Megan Bonanni

Equity Partner

mbonanni@pittlawpc.com

Experience

Megan Bonanni is an Equity Partner at Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers and one of Michigan’s most respected advocates for civil rights and survivors of sexual abuse and harassment. Over her decades-long career, Megan has built a national reputation for handling emotionally complex cases with extraordinary compassion and resolve.

Known affectionately among colleagues as “the crying lawyer,” Megan embraces her deep emotional connection to her clients as one of her greatest strengths—allowing her to fiercely advocate while never losing sight of the human cost of injustice.

Megan’s work spans a range of landmark litigation, with a particular focus on institutional accountability, sexual assault, and employment discrimination. Recent highlights include:

Representing family members in lawsuits against the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), alleging that officers refused to respond accordingly when alerted to Monica Cannady’s dire mental health crisis, which resulted in the deaths of Monica and her two young sons.
Representing members of the University of Kentucky swim team in sexual abuse and harassment claims against Head Coach Lars Jorgensen.
Representing two students from Hillsdale College, who alleged the college failed to adequately respond to their rape reports, thereby fostering a dangerous campus environment.

Other notable cases Megan has worked on include:

Larry Nassar Litigation: Served on the Survivors’ Creditor Committee for over 400 victims of former Olympic women's gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, securing a $390 million recovery against USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee.
University of Michigan – Dr. Robert Anderson Litigation: Participated on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for over 1,000 victims of Dr. Robert Anderson, leading to a $490 million settlement.
Eastern Michigan University Litigation: Represented over 30 students alleging that the Title IX office and campus fraternities concealed numerous complaints of sexual assault, fostering a dangerous campus environment.
Promedica’s Bixby Autism Center Litigation: Advocated for an autistic child physically abused by his teachers, highlighting systemic issues in care facilities.

Beyond her legal work, Megan is dedicated to institutional reform to assist survivors of sexual assault. She holds a leadership role on the Restorative Justice Task Force, collaborating with USA Gymnastics and the USOPC to implement historic non-monetary commitments focused on accountability, reconciliation, and cultural transformation in the gymnastics community. Additionally, Megan is working with Michigan legislators to reform statutes of limitations that often prevent survivors from seeking justice due to delayed trauma responses.

In recognition of her decades-long commitment to civil rights and survivor advocacy, Megan was named Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2024 “Lawyer of the Year”, an honor voted on by her peers for her outstanding contributions to Michigan’s legal landscape.

Education