Anne McDonnell
Director of Brain injury and Spinal Cord Injury Services
Anne is the Director of Brain injury and Spinal Cord Injury Services for our law firm. Anne’s rich and diverse background as one of the most influential advocates for brain injury survivors and their families in the U.S. makes her a unique and valuable member of our Brain Injury Team.
Anne’s career in brain injury, spanning over 35 years, includes working as a clinician and as Executive Director for the Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV) from 2006-2023. Anne has a B.S. in Occupational Therapy, a Masters of Public Administration, and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer. As Executive Director of BIAV, Anne turned a small organization into one of the most powerful brain injury associations in the country. During her tenure at BIAV, Anne served as the administrator, lobbyist, and chief fundraiser, and was instrumental in raising awareness and money for services for brain injury throughout Virginia. Additionally, Anne is the heart and soul of Camp Bruce McCoy, operated by BIAV, which is the oldest and most successful camp for adult brain injury survivors in the U.S.
In 2011, Anne was named one of the “Influential Women of Virginia” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. In 2014, she received the State Association Leadership Award from the Brain Injury Association of America. In 2015, Anne was chosen to serve with 50 of the nation’s top brain injury researchers and clinicians on the Icahn School of Medicine project to develop Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of Adults with Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. In 2020, Anne received the William A.B. Ditto Excellence in Public Policy from the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators. In 2023, she was honored to receive the Statewide Impact Award from the Disability Law Center of Virginia and the Champions Award from Community Brain Injury Services.
Knowledge & Experience
Anne’s knowledge, experience, and passion in brain injury provide a rich perspective for the litigation and trial strategies utilized by our Brain Injury Team.
Among the services Anne provides are:
- Supporting our clients in their rehabilitation journey;
- Identifying the best expert witnesses for our client’s cases;
- Determining the best-learned treatises and peer-reviewed literature for our client’s cases;
- Collaborating with our lawyers on strategies for discovery, focus groups, mediation, and trial;
- Developing state-of-the-art exhibits for trial; and
- Adding a distinctly rare dimension throughout the litigation process for our client’s cases.
In her free time, Anne enjoys choral singing, baking, and traveling with her husband, Patrick.
Contact me
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