After almost 10 years of John Ritter’s death due to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect, his widow Amy Yasbeck has finally found love again. She is dating lawyer Michael Plonsker, who helped secure her family’s financial future.
Amy Yasbeck filed a $67 million wrongful death lawsuit after her husband died, against Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center and several doctors, mostly radiologists and cardiologists who treated him, alleging they misdiagnosed his condition and that contributed to his death.
56-year-old Michael Plonsker was part of the legal team who filed the suit in Burbank, California, when Ritter collapsed on the set of “8 Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter” on September 11, 2003. Ritter’s family received more than $14 million in settlements, according to court documents, although the jury concluded that the doctors who treated the actor the day he died were not negligent.
Along with the legal success came a romance between Michael Plonsker and 50-year-old Yasbeck, according to the National Enquirer. A source close to the actress revealed:
“Amy and Michael were thrown together by the unbearable circumstances of their court case. She was still grieving for John and would frequently break down in tears. It was extremely hard on her, and Michael provided Amy a shoulder to cry on. Over time, they grew closer and eventually fell in love,” the source explained.
The Hollywood attorney has even played the role of father figure to Ritter and Yasbeck’s daughter, 14-year-old Stella.
Michael J. Plonsker is a lawyer in Los Angeles, California focusing on various areas of law. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1981 and obtained a BBA in Business with major in accounting from University of Michigan. Plonsker was Partner and Co-Chair Media and Entertainment Litigation Department, focusing on film and television, in the firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP, from 2009 to 2013. Later he founded the firm Plonsker Law LLP in West Los Angeles, which serves clients in the entertainment industry.
Plonsker was named one of the “Who’s Who in L.A. Law,” Los Angeles Business Journal (2010), one of the Top 100 “Power Lawyers” by The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012). He was named “2005 Entertainment Lawyer of the Year” by the Century City Bar Association and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012).
Visit Michael Plonsker’s profile on IMDb here.
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