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Berkley Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
Overview
Donna M. MacKenzie devotes a majority of her practice to representing individuals injured as a result of neglect and abuse in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult foster care homes, as well as medical malpractice.
Ms. MacKenzie has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including being recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of Michigan’s Most Notable Women Lawyers in 2017, being selected to the Michigan Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law Class of 2017, receiving the F. Scott Baldwin Award from the American Association for Justice in 2015, being named to the Michigan Top 100 Super Lawyers list from 2015-2017, and being recognized in 2016 and 2018 by Best Lawyers in America as Medical Malpractice “Lawyer of the Year” in Troy.
Ms. MacKenzie is also the author of a number of legal articles, and a frequent speaker at seminars presented by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education, State Bar of Michigan, American Association for Justice, and Michigan Association for Justice. Her topics include all aspects of nursing home litigation, as well as the resolution of Medicare liens in personal injury cases.
Ms. MacKenzie is also a leader in a number of state and national organizations. She is currently the President-Elect of the Michigan Association for Justice, Vice-Chair for the American Association for Justice Nursing Home Litigation Group, a member of the council of the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Section, and Immediate Past President of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (WLAM). In April 2018, Ms. MacKenzie will be sworn in as the 100th President of WLAM.
Ms. MacKenzie is a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the Oakland County Bar Foundation, and a Trustee of the Macomb County Bar Foundation. These non-profit organizations serve the public by funding and promoting programs to increase access to the justice system.
Ms. MacKenzie regularly serves as a case evaluator in Macomb County, and has served as a private arbitrator in civil disputes.
She also serves as a team co-captain for the annual “Walk to End Alzheimers” and “The Longest Day” events, both of which benefit the Alzheimer’s Society.
Ms. MacKenzie has also testified before the legislature a number of times to protect patient’s rights, including testifying against bills that would have given hospitals and physicians complete immunity for negligence that occurs in the Emergency Department.
How I Serve Clients
Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities and their families should not have to worry about abuse or neglect, or that sub-standard care will result in injury or death. Our parents in these facilities should be taken care of with the highest possible care, just as they once cared for us.
Unfortunately elder abuse and injury continues to occur at nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Parents and loved ones who contributed so much to our society in their younger years are often placed in facilities that promise to provide adequate care. When these facilities fail to keep this promise and our loved ones are abused or injured through negligence or carelessness, I and our firm seek to hold those responsible for the injuries they cause.
We are proud to advocate on behalf of the elderly and in working toward the goal of eliminating nursing home and long-term care facility abuse and neglect. At many facilities, more oversight of staff is needed in order to ensure that proper attention is devoted to the care of residents, and to identify and eliminate dangerous conditions that can lead to injury to elderly residents.
About Donna M. MacKenzie
Practice Areas
- Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Sexual Abuse
- Personal Injury
- Brain Injury
- Drugs & Medical Devices
- Class Actions
Current Employment Position(s)
- Shareholder
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Michigan, 2004
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2005
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 2004
- U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 2008
Other Affiliations
- Michigan Association for Justice, Executive Committee, 2010 - 2011
- Michigan Association for Justice, Executive Board, 2009 - Present
- Michigan Association for Justice, New Lawyers Committee, 2009 - 2012 (Co-Chair)
- American Association for Justice, Board of Governors, 2010 - Present
- American Association for Justice, National Finance Council, 2011 - Present
- American Association for Justice, Section and Litigation Group Coordination Committee, 2011 - Present
- American Association for Justice, Marketing & Client Service Committee, 2010 - Present
- American Association for Justice, Convention Planning Committee, 2010 - Present
- American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, Executive Committee, 2010 - 2012
- American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, Representative to the AAJ Board of Governors, 2010 - 2012
- American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, Board of Governors, 2008 - 2013
- American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, Public Service Committee, 2010 - Present
- American Association for Justice, Nursing Home Litigation Group
- State Bar of Michigan, Negligence Law Section
- Oakland County Bar Association, New Lawyers Committee, 2009 - 2012 (Director)
- Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Candidate Endorsement and Rating Committee (CERC), 2012
- Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Special Committee Chair, 2010
Education
- Wayne State University Law School, Detroit, Michigan, 2004
J.D
Honors: Student Trial Advocacy Program, National Competitor
Law Review: The Wayne Law Review, Note and Comment Editor - Alma College, 2001
B.A.
