Dawn is a highly skilled litigator, negotiator, and top San Francisco personal injury attorney. She has an undefeated record in trial and arbitration for her clients and a special talent for obtaining exceptional results for her injured clients.
A fearless and relentless advocate for her clients, Dawn has expert knowledge of personal injury law and civil litigation strategy. She combines this with a high level of business acumen to obtain excellent results in her cases. Dawn works closely with some of the foremost experts in the nation to build clear and compelling personal injury cases on behalf of the firm’s clients.
Dawn has obtained substantial judgments and settlements for her clients. Some of these include $12.5 Million+ with co-counsel for a woman who was severely injured in a head on collision caused by a commercial truck driver (2024), $5 Million for an injured woman in her 70’s and her husband who was killed in a head on collision caused by a negligent driver (2024), $4.9 Million for a farm worker in his 50s who was seriously injured in a car accident (2022), $4.67 Million court judgment for a seriously injured motorcyclist hit by a wrong-way driver, $4.6 Million for a physician who sustained an impalement injury in a trip and fall accident, $4.5 Million for a woman in her 60's hit by a vehicle while crossing in the crosswalk who sustained a surgical brain injury (2022), $2.525 Million for two women pedestrians struck by a trailer being pulled by an agricultural vehicle which came loose (2021), $1.75 Million for a middle-aged man rear-ended by a commercial truck sustaining spinal injuries that required back surgery, $1.5 Million for rideshare driver who required clavicle surgery after a head-on collision caused by a reckless driver going twice the posted speed limit (2022), $1.5 Million for a pedestrian in his late 70’s who was struck by a car while in a crosswalk sustaining head and knee injuries (2024).
Awards and Honors include:
Dawn is a ten-time Super Lawyer® having been named a Super Lawyer from 2014-2024. Super Lawyer is a rating bestowed on the top 5% of outstanding lawyers in their practice area who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Dawn’s case results have ranked among the highest in California by national lawsuit results ranking company Top Verdict:
·Top 10 Animal Attack/Dog Bite Settlements in California (2023)
·Top 10 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (2022)
·Top 10 Premises Liability Settlements in California (2020)
·Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in California (2022)
·Top 20 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (2022)
·Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in California (2020)
·Top 20 Pedestrian Accident Settlements in California (2020)
·Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (2023)
·Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California (2022)
·Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (2022)
·Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (2020)
·Top 50 Wrongful Death Settlements in California (2020)
·Expertise.com named The Hassell Law Group as one of The Best Personal Injury Attorneys in San Francisco and also as one of The Best Car Accident Attorneys in San Francisco.
·Attorney and Practice Magazine named Dawn a Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney. Less than 1% of attorneys nationwide receive an invitation for membership.
·San Francisco Magazine has consistently named Dawn on their annual list of the “Top Women Attorneys in Northern California” (2014-2023).
·Dawn served as a Distinguished Member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association from 2002-2012.
Her high-caliber legal skills, tenacity, and exceptional negotiation skills have won Dawn extremely high praise and gratitude over the years from the firm’s many clients. She has a superb 10 rating on the legal website Avvo, and countless 5-star ratings on review sites Yelp and Google Reviews.
Dawn received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, and was admitted to practice law in 1998. She received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Binghamton where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and in the top 1% of her class.
Dawn is a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (a bicycle safety advocacy group), and WalkSF (a pedestrian advocacy organization making streets safer for pedestrians).
In her spare time, Dawn enjoys traveling and spending time with her adorable dog Emmett.
