2024 B2B Consumer Attorney of Southern California

AttorneyAlbertAbkarian:

ThePersonification of theAmerican Dream: AlbertAbkarian

Founder &Attorney at Law, Albert Abkarian &Associates

Asuccessfulpersonalinjuryattorneyandbusiness litigator,Albert Abkarian andhis namesake firmboasta33-yeartrackrecordofresults.He hasbeennamed aSuper Lawyer forthe past sixyears by attorney peersand LosAngeles MagazineandfeaturedinForbesandNewsweekmagazineas atopattorney.

“MyArmenianfamilyimmigratedtotheU.S.fromIranduring therevolution,”Abkariansays.“Iwas15and couldn’tspeak awordofEnglish,buteducationwasmygoal,soIworkedas alawclerkandwenttoschoolatnight.”

Thatexperienceofescapingtoanewplacewithhisfamilyledto hispursuitofthelegalprofessionwhereherepresentedpeoplein court.Heattributessuccesstohardworkandtheopportunities afforded by life in theUnitedStateswhere that effort can translateintoarewardingcareer.AlbertAbkarian&Associates pridesitselfonprovidingpersonalized,boutiqueserviceand ahighsuccessrateinpersonalinjury,businesslitigationand entertainmentlaw casesthathaveearnedthema myriad of awardsandrecognitions.Abkarianisalsoastatewidelecturer onethicsandpersonalinjuryandisadmittedtopracticeinthe U.S.DistrictCourtCentralDistrict,U.S.CourtofAppeals9th Circuit,CaliforniaSupremeCourtandtheU.S.SupremeCourt.

“Nowhereelseintheworlddoyougetachancetoworkhardand gettowhereyouare,” Abkarian said.“Mydadsaiditdoesn’t matterwhatyoudoinlife.Aslongasyouarethebestatwhatyou do,youwillsucceed.Thathasbecomemymantra.”

In addition to hisworkasanattorney,he hasfound success mentoringyoungattorneysandlawclerks.Hehashadinexcessof 30clerkswhohaveworkedinhisoffice,andtheyhaveallbecome

attorneys.Ratherthanseeingthemasfuturecompetition,he appreciatestheopportunitytohelppeoplehaveapathtohelp themselves.Theremaybeachancetomentorhisownchildren, whoarenowyoungadults.Hiseldestsonisplanningtotakethe barexamnextyear,whilehisyoungersonisastudentatU.C SanDiegoandplanstobecomealawyer.

Lookingforward,Abkariansaysthattechnologyiskeytogrowing hispractice.HelaunchedamobileappforclientsintheAppleand Googleappstores.Itsfeatureshelpintakenewclientsbyallowing themtoenterinformation,askquestionsanduploaddocuments, suchascontractsthataresummarizedusingAItechnology.The appcanalsoscanmedicalbillsandsearchforduplicatecharges It’sbecomeanintegralpartofhisbusiness.

Thereareaddedcostsforthenewresources,butthetimesavings areenormous, andithas allowedthe practice to expand by reviewingmorecaseswhileconcurrentlyloweringthenumber ofbillablehoursneededtoresearchandevaluateacase.Itcomes atatimewheninsurancecompanieshavebecomemorelitigious onpersonalinjurycasesandaregoingtotrialmoreoften.He notedthattherearesomemonthsinwhichtherearenocases settled,whereasinsurancecompanieswerelesslikelytogoto trialinthepast

“WehavemovedtothenextgenerationofAI.Ithasbroadened ourability to review more casesand givesusa better understandingoftheissuesthatweneedtoresearch.It’sopened upabrand-newwaytorevieweverything,”Abkariansaid.

Abkarian&Associatesofferstheresourcesofalargefirm,while maintainingthepersonalizedserviceandcost-effectivenessof asmallfirm.Everycaseispersonaltothem.Togetintouch,call (855)888-1808oremailinfo@abkarianlaw.com

DearReader:

In the 2024 issueofConsumerAttorneys Magazine,weprovide an in-depth look at the trends affecting consumers and businessesthis year, including an alarming increase in employment discrimination, aguide to navigating on-the-jobinjuries and updates for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.Consumers will benefit from aslew of general consumerprotection cases as well as new laws goinginto effect, designed to increasetransparencyindrug pricing, expose hiddenfees at the end of transactions andpreventpharmacy chains fromsharing certain medical information. And it was only amatteroftime before AI made its way into law,inthis case,toaddress the unique needs of the legal industry.

We alsoprofile this year’svisionaries. Theattorneys listed in thesepages span the legal spectrum –from family law andpersonal injury to labor &employment, product liability andtoxic torts –but each hasdemonstrated notable achievement in their respective fields and deserves specialrecognition.

We will be promoting the publication of the 2024 Consumer Attorneys Magazine, and we invite you to follow us:

This magazineisalsoavailable in adigitalformat, which youcan readand shareat latimes.com/b2b/consumerattorneys

Anna Magzanyan ChiefStrategy &Revenue Officer &Chief of Staff to ExecutiveChairman

SALES

Helya Askari Vice President,Sales helya.askari@latimes.com

Naz Bayazit Senior Executive,Sales naz.bayazit@latimes.com

Heidi Lawrence Executive, Sales heidi.lawrence@latimes.com

JordanMoss Executive,Sales jordan.moss@latimes.com

MARKETING, CONTRIBUTORS &PROJECTS

Mike Kechichian Executive Vice President, Client Solutions

ChristianneBradley Director, Client Solutions

EllenVarvarian Senior Analyst, Marketing &Planning

Matthew Franco Designer

Helen Chang Senior Manager,Projects

Paul Williams Contributing Editor

AlanLaGuardia Strategist, Content

DavidChee AdvertorialCopywriter

David Nusbaum Contributing Writer and Research Consultant

Karren Adamyan Manager,Projects

WendyHultgren Coordinator,Marketing

Sergio Zaldivar Coordinator,Marketing

AJ Moutra Consultant, Research

PRODUCTION

MelindaMarquez Director,ClientServices

Maximilliano Enciso Director,Art Production

Dave Novotney Prepress Specialist

KevinChau Designer

Larry Tomoyasu Designer

EEOC Increases LitigationActivity as Discrimination StatisticsRise

Thelawsuits increasedbyoverhalfin2023 and may increase even more in 2024

Last year,the U.S. EqualEmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC) filed 143meritslawsuits, 25 of whichweresystemic, andresolved98 suitsobtaining over $22.6million in monetary relief forvictims of employment discrimination. The143 suitsrepresent an increase of more than 50%comparedtothe levels in 2022,and 2024 is on tracktomatch or possibly exceed 2023

“Thisreflects theagency’seffortstoenforce federalanti-discrimination laws throughits affirmativelitigation, appellateand amicus programs,” said EEOC General CounselKarla Gilbride.“It detailsacontinued commitment to impactfullitigationthatadvances theCommission’sgoals of remedyingand preventing discriminationinthe workplace. I’malso pleasedstakeholderscan nowfind information aboutEEOC’slitigationresolutions from last year andprior yearsthrough EEOC’s online Exploretool.”

Filing highlights include(note:percentages may notadd up to 100% as some suitsmay have multiple allegations):

•InFY2023, theEEOCfiled143 merits lawsuits,25weresystemicsuits and32were non-systemicclass suits.

•The most frequently allegedbases of discriminationwereretaliation (39.2%), sex(35%), disability (34.3%)and race (16.8%).

•Atthe endofFY2023, theEEOChad 227 merits casesonits active district court docket,ofwhich 95 (41.8%)wereclass or systemic cases.

•InFY2023, theEEOCfiled10briefson appeal in Commission cases, sevenasappellant andthree as appellee,and onebrief in opposition to interlocutoryappeal.

[Continued on page 24]

Genderdiscrimination

Accordingtothe PewResearch Center,42% of workingwomen have experienced discriminationin theworkplace duetotheir gender AsurveybyThe Muse jobboard foundthat41% of womenhavefelt discriminated againstbased on theirgenderduringa jobinterview

LGBTQI+discrimination

AccordingtoAmericanProgress, half of LGBTQI+adultsreport having experienced workplace discriminationorharassment becauseoftheir sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status in thepreviousyear.

