SBH LLC

SBH partners Jenny Blake and Sam D'Anna secured a trial victory on behalf of their clients, a plastic surgeon and his practice. The plaintiff, a 45-year old woman, claimed the surgeon directly injured one or both of her sural nerves during bilateral calf and ankle liposuction, resulting in Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and permanent disability. The plaintiff also claimed she was not informed of the risk of direct nerve injury during the procedure. The defense argued there was no evidence or symptoms to suggest a direct nerve injury and denied the surgeon was required to inform the plaintiff of the risk that the sural nerve could be directly and permanently injured during the procedure, which is not a risk of calf and ankle liposuction. The defense was able to demonstrate the plaintiff suffered from pre-existing and post-operative swelling which led to a bilateral sural nerve injury and her current condition/disability. The plaintiff asked the jury to award $11,638,056, which included a life care plan of over $4.2 million dollars and $6.5 million in non-economic damages. The jury returned a decisive verdict in favor of the plastic surgeon and his group, after less than 1 hour and 15 minutes of deliberations. The case was tried in Winnebago County Circuit Court before the Honorable Judge Lisa R. Fabiano.

Meet Michael Fowler, a second-year attorney at SBH whose professional path reflects both a strong business foundation and a commitment to litigation advocacy. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Gies College of Business and worked in commercial real estate and finance before pursuing his legal education at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he graduated cm laude.

While at Loyola, Michael obtained certifications in Transactional Law. However, through his participation in trial advocacy courses and his experience working at a plaintiff’s personal injury firm, he developed a strong interest in litigation. During his third year of law school, he had the distinguished opportunity to complete a judicial externship with Justice Joy V. Cunningham. Following graduation, Michael joined SBH.

Michael is particularly drawn to the demanding and fact-intensive nature of medical malpractice litigation and is committed to providing thoughtful, thorough, and dedicated representation to his clients.

Outside of his practice, Michael enjoys golfing and bowling and is an avid supporter of the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also participates in a softball league and a volleyball league with friends from high school and college.

SBH Recognizes Our 2026 Super Lawyers: Jenny Blake, Thomas Hill, Kevin Bugos, and Gretchen Powell, as well as our 2026 Rising Stars: Samantha D'Anna, Kevin Fleming, and Caroline Kernan.

These attorneys were selected by Thompson Reuters via a peer influenced and research driven selection process to represent the top 5% of attorneys to be named to the Super Lawyers list each year. SBH remains committed to providing the best representation to our clients.