June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

Michael Hill Logo

Michael Hill | Tlu Beach 2025

Elder Abuse

TLU Icon

Masterclass

Over $250 million recovered

Michael Hill - Elder Abuse in Practice: When 7 Figure Verdicts and Settlements are No Longer Enough Masterclass

Huntington Beach, California (Paséa Hotel & Spa) June 4 - 7, 2025

With hundreds of millions of dollars recently recovered for clients, Michael Hill has changed the game elder abuse cases against nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Over years, Michael has refined strategies to turn what was long thought to be negatives in elder abuse cases (the old, sick, and dying trope), into attributes that address the punitive aspect of compensatory non-economic damages.

Focus

Identifying the winning theme and story in the case. Where there is a catastrophic injury in a nursing home case, there is a systemic failure to be diagnosed and exposed. Finding former employees and proving the behind-the-scenes systems case that can't be found in traditional discovery. Differentiating "good" from "bad" evidence and standard of care concepts using focus groups. Simplifying the case to its core issues allowing you to try a complex elder abuse in days in days by limiting the number of witnesses, ordering those witnesses and evidence, and maximizing damages for consistent 7 and 8 figure verdicts.

Goals

To turn your traditional nursing home and assisted living neglect and abuse cases into record setting verdicts.

Student Prerequisites

Students should be prepared to bring a nursing home or assisted living facility case and poised to address all aspects of the case, including case framing and presentation of lay and expert witnesses, with a learning mindset eager to see the case from a new perspective.

What Strategies Will You Learn?

Finding the Winning Story

Every compelling story has 4 things:

  • Hero: Someone the jury can champion
  • Villain: Someone the jury can look to as the antagonistic force, the figure against whom to root.
  • Theme: The central idea or underlying message that demonstrates that the bad acts are bigger than all of us and our client's injuries are an example of the bad conduct, not the root of the bad conduct.
  • Conflict: The struggle between opposing forces (care vs cash) that drives the stories theme

Without these components, any story is inert and fails to motivate the jury to act.

Case Simplifying and Structuring

Nursing home cases often have thousands of pages of records, dozens or hundreds of instances of poor care and challenging patient interactions (for example, patient refusals of behavioral problems like spitting, punching, or biting). These records and facts can quickly get out of control, resulting in a chaotic web of distractions leading to juror confusion and even distrust. The essential task is to synthesize this chaos into one or two simple issues, allowing the defense to get marred in the case they are used to using to their advantage.

Finding the Systemic Case

Bad care is upsetting. Corporate greed at the expense of human life is infuriating. Every elder abuse case has two subcases: The what and the why. The what is the bad care that happened. The answer to why the bad care happened is the systemic failures, done intentionally or in total regard for human life, that motivates the jury to punish.

Jury Selection

There are universals that apply to all jury selection: connecting with the jury, gaining the trust of the jury, getting people to feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics, letting jurors open up and do most of the talking, and helping unfavorable juror know this is not the right case for them. But, who the specific jurors who are favorable to this case requires a unique skillset and insights for elder abuse cases.

Opening Statements

Although the facts change from case to case, the purpose of opening statement remains the same in elder abuse case:

  • What: Tell the winning story of what happened?
  • Why: Show the story of why it happened?
  • Anger: Establish the rules / violations of basic human principles
  • Activate: Set the stage for why the jury needs to do something
  • Undermine: Eliminate the real or perceived defenses

Master persuading the jury to champion your case from the beginning of trial.

Presentation Evidence

While the story is necessary to win the case, the evidence must drive the story. Not all witnesses are created equal. In a typical elder abuse case, there may be over 100 potential witnesses when you consider the multitude of facility caregivers, treating providers, former employees, corporate representatives, and friends and family. Editing who to call, when to call them, and what evidence to elicit is the difference between a defense verdict or a record judgment.

Maximizing Damages

The purpose of damages in elder abuse cases is different than in many other personal injury cases. Moreso than most other cases, the damages are inherently punitive. Your clients likely have no lost earnings, no future medical bills, had few years to live, and a future life that many of us would not choose. So, what drives large verdicts is one that needs to express the intrinsic value of human life, of righting wrongs, and penalizing the violations of basic human values. Damages are less about your client and more about changing a patter of misconduct that will inevitably continue if the jury does not act now.