Statecharges

Texashad thehighestpercentage of totalU.S.charges at 10.2%, followed by Floridaat8.7%, Pennsylvania at 6.8%,Californiaat6.1% andGeorgia at 6.0%

inationcases have increasedsignificantly in 2024,withthe U.S. EqualEmployment OpportunityCommission(EEOC)receiving over 500,000 callsand 81,055 newcharges

©VitaliiVodolazskyi

ImpactfulNew Consumer Laws Having an Effect on 2024Cases

Alandmark year in consumer protection, the state has almost twodozen laws thatwill go into effect,impacting severalsectors.

California has more than 20 newconsumer laws that have gone into effect or will be goingintoeffect this year.Someof thekey consumer-relatedlaw changesrecently enactedearlier this year as well as thosetobe enactedlater this year arelistedbelow

TruthinLending ActHOEPA Loans: On January1,2024, theadjustedtotal loan amount thresholdfor high-costmortgages increased from $24,866to$26,092,and theadjusted points andfeesdollartrigger forhigh-costmortgagesincreases from $1,243 to $1,305

TruthinLending ActAppraisal Requirements: Effective January1,2024, theexemption thresholdfor specialappraisalrequirementsfor “higher-riskmortgages”increased from $31,000 to $32,400.

floor increasedto$498,257and thehigh-costarea ceilingincreases to $1,149,825

MinimumWageand Wage Garnishmentin21 States: In addition to federalwage garnishment protectionsthatutilize thefederal minimum wage in calculatingprotected earnings,many states setlimits on wage garnishmentutilizing thestate’s ownregulationofthe minimum wage.Atleast 21 states,including California, raised theminimumwagein2024.

TruthinLending ActExemption: On January1, 2024,the TILA threshold exemptionfromthe statutecertain credit with an amount financed over aspecificdollaramountincreased from $66,400to$69,500.Thisexemption does notapply to home-secured credit or studentloans

TruthinLendingExemption forMortgage Loans: TheCFPBannounced that effective January1,2024, creditorswithassetsunder $2.640 billion(formerly $2.537 billion) do not have to establishescrowaccountsand do nothavetocomplywiththe prohibitionon balloon payments forcertain higher-priced mortgage loans. Forcertain insureddepository institutions andinsured credit unions meeting certainconditions,the exemptionthreshold is adjusted to increase to $11.835billion from $11.374 billion.

FHALoanLimits: FHAannounced newloan limits for2024. Thesingle-family,low-cost-area

CaliforniaConsumerProtection Re-Arbitration: TheU.S.Supreme Courthas ruledthatcases in federalcourt must be stayed pendingabusiness’ appeal of thecourt’s denial of amotiontocompelarbitration.EffectiveJanuary 1, 2024,CaliforniaS.B.365 givesits state courts discretion on whether to stay thecase pending such an appeal

California Right-to-Repair Law: Effective January1,2024, California S.B. 244requires manufacturersofelectronicorappliance products,including cell phones,laptops, tabletsand varioushomeappliancesthatwere manufactured andsoldorusedfor thefirsttime in California on or afterJuly1,2021, to make

availabletoproduct owners, serviceand repair facilities andservice dealers, themeans to effectthe diagnosis, maintenanceorrepairof theproduct

California AmbulancePrices: California A.B. 716 requires thestate EmergencyMedical Services Authoritytoannuallyreportthe allowable maximumrates forgroundambulance transportationservices. Thebillalsorequireshealth insurancerenewed on or afterJanuary 1, 2024, to requireaninsured whoreceivesservicesfrom anon-contracting ground ambulance provider to paynomorethanthe same cost-sharing amount that theinsured wouldpay forthe same services received from acontracting ground ambulanceprovider.

California EliminationofCommonCounts:

Effective January1,2024, “commoncounts” (suchasmoney hadand received)havebeen eliminated in collection actions.

California Limits on UseofImagesfrom VehicleCameras:

California S.B. 296, effective January1,2024, requires both manufacturers anddealers of newmotor vehicles equipped with oneormorein-vehiclecameras to provide

certaininformation to theconsumer, andlimits theuse of images from such cameras.

Opportunityfor Federal StudentLoans to Earn More Credit Toward Loan Forgiveness:

On July 1, 2024,the Department of Education adjusted borrowers’ qualifying paymentcounts toward forgivenessoftheir federalstudent loansunder theIncome-Driven Repayment(IDR) programtoprovide credit foradditionaltime that wasnot previously counted. This will put millions of borrowersclosertohavingtheir loans forgiven througheitherIDR or PublicService Loan Forgiveness(PSLF). Theadjustmentwill automaticallybeapplied to allloans held by the Department.Borrowers with federalstudent loansnot currentlyheldbythe Department,such as thosewithcommerciallyheldFFELorPerkins loans, canget thebenefit of theadjustment by applying to consolidateintoa Direct Consolidation Loan by April30, 2024.Additionally, borrowerswho have loanswithdifferent lengthsoftimeinrepayment maybenefitby consolidatingbyApril 30,2024, as theresulting ConsolidationLoanwillthenbecreditedwiththe longer amount of time in repayment.

Bankruptcy Code Chapter13: Congress had amendedBankruptcy Code §109(e)totemporarily providethattobeachapter 13 debtor, thedebtormustowe liquidated,noncontingent debtsoflessthan$2,750,000, butthisprovision is duetoexpireonJune21, 2024.IfCongress does notextendormakethe debt limit increases permanent, §109(e)willreverttothe former dollar amounts(subjecttoinflationadjustment): thedebtormustowe less than $465,275 in non-contingent,liquidated unsecureddebts andlessthan$1,395,875innon-contingent, liquidated,secured debts.

NewDepartmentofEducation Administrative Capability Oversight: Effective July 1, 2024, anew Department of Educationruleaddsfurther requirements forinstitutionstoshowthatthey arecapable of administeringTitle IV programs, strengtheningprotections forstudents.

California Security Deposits on Rental Property: Effective July 1, 2024,CaliforniaA.B 12 prohibitsa landlord from demandingsecurity foraresidential property rental agreementfor more than onemonth’s rent.Unlessthe tenant is aservicemember,two months’rentassecurity canbedemandedifthe landlord is anatural person or alimitedliability corporationinwhich allmembers arenatural personsand thelandlord owns no more than tworesidential rental properties that collectively includenomorethan four dwelling unitsofferedfor rent

California Junk Fees: California S.B. 478, effective July 1, 2024,prohibits advertising, displaying or offeringaprice foragood or servicethat does notinclude allmandatory fees or charges

otherthantaxes or fees imposedbyagovernment on thetransaction.The lawcontainsafew exceptions andsafeharbors

California Limits on ChargesinShort-Term Lodging: Effective July 1, 2024,CaliforniaA.B 537prohibits aplace of short-term lodgingfrom advertisingoroffering aroomratethatdoes notinclude allrequiredfeesorcharges except taxesand fees imposedbythe government Government taxesand fees must be included in thetotal pricetobepaid, before theconsumer reserves astay.

California Short-Term Rentals: California S.B. 644 requires hotels,third-party bookingservices, hostingplatforms or short-term rentalstoallow a reservationtobecanceledwithoutpenalty for at least24hours afterthe reservationisconfirmedifthe reservationismade72hours or more before thetimeofcheck-in. If aconsumerthus cancelsareservation,afullrefundmustbeissued within30daysofthe cancellation.The bill applies toany confirmed reservationafter July 1, 2024

FCCOrder on Robocallsand Telephone Consumer Protection Act(TCPA): Onepartof an FCCorder issued on December 18,2023, became effective 180daysafter itspublication in theFederal Register (mostlikelyearly July 2024). Theorder is titled “Targeting andEliminating Unlawful Text Messages;Rules andRegulations Implementing theTelephone Consumer Protection Actof1991; Advanced MethodstoTarget andEliminate Unlawful Robocalls.”The part of theorder that goes into effect180 days afterthe FederalRegisternoticeprotectsconsumers from illegaltexts by adopting blocking requirements forproviders.Significant otherparts of theorder that affectTCPAlitigationgointoeffect ayear afterpublication in theFederal Register andare described infra

FHAMortgage Modifications: HUDMortgagee letter 2023-03(Feb. 13,2023) requires servicers to evaluate FHAmortgageborrowers for COVID-19 loss mitigation optionsregardless of whetherthe borrower’s hardship resulted from thepandemic. This policy extendsuntil October30, 2024

MinimumService Standardsfor Lifeline Devices: Effective December 1, 2024,telecommunicationscarriersmustensureunderthe lifeline programthatatleast 75%ofthe devices underthatprogram arecapable of beingused as ahotspot (upfrom60%). ▐

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©Monkey Business /AdobeStock

How Will theNew Price Transparency Law Affect Businesses?

