Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers 2026 | Dolan Law Firm
Dolan Law Firm Attorneys Named Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers 2026
Dolan Law Firm, PC congratulates Vanessa C. Deniston and Allison Stone on being named to the Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers 2026 list, an annual recognition of distinguished women attorneys practicing in California.
The Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers supplement recognizes women attorneys whose work reflects legal excellence, leadership and impact across the California legal profession. Candidates must be licensed to practice law, reside in California and have served as lead counsel in high-stakes matters.
This recognition places Attorney Deniston and Attorney Stone among the Top Women Lawyers in California for 2026 and highlights the trial work, leadership and client advocacy of two Dolan Law Firm attorneys representing individuals in employment, personal injury, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and civil litigation matters throughout California.
Vanessa C. Deniston Named Daily Journal Top Women Lawyer 2026
Vanessa C. Deniston is the Managing Trial Attorney of the Employment Team at Dolan Law Firm’s Oakland office. She represents individuals in cases involving workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower violations, wrongful termination, wage and hour claims, and related employment law matters.
Vanessa Deniston also handles catastrophic personal injury, sexual assault, and elder abuse cases. Her work is shaped by a trauma-informed approach that combines strategic advocacy, compassion, and a deep understanding of the human experience behind every case.
In December 2024, Ms. Deniston helped secure a $17.2 million jury verdict in Guzman et al. v. Morning Star Trucking Company, LLC, et al. following an eleven-week trial in Sacramento Superior Court. The verdict included $6 million in punitive damages after the jury found the corporate defendants acted with malice and reckless disregard for safety. The result helped earn Attorney Deniston and the trial team recognition as 2025 Trial Lawyers of the Year by the Marin Trial Lawyers Association.
Beyond the courtroom, Ms. Deniston is active in the Consumer Attorneys of California, the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, the California Employment Lawyers Association, Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, and the Alameda County Trial Lawyers Association. She also leads Dolan Law Firm’s in-house Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee as Executive Director.
Her recognition as a Daily Journal Top Women Lawyer reflects her work as a California trial attorney, Oakland employment attorney, and advocate for workers and survivors of serious harm.
Allison Stone Named Daily Journal Top Women Lawyer 2026
Allison Stone is a Managing Senior Trial Attorney at Dolan Law Firm’s Los Angeles office. She practices in all areas of civil litigation, with an emphasis on personal injury cases involving motor vehicle crashes, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, premises liability, government liability, construction accidents, and defective products.
With 16 years of personal injury experience, Attorney Stone has dedicated her career to representing individuals and families harmed by the negligent and unlawful conduct of others. She has achieved repeated six, seven, and eight figure settlements and has tried numerous cases in state and federal court, including cases that resulted in seven figure verdicts.
Allison Stone has recovered more than $40 million in settlements and verdicts for her clients. She also worked on the trial team in Guzman et al. v. Morning Star Trucking Company, LLC, et al., which resulted in a $17.2 million jury verdict in Sacramento Superior Court, including $6 million in punitive damages. Her work reflects a commitment to preparation, teamwork, and client-centered advocacy.
Before joining Dolan Law Firm, Ms. Stone graduated cum laude from Pepperdine Law School. She also served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Thomas Donovan in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and worked as a law clerk at the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Los Angeles Regional Office, where she handled complex fraud and insider trading matters.
Her recognition as a Daily Journal Top Women Lawyer reflects her work as a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, California personal injury lawyer, and advocate for people facing life-changing injuries and loss.
California Women Trial Lawyers Leading Employment and Personal Injury Cases
The recognition of Vanessa C. Deniston and Allison Stone among the Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers 2026 highlights the important role women trial attorneys in California continue to play in employment law, personal injury litigation, and high stakes civil cases.
At Dolan Law Firm, their work spans two major areas central to the firm’s mission: employment law and personal injury law. Vanessa Deniston advocates for California workers and survivors of serious harm. Allison Stone represents injured individuals and families in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Vanessa Deniston and Allison Stone’s work includes high stakes litigation such as Guzman et al. v. Morning Star Trucking Company, LLC, et al., along with employment, personal injury, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death matters throughout California.
Dolan Law Firm congratulates Vanessa C. Deniston and Allison Stone on this well-deserved recognition as Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers 2026.
To learn more about Dolan Law Firm’s work across California, visit our practice areas.