Michael Hill's Case Results

Settlement

$12 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$10 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.25 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.4 Million

Bedsore (Pressure Injuries)

Settlement

$1.5 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.85 Million

Brain Injury Following Fall

Settlement

$2 Million

Fall Injury

Settlement

$2.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$3.9 Million

Permanent Deformity

Settlement

$4 Million

Physical Assault

Jury Verdict

$4.4 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5.8 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$8.7 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$9.95 Million

Wrongful Death

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

June 4th & 7th | michael hill | Over $250 million recovered

june 4 - 7, 2025 | tlu huntington beach conference | Elder Abuse Masterclass

maximize damages for elder abuse cases | webinar

trial lawyer university | michael hill masterclass | Elder Abuse Masterclass

huntington beach, ca | register now | limited availability

about michael hill

Avvo
Elevate
American Board of Trial Advocates
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
National Trial Lawyers
Preeminent Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Top 10
Top 20
Avvo
Elevate
American Board of Trial Advocates
Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
National Trial Lawyers
Preeminent Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Top 10
Top 20

Michael Hill has been described as a generational attorney with numerous 7 and 8 figure trial verdicts and settlements, including records for the highest verdicts in numerous counties and the highest recorded verdict against a nursing home in Ohio history–$26 million. Michael has dedicated his practice exclusively to representing victims of severe nursing home neglect and abuse.

Michael has met the stringent Super Lawyers standard, voted by his peers as one of the top 2.5% of attorneys in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Michael has been rated by the National Trial Lawyers Association as a Top 40 Under 40 trial lawyer in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 and one of the Top 100 lawyers overall in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also rated Michael as one of the Top 25 Medical Malpractice Lawyers and Top 10 Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers.

Michael was selected as one of the "10 Best Attorneys" for the state of Ohio by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys and was given the "Top 10 Under 40 Attorney Award" by The National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys (NAOPIA).

Recently, the international organization AI Legal honored Michael as the "Most Dedicated Nursing Home Prosecution Trial Attorney (Midwest USA)." The Midwest region includes such major metropolitan areas as Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.

He is a member of the exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum for consistently reaching multimillion dollar settlements and verdicts.

Michael is an invited lecturer across the country on trial tactics and has been published numerous times in peer reviewed academic journals. Michael is a faculty member of Trial Lawyer University, the largest and most prestigious organization in America dedicated to training lawyers on trial skills.

Michael Hill

Settlement

$12 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$10 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.25 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.4 Million

Bedsore (Pressure Injuries)

Settlement

$1.5 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.85 Million

Brain Injury Following Fall

Settlement

$2 Million

Fall Injury

Settlement

$2.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$3.9 Million

Permanent Deformity

Settlement

$4 Million

Physical Assault

Jury Verdict

$4.4 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5.8 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$8.7 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$9.95 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury verdict

$26 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$12 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$10 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.25 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.4 Million

Bedsore (Pressure Injuries)

Settlement

$1.5 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$1.85 Million

Brain Injury Following Fall

Settlement

$2 Million

Fall Injury

Settlement

$2.3 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$3.9 Million

Permanent Deformity

Settlement

$4 Million

Physical Assault

Jury Verdict

$4.4 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury Verdict

$5.8 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$8.7 Million

Wrongful Death

Settlement

$9.95 Million

Wrongful Death

Jury verdict

$26 Million

Wrongful Death

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As a court reporter, I have had the pleasure of working with many different attorneys and law firms across the country. I have known and worked with Michael Hill for over a decade. He is brilliant, passionate about his work and getting justice for his clients, and downright in a league of his own. I have known hundreds of attorneys, and if I ever needed one, Michael would be my first call.
Whitney L.
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We are ever so grateful to have had you on our side. Never during this whole long process did we feel as though you didn't have our best interest at heart. This was handled in a way that we always felt heard and respected and that our Mom's memory and life was at the forefront.
Sharon P.
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I have worked in the legal field for almost two decades, and there aren't enough words to describe what an incredible attorney Michael Hill is. He goes above and beyond for his clients and is the most detail-oriented lawyer I've ever come across. Not only is he extremely gifted, highly intelligent, and a quick strategic thinker when it comes to his cases, but his heart goes into his work and serving justice to his clients. He sincerely cares about his clients and takes every case as if it was his own family members he's fighting for.
Ariela P.
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I have been fortunate to only need one lawyer in my life, and he is like family now. We never had any doubt throughout the entire process and trial. I cannot recommend Michael Hill highly enough.
Heather F.
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After what happened at the nursing home to my mother, I had trouble trusting anyone. Working with you was the first time I felt I could trust someone again.
Scott H.
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I'm more than impressed with the compassion that Michael shows his clients. Time and time again he manages to get unprecedented results.
Ashley K.
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“I am a legal nurse and Michael Hill is a pleasure to work with. I have collaborated with him on several nursing home cases and found him to be professional, responsive and personable. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone who has a nursing home negligence case.a”
Bonnie M.
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Matt works tirelessly to provide his clients with the most desirable and beneficial outcomes. He is compassionate and sensitive with his clients' cases but ruthless with his opposing counsel. You'll be in good hands working with Matt and his team.
Jaimie G.
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