As Assistant Director of the Health Care Department, Donna assists in the administration and oversight of the firm's health care attorneys. Donna is also an active litigator in the area of medical malpractice. She has represented a large number of hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as physicians, physician groups, allied health professionals and long-term care facilities. Donna is also experienced in representing health care providers in professional licensing matters.
An experienced attorney, Donna is involved in her cases from beginning to end, including all aspects of discovery phase, expert retention and trial preparation. By ensuring that any medical experts, economists or vocational experts are well prepared, Donna has achieved greatly reduced settlements or sharply reduced awards from the jury at the time of trial.
Donna places a high value on communication and client relationships. By working closely with her clients from case inception to completion, Donna delivers personalized attention and strives to achieve an optimal result tailored specifically for each client.
Donna is a graduate of Penn State University. She attended Widener University School of Law, where she received her juris doctor, cum laude in 1997. While at Widener University, she was a staff member of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law and received honors for academic achievement in legal writing and analysis.
As an active member of the community, Donna serves as an adjunct professor at Montgomery County Community College, teaching Medical, Legal Ethics. She also partnered with her local high school in the development of its Career Pathways program which assists students in developing future education and vocational goals.
Honors & awards
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
2019-2022
Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star
2005-2007
Year joined
1998
Results
Defense Verdict Secured in Medical Malpractice Case
Health Care Liability
December 13, 2024
We received a defense verdict for an emergency room physician in a medical malpractice case after a six-day trial. The plaintiffs alleged the physician failed to diagnose and treat a transient ischemic attack in the emergency department and that this failure caused the plaintiff’s ischemic stroke 48 hours later. Following an hour and a half of deliberations, the jury found the emergency room physician did not violate the standard of care.
Received a Defense verdict for an emergency room physician in a medical malpractice case
Health Care Liability
December 9, 2024
We received a defense verdict for an emergency room physician in a medical malpractice case after a six-day trial. The plaintiffs alleged that the physician failed to diagnose and treat a transient ischemic attack in the emergency department and that this failure caused the plaintiff’s ischemic stroke 48 hours later. The plaintiff at the time was 44 years old. Following an hour and a half of deliberations, the jury found that the emergency room physician did not violate the standard of care.
Defense Verdict Received in a High/Low Arbitration
Health Care Liability
September 30, 2024
We received a defense verdict in a high/low arbitration. We represented a surgeon in a case in which the plaintiff alleged a delay in the performance of an appendectomy for a perforated appendix. The plaintiff went on to require a prolonged hospitalization and two subsequent surgeries. We successfully argued that the delay in the performance of the surgery did not result in any of the plaintiff’s alleged injuries.
Successful defense of surgical center per patient death.
Health Care Liability
December 1, 2022
We successfully defended a surgical center in a case involving the death of a 56-year-old woman after shoulder surgery. The plaintiff claimed that the procedure should not have been performed at the surgical center due to the decedent’s comorbidities. The plaintiff also claimed that the decedent was post-operatively given an overdose of opioids, which caused respiratory distress and death. The defense argued that the decedent was appropriately monitored after having been given pain medication and that her death was not a result of an opioid overdose.
Thought Leadership
Liberty Mutual Insurance Names Marshall Dennehey External Law Firm Partner of the Year
October 24, 2025
Marshall Dennehey is honored to accept the External Law Firm Partner of the Year Award from Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Marshall Dennehey Awarded Prestigious Litigation Department of the Year Honors for Professional Liability and Appellate Law at the 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards
Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice
Accountants’ Professional Liability
Lawyers' Professional Liability
Miscellaneous Professional Liability
Securities & Investments Professional Liability
Health Care Liability
Behavioral Health Risk & Liability
Birth & Catastrophic Injury Litigation
Electronic Medical Record & Audit Trail Litigation
Emergency Medical Services
Long-Term Care Liability
Telehealth & Telemedicine
June 13, 2025
Marshall Dennehey was awarded the prestigious Litigation Department of the Year awards for Professional Liability and Appellate Law at The Legal Intelligencer’s 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards, held June 12 in Philadelphia.
Marshall Dennehey Appoints Robin B. Snyder and Donna M. Modestine to Lead the Firm’s Health Care Department
Health Care Liability
January 3, 2023
Marshall Dennehey announced today that shareholders Robin B. Snyder and Donna M.
Marshall Dennehey Announces 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
May 23, 2022
Thirty-four attorneys across Marshall Dennehey's six Pennsylvania offices have been selected to the 2022 edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine.
Classes/Seminars Taught
What is Your Case Worth When Analyzed and Compared Over the Last Several Years?, Delaware County Bar Association, December 11, 2019
Pennsylvania Mental Health Procedures Act (50 P. S. 7112) - 302 Commitments, The Chester County Hospital Grand Rounds, April 9, 2019
What is Your Case Worth?, Delaware County Bar Association, December 2018
What is Your Case Worth?, Delaware County Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, June 2017
Highlights in Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Law, Philadelphia Area Society of Healthcare Risk Management, January 28, 2016
Let's Agree to Agree; Mediation in Civil Litigation, Delaware County Bench Bar Conference, June 5, 2014
Mock Deposition and Trial Presentation, Lancaster Health System, July 9, 2008
The Amazing Race: The Emerging Trends In Hospital Liability, 2008 PLUS MPL Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 11-12, 2008
Clinical Support Systems; E-Discovery and Privacy Liability: How They All Come Together, AIG Domestic Claims, Inc., New York, New York, December 19, 2007
Who's Been Reading My Chart? Do Clinical Support Systems REALLY Protect Patient Privacy?, 2007 PLUS International Conference, Washington, DC, November 9, 2007
Computer-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems (DSS), Lancaster General Hospital, Women and Babies Hospital, January 2007
Electronic Medical Records and Computer-Based Clinical Decision Support Systems (DSS), Chester County Hospital Medical Staff, February 24, 2006
Disclosure of Serious Events, Chester County Hospital Medical Staff, March 4, 2005
Practical Strategies for Reducing Liability, VHA Physician Risk Management Education Program, March 8, 2005
The Deposition Process, Alleviating Your Fears, Lancaster General Hospital Education Counsel, June 8, 2005
The Deposition Process, Alleviating Your Fears, Lancaster General Hospital Education Counsel: Women and Babies Hospital, December 28, 2005
Managing and Disclosing Medical Errors, Medical Staff and Nursing Staff at Brandywine Hospital, June 11, 2004
Tort Reform and Your New Responsibilities, Holy Redeemer Hospital Medical Staff, December 1, 2004
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