The“Honest Pricing Law” aims to tackle thesurge of hiddenfees that areadded to Californians' billsatthe very endofatransaction.

After California’s landmark pricetransparencylaw went into effectJuly1, StateAttorneyGeneral RobBonta released guidancetohelpbusinesses across thestate comply with thenew law.

Accordingto2018datafromConsumerReports, at least85% of Americanshaveexperienced ahiddenorunexpectedfee foraservice, andmorethantwo-thirdsofthose surveyed in 2023 said they were paying more nowin surprise chargesthantheydid fiveyears earlier. ConsumerReports notedthathiddenfeescan increase theprice of live eventtickets by as much as 30%to40%.SenateBill478 (SB478) makesitillegal forbusinessestoadvertise or list aprice foragoodorservice that does not includeall required fees or chargesother than certaingovernmenttaxes andshippingcosts

Also knownasthe “HonestPricing Law” or “HiddenFeesStatute,” SB 478isa price transparencylaw that protects consumersfrom deceptiveprice advertisingand allows them to make an informed decision by seeing theall-in priceofgoodsorservicesup-front, before they getthe bill.SB478 hasnoeffect on prices;the lawdoesnot askbusinessestochargeless, nordoesitrequire businesses to charge more TheHonestPricing Lawworks to empower consumers by arming them with accurate information upfront, so that they cancompare prices

betweenmerchants,creatinganequitable marketplacefor businesses to compete.

“Our pricetransparencylaw is aboutclear and honest communicationwithconsumers,so consumers canmakethe financialchoices that arebestfor them andtheir families.Thisnew guidanceprovidesinformation forbusinesses across California to ensure that clearanswers areavailable,particularlyfor smallbusinesses,” said Bonta. “The lawissimple: Theprice yousee is theprice youpay.Lawsworkwhen everyone cancomply. Iampleased that we canofferthis guidancetohelpfacilitatecompliancewiththe lawand make amorefairand levelmarketplace forbusinessesand consumers."

“Every consumerdeserveshonest, upfront pricingand I’mproud to have worked with Attorney GeneralBonta andSenator Skinnerto pass alaw to help do just that,” said SenatorBill Dodd,D-Napa. “A consumershouldn’tdiscover hidden fees made up by abusinesswhen they paytheir bill.”

“OnJuly1,CaliforniansfromYreka to Calexico willbeabletotellhow much aproduct or service will actually cost rightfromthe start,”said TedMermin, director of theCaliforniaLow-Income Consumer Coalition, whichco-sponsored the bill.“No more gettingdrawn in by afalsely low advertised priceonlytofind that thecost hasdoubled by thetimeyou checkout.The people of California have been played fortoo long.Thissummer, it’s game over.”

Coauthored by SenatorBillDodd(D-Napa) andSenator NancySkinner (D-Berkeley),and co-sponsored by theCaliforniaLow-Income Consumer Coalition, SB 478prohibits hidden fees in California beginningonJuly1,2024. Hidden fees arefeesinwhich aselleruses an artificiallylow headline pricetoattract acustomerand usuallyeitherdiscloses additional required fees in smallerprint or reveals additional unavoidablecharges laterinthe buying process.

SB 478applies to thesaleorlease of most goodsand services that arefor aconsumer’s personal useincludingevent tickets, hotels and other lodging, restaurantsand food delivery SB 478eliminatesbait-and-switch tacticsand demandstransparency, so that consumersknow what they arepayingfor andthe totalcostof agood or serviceupfront

California is at theforefront of anational movement againsthiddenand deceptivefees. In February,AttorneyGeneralBonta supported theFederal TradeCommission’s(FTC) new“Rule on Unfair or DeceptiveFees,”which wouldban hidden fees nationwide.The FTC’sproposed rule wouldprohibitunfairordeceptive practices relating to fees forgoodsorservices, including misrepresentingthe totalcosts of goodsand services by omitting mandatoryfeesfromadvertisedpricesand misrepresentingthe nature and purposeoffees. ▐

©Kaspars Grinvalds /AdobeStock

Southern California's legal scene was readyfor change when Lemand Therese Garcia set out to elevate the personal injury field 10 years ago. Their mission was simple: improve the way personal injury cases were handled andhow injuredclients were treated.

With ashared vision and unwavering determination, they opened Lem Garcia Law. Their goal was to deliver outstanding personal service and results to all clients, challenging the industry to ahigher standard.

What inspired you to pursue acareer in law,and what do you find most fulfilling about it?

Lem: In college,Idreamed of being ajournalist to shine alight on the world’sinjustices and inequalities, hoping to spark change.But Irealized that as alawyer, Icould make amore direct impact, one person at atime.Nothing is more fulfilling than improving someone’s life.

Therese: Iworkedatseveral nonprofitorganizations tackling various social inequities, then decided that acareerinlaw would be an effectiveway to make atangible, measurable difference in people’s lives. Being able to do thatevery day is incredibly fulfilling.

Can you share amemorable experience from your work that had asignificant impact on you?

Lem: One morning at 2a.m., Igot an email from ayoung woman who was desperate for help after she was hitbyacar andlosther frontteeth Nobody wanted to represent her because they thought she was at fault. Itook her case anyways, and weekslater,wesecured asignificant settlement for her,more than enough for her to get her smile back. We can really makeanimpact when we truly listen and care

Therese: Oneofour first cases, when we opened LemGarcia Law(LGL),

7Key Questions Answered: Insights from aLegal PowerCouple

involved ayoung man who suffered acatastrophic injury.Itwas deeply humbling to see alife changed so drastically by the negligence of others. It truly inspired me to fight for justice for himand for all our clients

How do you balance running asuccessful law firm and spending quality time with your family?

Lem: Balancing alaw firm and ahappy family is ajuggling act, especiallywhenyourbusiness partner is alsoyour life partner. There’s no clear line between the two –running afirmand running afamily often blur together.The key is managingexpectations and staying flexible.You need to switch gears quickly,pause work when your family needsyou,and stepbackfromfamily duties when the office calls. Even on family vacations, Ican never fully disconnectfromwork. Buthonestly, that’sa small price to pay

Therese: Running alaw firm and taking care of afamily arequite similar endeavors, each requiring timeand attention. Time is precious and fleeting, so scheduling and planning are of utmost importance Being flexible and creative about responding to theneeds of thefirm and our family helps as well.

What aresome of the biggest challengesyou faced while growing your law firm,and how did you overcome them?

Lem: Handling theunknown. When Istarted,I had no experience running abusiness andlittle experience in handling personal injurycases. But Iwas determined to figureitout, drivenbyalways needing to do what'sbest for my clients

New issuesconstantly arose,and Ihad no mentors. That’swhen CAALA (Consumer Attorneys Association of LosAngeles) became alifeline.I’d post questionsontheir messageboard, and within minutes, attorneys with decades of experience

would respond. Theirsupport was invaluable.Thankstothe connections Imade there,we’ve been able to improve thelives of many clients

Therese: Our toppriorityatLGL is providing thebest service to our clients. In the early days of LGL, ensuring that we met that goal, while also creating business infrastructure for the firm (i.e. marketing, human resources andaccounting), was achallenge.Weworked long hours (there was no such thingas9-5), figured out how to divide the labor and delegate,and sought third-party support in different areas

How do you stay motivated and maintainyour passion for your work?

Lem: Ibelieve anything is possible,so motivation becomes second nature Iembrace the mindset that discipline, hard work and alittle luck can make anything possible. Once youdothat, how can you not seize every day? Life hassomuchtooffer,and we only havesomuch time.

