Ed Dudensing

As the founder and lead counsel at Dudensing Law, Edward P. Dudensing specializes in representing plaintiffs in elder abuse cases, with a particular focus on neglect and abuse that takes place in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, acute hospitals, home health agencies, and hospice agencies. He is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most successful and knowledgeable elder abuse attorneys.  

Based in California, Mr. Dudensing serves clients across the state, including Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara,  Los Angeles, and San Diego. 

His ability to navigate the intricacies of elder law and his relentless pursuit of justice have solidified his standing as a leader in the field. During his 23+ year career dedicated to compassionately representing victims of elder abuse and their families, Mr. Dudensing has successfully brought cases against some of California’s largest assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and healthcare conglomerates, securing well over $250+ million in recoveries on behalf of his clients. 

He has achieved multiple significant elder abuse jury verdicts, including a $29.1 million verdict in 2010, a $42.5 million verdict in 2019, and a $30.9 million verdict in 2023. In March 2026, a Sacramento County jury awarded $110 million against Colony Capital, the publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), and Formation Capital, a private equity investment firm that oversaw Greenhaven Estates. The verdict is the largest elder abuse verdict against an assisted living facility in United States history. The case involved Mildred Hernandez, a 100-year-old woman with Alzheimer's dementia who wandered from the facility in the middle of the night and died of hypothermia.  

Also in 2026, Dudensing Law (lead counsel Matt Chisholm) secured a $15.75 million jury verdict in a case involving a senior named Ruby Evans who suffered severe neglect at Windsor Vallejo Care Center and developed pressure sores as a result.   

Additionally, Mr. Dudensing has served as lead counsel in appellate cases that have established significant legal precedents in elder law. This includes Valentine v. Plum Healthcare Group, 37 Cal. App. 5th 1076 (2019), Hutcheson v. Eskaton Fountainwood Lodge, 17 Cal. App. 5th 937 (2017), and Goldman v. Sunbridge Healthcare, 220 Cal. App. 4th 1160 (2013).  

In 2025, Mr. Dudensing was named to the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) Board of Directors, where he is helping shape policy, guide advocacy efforts, and advance CAOC’s mission to protect the rights of consumers and vulnerable communities.  

Mr. Dudensing is the sole author of The Rutter Group’s Elder Abuse Litigation treatise. The “Rutter Group” is the most widely relied upon secondary source for guidance on legal matters by judges and practitioners alike. 

He is also a frequent speaker at the American Association for Justice Nursing Home Litigation Group, Consumer Attorneys of California, and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), the state’s largest nursing home advocacy organization.  

He is an adjunct professor at the UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings), where he teaches law students about elder abuse litigation.  

As a member of the National Consumer Voice for Long-Term Care, CANHR, CAOC, the American Association of Justice’s Nursing Home Litigation Group, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, the Capitol City Trial Lawyers Association, , and the State Bar of California, Mr. Dudensing is actively engaged in the legal and advocacy communities.   

His legal expertise extends beyond the courtroom, where he has earned a reputation for his tenacious advocacy and has a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding elder abuse cases. Mr. Dudensing is a vocal advocate for policy reform and better enforcement of elder care regulations.. His expertise has also made him a trusted source for state and national media, including The New York Times, The Hill, The Los Angeles Times, The Sacramento Bee, The Mercury News, ABC7 San Francisco, CalMatters, Healthcare Dive, Fierce Healthcare, Daily Journal, where his commentary and op-eds have helped elevate public understanding of long-term care accountability and the consequences of deregulation. He frequently publishes blogs for attorneys and clients on his website, ensuring consistent and valuable information reaches the legal community and those seeking answers for family members. 

In recognition of his work, Mr. Dudensing has been selected as a Super Lawyer from 2011 to 2026. In 2026, he was individually ranked Band 3 in the Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs category for California by the USA Chambers Guide, and the firm was ranked Band 3 in the Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs category for California in 2025 and 2026. Also, in 2026, he has been named an Attorney of the Year” Finalist for Law.com’s 2026 California Legal Awards, named to Lawdragon’s 2026 500 Leading Lawyers in America guide, and named to Lawdragon's 2026 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know guide. In 2025, he was selected as a Top 100 Lawyer by the Daily Journal, received the William F. Taylor Memorial Award from the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, received the Mentorship Award from the Law.com/ALM California Legal Awards, was named a finalist for SFGate's Best Attorneys and Best Personal Injury Attorney in the Bay Area, and was a named a finalist for “Sacramento’s Favorites” by The Sacramento Bee. Dudensing Law was recognized with several prestigious awards in 2024, including being named among the Top Boutique Law Firms by the Daily Journal, acknowledged as Top Lawyers in Sacramento by Sactown Magazine, and honored with the Distinguished Leader Award by The Recorder and Law.com. In 2023, he was awarded Advocate of the Year by the Capital City Trial Attorneys. 

After graduating from law school and passing the bar in 1994, Mr. Dudensing clerked for the Honorable Robert C. Broomfield, Chief Judge of the Federal District Court in Arizona, for two years. From 1996 to 1999, he was a litigation associate at the international law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. From 1999 to 2003, Mr. Dudensing was a Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento County. In that role, Mr. Dudensing first-chaired more than 50 trials to verdict. As a prosecutor, Mr. Dudensing tried cases of murder, attempted murder, rape, child molestation, and gang crimes, among many others. He also handled financial elder abuse cases, which sparked his passion for advocating for this vulnerable population.  

At the University of California, Berkeley, Mr. Dudensing earned his undergraduate degree in political science, then attended law school at the University of California, Davis School of Law. At UC Davis School of Law, Mr. Dudensing graduated in the top 3% of his class and was inducted into the Order of the Coif for academic excellence. Mr. Dudensing also served as the Executive Editor of the UC Davis Law Review. Mr. Dudensing was also elected to the Order of the Barrister for his skills in oral advocacy, which included his membership on the law school’s traveling mock trial team. Following graduation, Mr. Dudensing coached the UC Davis traveling mock trial teams for many years.