Honors: Semester abroad at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland UK
Pro Bono Activities
- Pro Bono Legal Counsel for Citizens for Better Care
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in Chicago, IL (2012)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in Chicago, IL (2012)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in New York City, New York (2011)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in Miami, FL (2011)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in Miami, FL (2011)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (2010)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, The Shelter Network in Daly City, California (2009)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans, Louisiana (2009)
- Public Service Committee of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association for Justice, The Eliza Shirley House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2008)
Classes and Seminars
- Finding Golden Nuggets in Unexpected Places-A Review of Physical therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Social Work Records and Help to Prove Liability from the Defendants' Own Records, American Association for Justice, Nursing Home Litigation Group Seminar (June 2016)
- Cross Examination of Defendants' Fact Witnesses-What Moves/What Cools the Jury, American Association for Justice, Nursing Home Litigation Group Seminar (May 2016)
- Discovering Altered Records and Proving it at Trial, Michigan Association for Justice, Seminar in the Snow (February 2015)
- A Practice Guide to Depositions in Michigan, Second Edition, Chapter 6, Special Purpose Depositions, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (October 2015)
- Are You Paying too Much for "Copies" of Electronic Medical Records?, Michigan Association for Justice MAJ Medical Malpractice Seminar (July 2014)
- Are You Paying too Much for "Copies" of Electronic Medical Records?, Belli Seminar (July 2014)
- Medicare Liens Update, Michigan Association for Justice Rapid Fire Seminar (May 2014)
- Navigating the Federal Regulations, New Jersey Association for justice Boardwalk Seminar (May 2014)
- Impact of Medicare and ERISA on No-Fault Benefits, Institute for Continuing Legal Education, No-Fault Seminar (April 2014)
- Using the Rules of the Road to Depose a Nurse, Michigan Association for Justice Medical Malpractice Seminar (November 2013)
- Client Acquisition Through Legal Branding, American Association for Justice (July 2012)
- Moderator, Schools: Violence, Misconduct and Safety Litigation Group, American Association for Justice (July 2012)
- A Day in the Life, American Bar Association's Council on Legal Education Opportunity Sophomore Summer Institute (June 2011)
- Liens-Update, Michigan Association for Justice Rapid Fire Seminar (May 2011)
- Medicare & Medicaid Liens, Michigan Association for Justice Liens Evening Forum (March 2011)
- Medicare Update, Institute for Continuing Legal Education No-Fault Seminar (October 2010)
- Medicare Liens, Michigan Association for Justice No-Fault Institute VII (September 2010)
- Making the Impossible Medicare Reimbursement Procedures Possible: Finality, Clarity and Security May be on the way for Medicare Beneficiaries, Insurers and the Trust Fund, State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Quarterly (August 2010)
- A Day in the Life, American Bar Association's Council on Legal Education Opportunity Sophomore Summer Institute (June 2010)
- Medicare Liens 2010: Information vs Speculation, State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Evening Forum (May 2010)
- Choosing a Senior Living Facility, Oakland County Bar Association, Senior Law Day (May 2010)
- The Absence of Medicare Set-Asides in Liability Cases, Michigan Association for Justice 65th Annual Rapid Fire Seminar (May 2010)
- Medicare Liens, Michigan Association for Justice Liens Seminar (March 2010)
- Medicare Secondary Payer Law, State Bar of Michigan Health Care Law Section Teleconference (January 2010)
- Liens, Michigan Association for Justice Medical Malpractice Seminar (November 2009)
- Medicare Liens in Personal Injury Litigation: A Comprehensive Review of the Medicare Secondary Payer Statute, The Institute of Continuing Legal Education 2009 No-Fault Update (October 2009)
- If I Had to Do It Over Again: Starting Out, What We Would Have Done Differently, American Association for Justice Annual Convention Law Student Services Committee (July 2009)
- New Medicare Mandatory Reporting Requirements: When do you have to notify Medicare and what do you have to reimburse? , Michigan Association for Justice No-Fault Institute VI (June 2009)
- The Ultimate Medicare Liens Forum for Plaintiff and Defense Counsel, State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Evening Forum (May 2009)
- Medicare Conditional Payment Liens & Representing Medicare's Interest, Michigan Association for Justice 64th Annual Rapid Fire Seminar (May 2009)
- Medicare is watching YOU: New mandatory reporting requirements ensure that Medicare will no longer be ignored, State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Quarterly (Spring 2009)
- Medicare Conditional Payment Liens & Representing Medicare’s Interest, Michigan Association for Justice Liens Evening Forum (March 2009)
- How to Contact Medicare and Successfully Reduce a Lien, State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Quarterly (Winter 2007)
- Medicare Liens, Michigan Association for Justice (formerly known as Michigan Trial Lawyers Association) Liens Evening Forum (2005)
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About Donna M. MacKenzie
Included on the 2025 Michigan Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2024 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Michigan Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Michigan Super Lawyers list
Honors
- Selected as a 2010 Up & Coming Lawyer by Michigan Lawyers Weekly
- Named a Rising Star in Super Lawyers 2008 & 2010
- Recognized as a Pacesetter by the Michigan Association for Justice, May 2010
- Richard B. Gushee Writing Award for best student work published in The Wayne Law Review, 2004
- Named in the Best Lawyers in America in 2015 and 2016
- Recognized in 2016 by Best Lawyers in America as Medical Malpractice “Lawyer of the Year” in Troy
- Included on the Michigan Leading Lawyers list in 2015
- Selected to the 2015 Michigan Top 100 Super Lawyers list
- Selected to the 2015 Michigan Top 50 Consumer Super Lawyers list
- Selected to the 2014 and 2015 Michigan Top 50 Women Super Lawyers lists
- Selected to the 2014 and 2015 Michigan Top 25 Women Consumer Super Lawyers lists
- Named a dbusiness Top Lawyer from 2015-2016
- Super Lawyer, 2013 - 2015
Office Information
Address
2684 West Eleven Mile Berkley, MI 48072
Phone
Fax
- 248-591-2304
Websites
Publication
Articles
- Thinking INSIDE the Box: Lessons Learned When a Trial Lawyer Serves as a Juror, American Association for Justice Winter 2010 Edition of “The Sidebar” (January 2010)
- Do Democracies Die Behind Closed Doors? The Third and Sixth Circuits Split Over the Closure of Removal Hearings, 49 Wayne L. Rev. 813 (2003)
Representative Cases
- $4.4 million jury verdict for a woman injured as a result of a medication error by her doctor
- $2.2 million judgment for 90-year-old woman who died as a result of a head injury from a fall in an adult foster care home
- $765,000 judgment for an 84-year-old nursing home resident who died after suffering blunt force trauma to his head
- $471,500 settlement for a woman who died from an untreated scabies infection in an adult foster care home
- $250,000 settlement for nursing home resident found to have maggot infestation around her bladder catheter
- $8 million settlement for victims of Farid Fata, M.D. who misdiagnosed patients with cancer
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