Therese: Hearing feedback from our clients about how thankful they are forour help is very motivating. Knowing that we are making adifference is the best motivation to keep going.

What advicewould you give to aspiring lawyers, especially those from underrepresented communities?

Lem: Be unrealistic. When people say you can’t do something because it’s unrealistic,don’t listen. Don’t let their limitations become yours. They’re projecting theirown insecurities and failures onto you. Don’t believe the hype that you can’t do something because you’re aminority.You can do it. Don’t let anyone convinceyou otherwise

Therese: It can be adifficult road to becoming thefirst lawyer in your family or your community,but it is

possible.Asa child of aFilipino immigrant whoblazedmyown path, Ican attest to that. Observe and connect with others doing the work you want to do.Takeadvantage of all the learning opportunitiesyou can find. Seek supportfrom others.Having community inside and outsideofthe professionwill give you strength.

What hobbiesoractivitiesdoyou enjoyoutside of your professional life,and how do they contribute to your overall happiness and well-being?

Lem: Ilove to play basketball and lift weights. It’smyescape.Ilove the constant challenge; there’salways room for improvement. To me,growth isn’t just progress –it’shappiness.

Therese: Raising three children is my otherfull-time job. It is oneofmy greatest joys to nurture them into becoming their own beings. Ialso stay active in local civic activities. There is much work to be done toward making oursociety morejust.

Lemand Therese Garcia improved the personal injury field by opening LemGarciaLaw,dedicatingtheir practice to providing clients with exceptional service and results. If you're looking for skilled and compassionate help withyour personal injury case, call LemGarcia Lawtoday at (626) 337-1111.

Lem Garcia Law, PC 1720 W. Cameron Ave. Ste. 210 West Covina, California 91790

Apowerful pair in lifeand law: Lem and Therese Garcia.

Injured on the Jobthis Year? Here’s What You Should Do

Hereisaneasy-to-follow guide anyemployee should take afteranon-the-job injury

Workers' compensationbenefits aredesigned to provideneeded medicaltreatment to recoverfromwork-relatedinjuryorillness, partiallyreplace anylostwages during recovery andaid in return-to-work.Workers’ compensationbenefits do notinclude damagesfor pain andsufferingorpunitive damages.

Beloware some stepsanyoneshould take if injuredonthe job:

Report theinjuryorillness to your employer

Make sure asupervisorisnotified of theinjury as soon as possible.Ifthe injury or illness developedgradually,reportitassoon as youlearn or believeitwas caused by actions on thejob.Reporting promptly helpsavoid problems anddelaysinreceiving benefits, including medicalcare. Injuries notreported within 30 days couldcause theindividualto

lose theright to receiveworkers’compensation benefits.

Getemergency treatmentifneeded

If it is an emergency, call 911orgotoanemergencyroomright away.Tellthe medicalstaff that theinjuryorillness is job-related. If it is safe to do so,contact theemployerfor further instructions

If emergencytreatment isn’tneeded, make sure first aidisadministeredand seeadoctor if necessary.

What’s next?

Once aclaim is filed,the employer is required to providemedical care

Didyou know?

•You canattenda free seminaronworkers’ compensationorcontact theInformation

andAssistanceUnitifyou have questions. Youcan also call 800.736.7401 forrecorded information.

•Medical care must be paid forbyyour employer if youget hurt on thejob –whether or notyou miss time from work

•You maybeeligibletoreceive benefitseven if youare atemporary or part-timeworker.

•You don’thavetobea legalresidentof theUnitedStatestoreceive most workers’ compensationbenefits

•It’sillegal foryouremployertopunishorfire youfor having ajob injury or forrequesting workers’ compensation benefitswhenyou believeyourinjurywas caused by your job.

•You canfind thedefinitionsofcommon termsand abbreviationsinthe glossary for injuredworkers.

•Factsheetsand claimforms areavailable in Chinese, Korean,Spanish,Tagalog and Vietnamese fr

Questions injure

Q. Howcan Iavo

A. EmployersinC an injury andi Theprogram workplaceins correcting un aboutand pa programand your employer OSHA,the st andsafetylaw

Q. Do Ineedtofi employer gave

A. Yes. Giving th to your employ workers' comp starts thepro benefitsyou statelaw.Tho butare notlim

•A presumptio illnesswas ca claimisnot ac

days of giving thecompleted claimformto your employer

•Upto$10,000 in treatmentunder medical treatmentguidelines whilethe claims administrator considersyour claim.

•Anincreaseinyourdisabilitypaymentsif they'relate.

•A waytoresolve anydisagreements betweenyou andthe claims administrator over whether your injury or illnesshappened on thejob,the medicaltreatment youreceive andwhether youwillreceive permanent disability benefits.

Q. Howcan Ifind outwho provides workers' compensationcoverage formyemployeror anotherbusinessinCalifornia?

A In California,all employersare required to either purchase aworkers'compensation insurancepolicyfroma licensed insurer authorized to writepoliciesinCaliforniaor become self-insured.The DWCdoesnot provideworkers'compensation insurance

employee or an independent contractor Some employersmisclassify employeesas an independent contractor to avoidworkers' compensationand otherpayroll responsibilities.Justbecause an employer says youare an independent contractor anddoesn't need to coveryou undera workers' compensation policy doesn'tmakeittrue–atrueindependent contractor hascontrol over howtheir work is done.

TheDWC Informationand AssistanceUnitprovidesinformation andassistancetoemployees, employers, laborunions, insurancecarriers, physicians,attorneys andother interested parties concerning rights,benefits andobligations underCalifornia'sworkers'compensation laws Theunitplays amajor role in reducing litigation before theWorkers'Compensation Appeals Board(WCAB)and is oftenthe first DWCcontact forinjured workers.

Informationfor this articlewas provided by the California Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Workers’ Compensation.Learn more at dir.ca.gov/dwc ▐

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©Brian Jackson/ AdobeStock

Consumer Protection Litigation Trends

RevealedinNew Report

Whileconsumerprotectioncases have been on an overall decline overmost of the past decade, therewas an increaseingeneral consumer protection cases,class action cases, TCPA cases and data breach cases last year.

LLexMachina,aLexisNexiscompany,released its2024ConsumerProtectionLitigationReport, whichexaminesconsumerprotectionlitigation trends in federaldistrictand appellatecourts. Focusing on thethree-yearperiodfrom2021 to 2023,itsurveys emerging trends in case filings,venues, judges,law firms,attorneys, parties, timing metrics, case resolutions, findings anddamages

Thereportoften focusesondifferentsetsof data,e.g., filtering casesinorder to provide analyticsongeneral consumerprotectioncases,

classactioncases,FCRAcases,FDCPA cases, TCPA cases, data breach casesand consumer protection appellatecases

“Consumerprotectionlitigationisacomplex andmulti-faceted area of lawthatinvolves abroad spectrum of possible underlying claims,” said LauraHopkins,Lex Machina’sconsumer protection legaldataexpertand editor of thereport. “Inour report,weleverageLex Machina’sdiverse andnuanced filters to slice thedataand analyticsinorder to gain crucial data-driveninsights into thedifferentsubsets of

consumerprotectioncases that matter most to practitioners.”

Findingsfromthe report include:

•In2023, 14,515 consumer protection cases were filed in federaldistrictcourts.

•Inthe three-year period from 2021 to 2023, thehighestnumberofconsumerprotection caseswas filed in theCentral District of California,while JudgeBurroughs from the District of Massachusettswas themostactive judgefor consumer protection cases.

•Individualplaintiffs dominatedthe listsofthe most active plaintiffs, thevastmajorityfiling casesthatinvolvedclaimsunderthe TCPA

•Creditreporting companies comprisedthe bulk of themostactivedefendants, defending in casesthatprimarily involved claims underthe FCRA

•Inthe three-year period from 2021 to 2023, AtlasConsumerLaw wasthe most active lawfirm representing plaintiffsinconsumer protection cases, whileJones Dayrepresented defendants in thehighestnumberof consumerprotectioncases

•For consumer protection casesthatwere appealed to afederal appellatecourt and terminated from 2021 to 2023 with adecision on themeritsofthe appeal,30% were ultimately reversed

•$13 billionintotal damageswereawarded as Approved ClassActionSettlements from 2021 to 2023

LexMachina’s reportsand software enable practitionerstodevisedata-driven litigation strategies.The metricsinthisreportcan help readers decide whotopursueasclients, whether to fileaparticularmotionorwhento settle (and forhow much). This research supplementstraditional legalresearchand anecdotal data foracompetitive edge in court.

