, "Litigating Nursing Home Cases Seminar: Proving Systemic Corporate Neglect", 2010
- (Kim Stone as moderator), Debater, Debate Re Arbitration
- The University of California Davis Law Review, Executive Editor
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Ed was Lead Appellate Counsel: Valentine v. Plum Healthcare Group, LLC, 37 Cal. App. 5th 1076, 2019
- Ed was Lead Appellate Counsel: Goldman v. Sunbridge Healthcare, LLC, 220 Cal. App. 4th 1160, 2013
- Ed was Lead Appellate Counsel: Hutcheson v. Eskaton Fountainwood Lodge, 17 Cal. App. 5th 937, 2017
Honors
- 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2027
- Individual ranking - Litigation: Mainly Plaintiff (Band 3) in California, USA Chambers Guide, 2026
- Firm ranking - Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs (Band 3) in California, USA Chambers Guide, 2026
- Attorney of the Year Finalist, Law.com California Legal Awards, 2026
- 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2026
- Morton Friedman Humanitarian Award, Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association, 2026
- 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know, Lawdragon, 2026
- Top 100 Lawyers in California, Daily Journal, 2025
- Firm ranking - Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs (Band 3) in California, USA Chambers Guide, 2025
- William F. Taylor Memorial Award, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), 2025
- “Sacramento’s Favorites” Finalist, The Sacramento Bee, 2025
- Best Attorney and Best Personal Injury Attorney in the Bay Area Finalist, SFGate, 2025
- California Legal Awards 2025 Mentorship Award Winner, ALM/Law.com, 2025
- 2011-2012, 2014-2026, Northern California, Super Lawyers
- Top Boutique Law Firms, Daily Journal, 2024
- Top Lawyers in Sacramento, Sactown Magazine, 2024
- Distinguished Leader Award, The Recorder, Law.com, 2024
- Order of the Barrister for Excellence in Oral Advocacy, University of California Davis Law School
- Order of Coif for Academic Excellence, University of California Davis Law School
- University of California Davis Law School, Order of Coif for Academic Excellence
- University of California Davis Law School, Order of the Barrister for Excellence in Oral Advocacy
Industry Groups
- Elder Law: Plaintiff
- Health Care: Plaintiff
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Exceptional conceptual skills and excellent trial skills/results. Aggressively advocates for his clients.”
“Best elder law attorney in the State--hands down!”
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2012, 2014 - 2026
Additional sources of information about Ed Dudensing
"Ask a Lawyer" answers provided by Ed Dudensing
- Q: Can I sue for will or trust fraud in California?
A: Yes. A will or trust can be challenged if it was procured by fraud, duress, menace, or undue influence. The person bringing the case generally needs … - Q: How do I file a Complaint against a nursing home in California?
A: For a nursing home, file with the California Department of Public Health, most directly through its Cal Health Find database, where you can search … - Q: Can I sue after suffering a fall in a California nursing home?
A: Often, yes. Not every fall is a long-term care facility's fault, but many are predictable and preventable. Failing to protect a resident from health … - Q: What Defines Undue Influence in California?
A: California defines undue influence as excessive persuasion that overcomes a person's free will and results in inequity. Courts look at four things …
