“When I see clients who are facing incredible losses, I want to embrace them and be their voice.”
Overview
Dennis R. Lansdowne has been with the Spangenberg firm since 1985 and has been a partner since 1990. During that time he has represented individuals in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases as well as large corporations in business disputes.
Dennis believes that we don't have too many malpractice lawsuits – we have too few. The National Institute of Medicine has estimated that over 400,000 Americans are killed in hospitals because of negligence every year. That is ten times the number killed in automobile crashes. The vast majority of these deaths do not result in a lawsuit because the families aren't aware that negligence has occurred. Dennis has represented hundreds of people who have been seriously injured or lost a loved one because of the negligence of a hospital, doctor, nurse, nursing home, or other healthcare worker. He is well known for being able to make complex medicine easy for a jury to understand. His passion for medical negligence led him to create and teach a course on the subject for several years at his alma mater.
Dennis also has significant experience with insurance law. When an insured individual pays premiums – sometimes year after year – they expect the coverage they paid for. But too often the claim is met with delay and denial. Dennis has represented the insured, from individuals to large corporations, to force the insurance company to honor its promises."
Employment
- 1985-Present: Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP, Partner, Cleveland, Ohio
- 1983-1985: Jones Day, Reavis & Pogue, Associate, Cleveland, Ohio
- 1980-1983: Honorable Robert B. Krupansky, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Law Clerk, Cincinnati, Ohio
Education
- 1981: Cleveland Marshall College of Law, J.D., Cleveland, Ohio
- Graduated summa cum laude
- Member of the Law Review
- 1977: Cleveland State University, B.A., Cleveland, Ohio
Leadership and Professional Memberships
- American Association for Justice
- American Bar Association
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, Past President
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Board of Trustees, Bar Foundation
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law Alumni Association, Past President
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law Advisory Council for Health Law and Policy Center
- Eighth District of Ohio Judicial Conference, Life Member, Board of Directors
- International Society of Barristers, Fellow
- Northern District of Ohio
- Ohio Association for Justice
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Ohio Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Judicial Conference, Life Member
- William K. Thomas Inns of Court, Master
Lectures
- Trial Advocacy, Closing Argument, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, 2024
- Trial Advocacy, Opening Statement, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, 2023
- Words Matter, Choosing Words for Trial, Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2023
- Plaintiff Attorney’s Guide to (or away from) Mediation, Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys, 2019
- Trial Advocacy, Cross Examination, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, 2018
- Expert Witnesses, Selection, Protection and Rejection, Ohio Association of Justice, 2018
- Direct Examination and Opening Statement, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2018
- Direct Examination and Closing Arguments, American College of Trial Lawyers, 2017
- Direct Examination, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Litigation Institute, 2016
- Contagion: A Conversation about Using Public Health Laws to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Diseases, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 2015
Awards and Honors
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America (2007-2025)
- Cleveland Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame (2018)
- “Best Lawyers in America” Award, Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs, and Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs (2017)
- Best Lawyer’s “Lawyer of the Year” Award, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs (2016)
- “Alumnus of the Year” Award, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (2013)
- Best Lawyer’s “Lawyer of the Year” Award, Personal Injury Litigation (2012)
- Selected to Ohio Super Lawyers, Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs (2009-2025)
- Super Lawyers® Top 100 in Ohio (2005-2012 & 2015-2025)
- Super Lawyers® Top 100 in Cleveland (2005-2012 & 2015-2025)
- Ohio’s “Leading Lawyers,” Inside Business Magazine
- “Top 100 Trial Lawyers,” National Trial Lawyers Association (2009-2025)
Case Results
- $8.2 million verdict - Medical Malpractice.
- Verdict for a man who spent 10 hours in the Emergency Room before it was recognized that he had spinal cord compression. He is a permanent paraplegic as a result of the delay.
- $6.5 million verdict - Medical Malpractice.
- Woman discharged from Emergency Room and died from pneumonia the following day.
- $5.8 million verdict - Wrongful Death.
- Man killed in car/truck collision.
- $6 million settlement - Medical Malpractice.
- Following heart valve surgery, woman suffered ischemic bowel syndrome.
- $5 million verdict - Consumer Protection.
- Class action settlement for consumers who did not receive full refunds from a national retailer.
- $4.5 million settlement - Medical Malpractice.
- Settlement for a woman whose signs and symptoms of heart block were ignored leading to arrest. She suffered permanent brain damage.
- $3.5 million settlement - Campus Safety.
- Settlement for a young woman attacked by her boyfriend at a fraternity party. Woman developed arteriovenous fistula and was rendered quadriplegic.
- $3 million verdict - Medical Malpractice.
- Verdict for man rendered partial paraplegic following a spinal injection for pain. The man was not a good candidate for the surgery, was not given informal consent and appropriate safety problems were not used.
- $2.53 million settlement - Sports Safety.
- Settlement for a high school swimmer rendered quadriplegic diving from too high starting blocks into too shallow water.
- Confidential Settlement - Food Safety.
- Settlement for a man who contracted botulism after eating tainted chili sauce. Temporary paralysis.
Outside the Courtroom
Dennis and his wife, Kim, have four children. They are members of the St. Peter’s parish in Cleveland.
In addition to his work with Cleveland-Marshall and other law-related organizations, Dennis sits on the Board of the Cleveland Ballet. The Cleveland Ballet brings world class ballet performances to Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. Dennis is a past Board member and supporter of the Beck Center for the Arts. Beck Center is one of the largest arts education and performance institutions in Northeast Ohio, offering professional theatre productions, gallery exhibits, and a variety of classes for children and adults. He is a founding supporter of the Northeast Ohio Collaborative to End Human Trafficking.