LexMachina provides strategicinsightson judges,lawyers,law firms,parties andother critical informationacross22federal practice areas andarapidly growingnumberofstate courts ▐

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D.Law’sUnique CultureUnitesand Guides ItsTeam

“More than anything,our culture is what brings us togetherand keeps us together,” says Emil Davtyan,founder and managing attorney at employment lawfirm D.Law. “It’salso aunifying force that helps guide us into thefuture with acommon vision for success.”

Davtyan is speakingabout D.Law’s uniqueset of shared principles, which the company recently codified in its “Cultural Constitution.” The document encapsulates D.Law’smission, philosophy, people,workplace and values

The company’smission, as stated in the document, is to bring justice and fairness to workers throughoutCalifornia by redefining what an employmentlaw firm can be.According to Davtyan, the way D.Law’steam worksand interacts together,aswell as with others, is the keytomaking this revolutionary mission areality.

D.Law’sphilosophy,which focuses on balancing the hard work of excelling as an employment law firm

with the fun of joining together to celebrate successes,expresses the spirit of the firm’sculture. “Weare inspired by thequalitiesweadmire in the best sports teams around the world,”said Davtyan. “Keeping ourhead in the game,our eye on the goal and giving it everything we’vegot are things we all can relate to.Wealso are influencedby the dynamicofa tightlyknit family We embracethe honesty, empathy and loyalty that keep families– and companies –strong and united.”

Nina Palyan, director of HR & finance,emphasizes the crucial role D.Law’steam members play in defining the company’s culture.“Our people come from awiderange of backgrounds, with awealth of work and life experiences,”she said. “Weare spirited,tenacious,compassionate and dedicated to excellence.Our diversityisanessential element of ourstrength. We love working together, having fun together and sharing the passion of building agreat company together. We believeeach team memberhas

arole in shaping and advancing our culture, and we’re devoted to helping eachother grow both personally andprofessionally.”

Palyan alsonoted that D.Law’s workplace is areflection of its culture.“We are continuously designing and improvingour workplace with our people in mind, creatinganenvironment that fosters focus, creativity andteamwork while providingamenities and culturalevents that allow us to relax andhavefun together,” she said.

D.Lawiscurrently workingwith top architects, artists,designers andcraftsmentobuild anew Pasadena-based headquarters featuring state-of-the-art facilities andcomplemented by inspiring art and furniture. The building reflects acommitmenttothe staff’s needswhileenhancing work-life balanceand team cohesion.

Thefirm’s values are also highlighted in theCultural Constitution andare definedin away that emphasizes whatthe

“D”inD.Law trulystandsfor.“Our values arethe foundation of who we areand what definesusas atruly differentkindoflaw firm,” Emil Davtyanexplained. “We categorize these values in the areas of diligence,dependability, dedication,decisiveness, dignity and defense. In building our team, we look for these qualities in potentialemployees,because peoplewho embodyand exhibit these values alreadyare in sync with ourculture and areready to helpustakeittothe next level.

“Weare continuallyevolving our vision andthe culture that supports it,”Davtyancontinued. “It’swhat distinguishes us most from other companies andischanging the perceptionofthe public andour peersonwhatanemployment law firm cantruly be.Weare building abrilliantfuture together,and we hope ourculture andthe changes it brings aboutwillinspire and positively impact ourindustry.” ▐

TheFight for Drug Pricing Transparency

California Attorney GeneralRob Bonta recently led21attorneys general in filing an amicus briefin Pharmaceutical Res. &Manufacturers of Am.v.Stolfi insupport of laws that increase drugprice transparency.

Theamicusbrief,filedbeforethe NinthCircuit CourtofAppeals,supportsOregon'sdefense of HouseBill4005, an Oregon lawthatrequires pharmaceutical manufacturerstoreportcertain informationabout specificnew prescription drugsand historical informationabout pricing forexistingdrugs.Oregon’sHouse Bill 4005 is similartoa2017Californialaw,SenateBill17.

“Asprescriptiondrugpricescontinuetoescalate across ourcountry,the need forstate-level action to protectresidents from predatory pricingpractices hasnever been more urgent,” said Bonta. “That’swhy todayI’m leadingamultistatecoalition of attorneysgeneral nationwide to supportOregon’sdrugprice transparency law. High prescription drug prices threaten peoples’ access to care andcan result in worseningmedical conditions,declining health outcomes and even death. Together,wecan create ahealthcare system that prioritizesthe well-being of ourpeopleoverthe profits of pharmaceutical companies.”

Oregon’s HouseBill4005, passed in 2018,aims to increase transparencyindrugpricing,tohold pharmaceutical companies accountablefor pricehikes andtohelpcontrol therisingcost of prescription drugsfor Oregon residents. The Pharmaceutical Research andManufacturers Association(PhRMA),atrade associationrepresentingsomeofthe largestdrugmanufacturers in theUnitedStates, filed alawsuit in federal district courtinOregon,challenging theconstitutionalityofHouse Bill 4005.The district court ruled, in part,infavor of PhRMA, andOregon appealed to theNinth Circuit.

Californiahas asimilar law, Senate Bill 17, whichaimstoprotect consumersfromdrastic increasesinthe priceofpharmaceuticaldrugs SB 17 similarlyrequiresthatmanufacturers report specified informationwhen thereisanincrease in adrug’slistprice.Using data obtained under SB 17,the California Department of Managed Health Care evaluatesthe impact that prescription drug costshaveonhealthplanpremiums.

Both California stateagenciesand theDepartment of Justicehavebeenutilizing this lawin enforcementmatters.LawslikeOregon’sHouse Bill 4005 andCalifornia’sSB17helptohold pharmaceutical manufacturersaccountable for increasesinthe priceofprescriptiondrugs and allowstatestocollect andanalyze relevant data to inform solutionstocontain thepricesofdrugs necessarytoour residents’ health

Accordingtoa2019Gallup-West Health National Healthcare Study, more than 13%ofAmerican adults –orabout 34 millionpeople–reported knowingofatleast onefriendorfamilymember in thepastfive yearswho died afternot receiving needed medicaltreatment becausetheywere unable to payfor it.Inthe amicusbrief,the coalition argues that statelawslikeOregon’sserve importantstate interests, as recent dramatic

increasesindrugpricingimposeharms on states andtheir residents.

Theamicusbrief also highlights thevarious measures that abipartisangroup of states have adopted to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable, includinglawspromoting drug pricetransparency. Further,the briefemphasizes theimportanceoflawsthatcollect data to providegreater understanding of drug spending andhelpguide policy solutionstoaddress high drug costs.

In filingthe amicusbrief,AttorneyGeneral Bonta wasjoinedbythe attorneysgeneral of Arizona, Colorado,Connecticut,Delaware, Hawaii,Illinois, Maine,Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,Minnesota,Nevada, NewJersey, NewMexico, New York,North Carolina,Pennsylvania,Vermont, Washington andthe District of Columbia

NewCaliforniaLaw GovernsProtected HealthInformation

New lawprevents information regarding reproductive healthcare from beingsharedout-of-state.

TTheState of California recently sent letters to eightmajor pharmacy chains as well as fivehealthdatacompanies,reminding the companies of theirobligations to comply with California’s Confidentiality of MedicalInformation Act(CMIA), includingnew requirements under Assembly Bill (AB352)(Bauer-Kahan) to provide certainadditionalprotections,including limiting access to informationrelated to patients’ reproductive health or gender-affirmingcare. Theletters to thepharmaciesalsoremindthem of theirobligations underCalifornialaw not to discloseindividuals’medical information to lawenforcement withoutawarrant in most circumstances

AB 352, whichwentintoeffect on July 1, 2024, strengthensCMIAbygenerally prohibiting pharmacies andhealthdatacompanies from providinginformation relatedtoapatient’s abortion to anyone from another stateunless authorized by thepatient or an exceptionin CMIA.AB352 also requires theseentitiesto enable data security featurestosegregateand protecthealthinformation relatedtoabortion, contraceptionand gender-affirmingcaresothat it is notreadily accessible across statelines

“Protectingpatient informationisnow more imperative than ever,especiallysince therepeal of Roev.Wade,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Pharmaciesand health data companies statewidemustsafeguard theprivacy andconfidentiality of allmedical records, includingthose relatedtoabortioncare. [The]letters remind thesecompanies of theirobligationtocomply with California law. In California,weprotect informationregarding reproductive healthcare forpatientswherever they maylive.”

Last year,the United States Senate Committee on Financerevealedthatmajor pharmacy chains were failingtofully protectthe privacyoftheir patients.The findingsindicatedthatthese

pharmacy chains were disclosing protected health information(PHI) to lawenforcement withoutawarrant andoften withoutnotifying patients that theirPHI wasdisclosed

Whilethispracticedid notnecessarily violate federalprivacy laws,California’sCMIAhas more stringentprotections.Itprohibits pharmacies andother healthcare companiesfromproviding patientmedical informationtomostlaw enforcementwithoutawarrant or priorpatient authorization. AndunderAB352’s expanded protections, reproductive health information must be better protectedtomaintainthe privacy of Californians andthose individualstravelingto California to receiveabortionand other reproductivehealthorgender-affirmingcare.

In theletter, theAttorneyGeneral requests theeight majorpharmacychainsand five data health businesses to provideinformation regardingtheir compliancewithCMIAand the newrequirementsofAB352 ▐

©Papisut /AdobeStock

©Papisut /AdobeStock

Protecting California’s Military Communityfrom Common Scams and Fraud

Theoffice of California’s Attorney General RobBontarecently issued a consumer alert to help protect California service members,veterans and their family membersfromtargeted common scams and fraud.

Scammers oftentargetthe military community. Accordingtothe FederalTrade Commission, military consumersnationwidereportedover 93,700 fraudcomplaintslastyear, including 42,766 imposter scamsthatreportedlycost them andtheir families over $178 million.

“Far toooften,Californiaservice members andtheir families aretargets forpredatory scammers.Scams arevariedand sophisticated, promisingeverythingfromhomeloans to jobs andcontinuingeducation.I urge California’s military communitytolearn thescamwarning signs, bringabuddywhenengaginginmajor transactions andtakea tactical pausewhen an offer seemstoo good to be true,” said Attorney GeneralBonta.“As partofour commitment to protectthose whoprotect us,myofficewillcontinuetobring thefullforce of thelaw against thosewho seek to exploitCalifornia’smilitary community. If youhavefallenvictimtoascam or suspectfraudulentactivity, gethelpand share your storysothatwecan help your fellow servicemembers.You canreportfraud to your localmilitary or civilian lawenforcement agency or to theCaliforniaDepartmentofJustice.”

Whyisthe Military CommunityTargeted?

Military servicemembers,veteransand their families arefrequentlytargetedbyscammers whowantaccess to theirpay andbenefits and whoknowthatmilitary memberswilloften pay even fraudulent or over-stateddebtstoavoid security clearanceissuesorother disruptions to theirmilitary careers. In addition,the camaraderiethatunitesthe military communityisoften exploitedbyimpostors whoclaim to be veteransinattemptstoperpetratescams or access personal informationfor fraudulent purposes.

Common ScamsTargeting theMilitary Community Scammers useavariety of tacticstogain trust. Protectyourselfbystaying up to date on commonmilitary- andveteran-targetedscams Beware of thefollowing:

•Charity Scams: Just becauseacharity includes theword“veteran” in itsname doesn’tmeanthatveteransare membersof thegroup or that veterans or theirfamilies will benefit from adonation. Scammers will usenames that soundlegitimateorthose that mimicthe namesofwell-knowncharities to create confusion. Take thetimetomakean informed decisionand be wary of aggressive solicitations. Go to oag.ca.gov/charities, underthe Resources&Tools section, and clickonRegistryVerification Search.Ifacharityisnot listed,itshouldnot be soliciting fundsinCalifornia. If it is listed,you canview itsfinancialreports,including theIRS Form 990thatthe charityisrequiredtofile with DOJ'sRegistryofCharitableTrusts.

•Predatory Schools: TheGIBilland other military educationprogramsofferyou the chancetoattendschooland plan foryour future,but for-profitschools sometimestarget servicemembers andveteranswithfalse promises.Slowdownand take thetimeyou need to make theright decision. Predatory schoolsoften usehigh-pressure salestactics to trytoget youtosignup. It’s important to askfor informationabout theprograms, such as graduation rates, jobplacement and graduate salary information. Offersthatseem toogoodtobetruegenerally are. Further, don'tforgetthateducational opportunitiesat

theCaliforniaCommunity Colleges, California StateUniversityand University of California maybeavailable to you.

•HomeLoanScams: Be awareofscammers that –through phonecalls or fraudulent mailers–claim to be affiliated with thegovernment, theDepartmentofVeteransAffairs or your home loan servicer.These fraudsters mayattempt to convince youtoagree to loan modifications,refinanceyourhomeor make payments on your loans. Be cautious of anyindividualorlenderthatcontactsyou andasksyou to payfeesupfront before receivingany services;tells youtocancel your mortgage paymentand resend the fundselsewhere;tells youtomakepayments to someoneother than your currentloan servicer;orpressures youtosignpapersyou haven’thad achancetoreadthoroughlyor that youdon’t understand —including asking youtosignoverthe titletoyourproperty.

•IdentityTheft andFraud: Some scammers will pretendtobefromthe Department of Defense, DepartmentofVeteransAffairs or otherofficialorganizations in orderto getyourpersonalinformation so that they cancommitidentitytheft or fraud. Before youprovide anyinformation,alwaysmake sure arequest is coming from an official organization by doinga quicksearchonthe internet or consulting atrusted source to get theorganization’srealcontact information. Nevertrust thecontact informationgiven by thepersonwho is asking foryourpersonal information, as scammers oftengiveout fake contactinformation.Bewaryofletters and emailsthathavemisspellings, look unprofessionalorsendyou to anon-government websitefor informationoraction, as these arealmostalwaysfake. Lastly,never give outyourSocialSecuritynumbertoreceive military or veterandiscounts.Scammers often promisemilitary or veterandiscounts in order to obtain personal information.

•Job Scams: Servicemembers lookingfor newcareeropportunities afterleaving serviceare atargetfor scammers posting fictitiousjob listings with thegoalofstealing theirpersonalinformation andfinances Avoidbecomingavictimofjob scams by conducting thorough research on the company. Additionally,stick to well-known jobsearchplatforms andgovernmentcareer websites when lookingfor jobopportunities Remember,legitimateemployers will never requireyou to payfeesfor applications, interviews or backgroundchecks. You should also look outfor fake checkscams, whichoccur when ascammer posing as an employer sendsyou acounterfeit checkto depositintoyouraccount.The scammerwill then askyou to send aportion of thefunds backtothemora thirdparty,while letting youkeepsomeaspayment.Eventually, the bank reverses thefakecheck,leaving you stuckpayingthe moneybacktothe bank. If somethingfeels off or suspicious during thejob search,trust your instinctsand end communicationimmediately.

•PensionScams: Veterans ages65 andover aretargetedbyscamfinancialadviserswho trytopersuade senior veterans to buycostly annuities or transfer theirassetsintotrusts or payunnecessaryand illegalfeesfor help with aveteran’s pensionapplication.These "advisers" claimtohelpveteransqualify forAid andAttendanceorother veterans benefitsbut maycause youtoloseeligibility or access to pension, disability or healthcare benefits. If youare interested in Aidand Attendanceorother veterans benefits, you canget free help from your County Veterans ServiceOfficeat calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/ pages/cvso-locations.aspx.

•AffinityFraud: Affinity scamstargetmembers of identifiable groups, including themilitary Theperpetratorsare —orpretend to be membersofthe targeted groupand usesales pitchesthatrelyongroup trustand loyalty. In themilitary community, this includes exploiting thetrust that servicemembers have fortheir fellow servicemembers andfor veterans who previously served.Don't make asignificant purchase or an investment decision basedon thesalesperson'ssupposedmilitary serviceor theclaim that abusinessismilitary-friendlyor endorsed by theArmed Forces.Takeatactical pause,and shoparoundfor thebestdeal.

•DebtCollectionand IllegalThreats: Debt collectors maytry to trickorscare service membersintomakingpaymentsondebts.It isillegal fordebtcollectorstodoany of the following: revoke your security clearance; contactyourcommand in ordertocollect a debt (unlesstheyhaveyourconsent,given afterthe debt came due, to do so); discipline or demote you; or garnishyourpay.Ifadebt collectoristryingtocollect adebt that you do notowe or have alreadypaid, disputethe debt in writing. Tell thedebtcollector whyyou do notowe thedebt, includecopiesofany evidence youhaveand mail this disputetothe debt collectorusing registered mail so that youhaveproof that thecollector received it andmakesuretokeepcopiesofeverything foryourself. If youdispute thedebt within 30 days afterthe collectorfirstcontacted you, thecollector must stop collection untilit showsyou writtenproof of thedebt

•RentalHousing Scams: Thesescams target military personnellooking forhousing near abase, especiallyprevalent duringthe Permanent Change of Stationseason. Scammers

pretendtoberealestateagentsand post fake adsfor rental properties on websites,sometimespromising military discountsand other incentives in ordertoget servicemembers to send them moneyfor fees anddepositsupfront If someoneinsists on receivingmoney or other payments before apropertyhas been seen,it islikelya rental scam.Avoid wiring moneyto reserveapartments,and useyour installation housing office or establishedpropertymanagement companiestolocatepotential housing

•Predatory Auto Salesand Financing: Car dealerslocated near military basesmay try to lure servicemembers with promises of specialdeals formilitarypersonnel.Often, theseso-called dealsconceal theterms of purchase forthe vehicleand result in the servicememberdrastically overpaying for both thevehicle andthe cost of financing Forexample,dealers mayinsistthatmilitary personnelwillnot qualify forfinancingunless they purchase overpriced andunnecessary add-ons. Othertimes,the dealer maytell aservice member whojustpurchased acar that theinitial financingfellthrough andinsist on renegotiatingfor worseterms.You should notrelyonoralpromisesnor feel pressured to enterintoany purchase withoutfirstreadingand understandingthe contract.Ifyou are lookingtopurchaseacar,you should explore allofyouroptions forfinancing–including by contacting your bank or credit union–before making apurchase.

ProtectYourselffromScams •Bring abattlebuddywhenmakingbig decisionsand take atacticalpause: Take your time with bigdecisions andget advice.

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TheChallenge ofPreventing Sexual Harassmentin theWorkplace

Addressing Legal Developments andEmergingIssues, Including VirtualWork Environments

TheU.S.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recentlypublished final guidanceonharassmentinthe workplace, “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace.”Byproviding this resource on the legalstandards andemployerliability applicable to harassment claims underthe federalemployment discrimination laws enforced by theEEOC, theguidancewillhelppeoplefeelsafeonthe joband assist employersincreatingrespectful workplaces

Theselawsprotect coveredemployees from harassment basedonrace, color, religion,sex (includingpregnancy, childbirthorrelated medical conditions;sexualorientation;and gender identity), national origin,disability, age(40 or older)orgeneticinformation

Sincethe Commission last issued guidance on workplaceharassment, notablechanges in thelaw have occurred,including theSupreme Court’sdecisioninBostock v. ClaytonCounty; theEEOCconvenedabipartisanSelect Task Forceon Harassment in theWorkplace andissuedadetailedreportsetting forthits Co-Chairs’ findingsand recommendations; andnew issues have emerged, such as online harassment

Thenew guidance updates, consolidates andreplacesthe agency’s fiveguidance

documents issued between1987and 1999 and serves as asingle, unified agencyresourceon EEOC-enforcedworkplace harassment law. It reflects theCommission’s considerationofthe robust public inputthatitreceivedafter the guidance waspostedfor public commentlate lastyear.

“Harassment, both in-personand online, remainsaserious issueinAmerica’s workplaces.The EEOC’s updatedguidanceon harassment is acomprehensive resource that brings together best practicesfor preventing andremedying harassment andclarifies recent developments in thelaw,” said EEOC chairCharlotte A. Burrows. “The guidance incorporates public inputfromstakeholders across thecountry,isaligned with ourStrategic EnforcementPlanand will help ensure that individualsunderstand theirworkplace rights andresponsibilities.”

Between2016and last year,morethanathird of alldiscriminationcharges received by the EEOCincludedanallegationofharassment basedonrace, sex, disability or another characteristic coveredbythe laws enforced by the agency.Also, sincefiscal year 2018,harassment has been allegedinoverhalfoffederal sector equalemploymentopportunity complaints In addition,among the143 merits lawsuits that theCommissionfiledinfiscal year 2023, approximately35% of thosecases included an allegationofharassment.

Theguidance, approved by amajorityvoteof theCommission, reflectsthe EEOC’s commitment to protecting personswho areparticularly

vulnerable andpersons from underserved communitiesfromemployment discrimination. It includes over 70 examples illustrating unlawful harassment,includingsituationsinvolving olderworkers,immigrantworkers andsurvivors of gender-based violence.Italso illustrateshow employeesmay be subjectedto unlawful harassment,not only by coworkersor supervisorsbut also by customers, contractors andother thirdparties

In addition,the guidance addressesthe growth of virtualworkenvironmentsand theincreasing impact of digitaltechnology andsocialmedia on howharassmentoccursinthe work environment.

“Aswecommemorate this year’s 60th anniversary of theCivil Rights Actof1964, theguidance will help raiseawareness aboutthe serious problemofharassmentinemploymentand the law’sprotections forthose whoexperienceit,” said Burrows.

TheEEOCpreventsand remedies unlawful employment discrimination andadvancesequal opportunityfor allbyenforcing federallaws prohibitingemploymentdiscrimination. ▐ To view or share this contentonline, usethisQRcode.

Clio Announces $900-Million Investment AimedatTransformingthe LegalExperience forAll

NEA-led investment,the largesttransaction ever in cloud legal technology,includes participation from GoldmanSachsAsset Management,Sixth Street Growth, CapitalG and Tidemark.

Clio, thegloballeaderinlegal technology, announcedithas raised $900 million, basedona$3-billionvaluation,inaSeries Finvestmentround ledbyNew Enterprise Associates (NEA). Theround also includes newpartnersGoldman SachsAsset Management, SixthStreetGrowth, CapitalG andTidemark, whojoincurrent investors TCV, JMIEquity, fundsand accounts advisedbyT.RowePrice Associates, Inc. andbyT.RowePrice Investment Management, Inc.,respectively,and OMERS. Markinganew era in itsgrowthjourney,Cliowillcontinuetoexpandits multi-productplatform, includingfurther investments in itsburgeoningAIportfolio andintegratedlegal payments. It will also accelerate itsrapid market expansion upmarket andinternationally,deepening itsorganic growth to more than 130countries across theglobe

world’slargest legaltechnologyplatform, endorsed by more than 100law societiesand barassociations worldwide, includingall 50 statebar associations in the United States

“Thishistoricraise washeavily oversubscribed,further demonstratingthe overwhelming demand andconfidence in Clio’s future,” said Jack Newton,CEO and founderofClio. “I’m thrilled to embark on this journey with NEAand ourgroup of exceptionalinvestors.The Clio operatingsystemisthe undisputed platform of thelegal technology sector,engineeredtonot only meet butanticipatefutureindustrydemands.Weare pioneering this future forour customers, driven by our missiontotransform thelegal experience forall.Our commitment to delivering unparalleled valuepropels everydecisionwemake, andweare inspired by the massiveopportunities ahead.”

For16 years, Clio hasbeenatthe forefrontofcreating innovative,cloud-based solutionstailoredtothe unique needsofthe legalindustry. Clio is theoperating system forlaw firms,poweringevery aspect of thelegal process.Itsimplifies lawfirm management by centralizing client intake,casemanagement, document management,legal payments andmore. With more than 250 legal technologysoftwareintegrations, Clio is also the

Tony Florence, co-CEO at NEA, hasjoinedClio’s boardofdirectors.Hecommented,“Clio embodies everything NEAlooks forina growth-stage investment: an exceptional, purpose-driven team,marketand productleadershipand stellarbusinessphysics.Clio is mission-critical to lawfirms, andthe company’s

[Continued on page 30]

FWHAT DEFINES AVISIONARY?

or starters, it’s someone who views the futurewith original ideasand wonders what it could be like. Forthe Consumer Attorneys Magazine,inaddition to those qualities, avisionaryis also someone whostands out among their peers and hasdemonstrated outstanding achievement in their area of practice, whetheritbefamily law,labor &employment, personal injury, product liability or toxic torts.

Listed here in alphabeticalorder arethe names of Southern California’s leading lawyers along with information about their careers, practices and recent successes. Eachwas nominated by their colleaguesand peers and recognizedhere for theiraverage success rates, settlements

Danny Abir

ManagingPartner

ACTS Law

Personal Injury

Danny Abir is afounding and managing partnerof ACTS LAW, aplaintiff firm thathas secured over $1 billionfor clients.Inless than adecade,he hashelped build one of LosAngeles’premier plaintiff firms, growing to over 100 lawyers andstaffacross four Californiaoffices. Last year,the firmcelebrated over $200 million obtained for clients. Abir is anoted speakeratlegal conferences andwill be Consumer Attorneys of LosAngeles’2028 president. Hisarticles have been publishedinThe Advocate,The Daily Journal and SuperLawyers. Recognized as aTop PlaintiffAttorneyinCalifornia by the Daily Journal, he is known for his leadershipand advocacy in the legal community

Sayan Aboudi

Attorney

Lionsgate LawGroupAPC

Personal Injury

Sayan Aboudi, Esq., arespected personal injury attorney,draws inspirationfromhis family’s exileby the Iranian government, sparking hisdedication to advocatingfor the voiceless. As themanaging partnerof Lionsgate LawGroup, APC,inthe San Fernando Valley, he provides top-tier legal representation withmeticulous care and expertise. Aboudi has secured over $100 millioninsettlements and verdicts, handling arange of cases fromcar accidents to catastrophicinjuries.His compassionate approach and exceptional outcomes have established himasareliableand excellent figureinthe legal realm.

andverdictswon in thelasttwo years(20222023), leadership positions within the firm and their community as well as boardaffiliations and recognitions.

If you findyourselfwronged or discriminated againstatwork, have received unfair treatment or are injured in an accident due to someone else’s carelessness, having the right consumer attorney on your sidecan makeahugedifference in getting justice and theappropriate compensation for your pain andsuffering. And it’simportant to find an attorneywithaproven track record in obtaining settlements or winning jury trials. Fortunately,many of the nation’sleading personal injury attorneys are based in Southern California.

Albert Abkarian

President

Abkarian &Associates

Personal Injury

Albert Abkarian, the founder andpresident of Abkarian& Associates, is atestament to the power of resilience andhardwork.AnArmenian Iranian immigrantwho arrivedinthe U.S. in 1979without English proficiency,his journey wasmarkedbysignificant challenges. Despite financialhardships andworking40hours aweek while attendingnight classes, Abkarian graduatedwithhonors from CSUNin political science.His determination didn’t stop there; he pursued law school,workedfull-timeand attendednightclasses,eventually passing the California Baronhis first attempt. With over 30 yearssince founding hissuccessful personalinjury firm, Abkarian’sstory is aprofound example of achievingthe American Dream throughperseverance.

Mory Ahmadi

SeniorTrial Attorney

The Barnes Firm

Personal Injury

MoryAhmadi is aseniortrialattorneyatThe BarnesFirminLos Angeles,specializingin personalinjurylaw.Before joining TheBarnes Firm, shespent adecade running her ownpractice, representing thousands of clients in cases involving auto accidents,dog bites and slip andfalls.A Southern California native, Ahmadi is dedicatedtohelping hercommunity,tailoring strategies to achievethe best outcomesfor herclients. Shegraduated from UCLA with aB.A. in Psychology andearned herJ.D.fromChapman University’sDale E. FowlerSchoolofLaw.She hasserved as presidentofboth the Iranian American Bar Association and theIranian American LawyersAssociation, andremainsanactive member of several professional organizations

Stephan Airapetian Partner

Stephan Filip PC

Personal Injury

Stephan Airapetian, afounding partneratStephan Filip PC, is adistinguished attorney specializing in personal injury and employment law.Motivatedby aprofoundsense of compassion and adesiretobring aboutpositive community change, he chosealegal career focused onadvocatingfor themarginalized and wronged. Renowned for his aggressive litigation style,Airapetian has consistentlysecured favorable outcomes and substantial compensationfor his clients, establishing him as a top-tier litigator.Heholds alaw degree fromUSC School of Lawand abachelor’s degree from UCLA. Beyond his professional achievements, he is deeply committedtocommunityservice andmentoring future legal professionals,dedicating his time to promotingconsumer rights and legal education.

Wylie A. Aitken

Founding Partner

Aitken Aitken Cohn

Personal Injury

WylieA. Aitken, founding partner of AitkenAitken Cohn, has over 50 years of legal experience in personal injurylaw.His notable achievements include a$54-million verdict against theU.S.government, the highest individual injuryaward against thefederal government. He hasserved as trial counsel in numerous significant tort cases and contributed to precedent-setting decisions in Californiacourts. Aitken’s community service includes chairing the committee to recommend U.S. attorneysand federal judges and leading the CaliforniaArts Council.Hehas also presided as chair of ChapmanUniversity’sBoard of Trusteesand held leadership roles in major legal organizations.His accolades include the Franklin G. West Award andthe Marquette University LawSchool Lifetime Achievement Award

David Angeloff TrialLawyer

StalwartLaw Group Labor &Employment

DChrisA. Aitken Partner

Aitken Aitken Cohn

Personal Injury

Chris A. Aitken, apartneratAitken Aitken Cohn,is atrailblazingpersonalinjury lawyer knownfor his advocacyfor consumer safetyand championing the rights of children with braininjuries.His commitment hasled to securingsignificant legal victories, including a$23-million jury verdict anda$20-million settlement for youngbrain injury victims, alongsideahistoryofimpactful cases againstmajor entities like Disneyland, whichresulted in substantial safety lawreforms.Aitken’s work encompasses abroadrange of personal injury cases–from catastrophic injuries duetoamusementparkaccidentstocomplexcases involvingraremedical conditions –demonstrating hisunparalleled skill and dedicationtojustice for the injured andwronged

J. Bernard Alexander

Partner

Alexander Morrison+Fehr LLP

Labor &Employment

J.Bernard Alexander,apartner at Alexander Morrison+ Fehr LLP,isrenownedasone of California’s top plaintiff employment lawyers.With ahistory of securing large verdicts in challenging cases, three of hisfive 2023 trials were among California’s Top100 verdicts.Hehas been namedTrial Lawyer of the Year by CAALA, Langston Bar Association and San FranciscoTrial Lawyers Association. Recognized as aTop 10 Attorney in SouthernCalifornia (2021-2023) and a Super Lawyer since 2009,Alexander also graced the cover of Super Lawyers Magazine in 2022. He foundedand managed the California Employment Lawyer Association TrialCollege and has held esteemed positionsatUSC Gould School of Lawand Southwestern University School of Law.

avid Angeloffisadedicated trial lawyerat Stalwart LawGroup,specializing in civillitigation, personalinjuryand employmentlaw.Knownfor hisbalanced professionalism and tenacious client representation, he has secured significantverdicts, including $6.75million for families of young men killed by an unstable roommate and $1 millionfor harassed hotel housekeepers. Hisappellate work,such as in Lacayo v. Catalina Restaurant Group,Inc., hasinfluenced California law. Angelofffrequently lectures at theUniversity of San Diego SchoolofLaw and volunteers as afee arbitratorfor the LosAngeles CountyBar Association. He has also engaged in international legal volunteer work through Lawyers WithoutBordersand is amember of the Union Internationaledes Avocats.

Patrick Baghdaserians

ManagingPartner,CertifiedFamily LawSpecialist Baghdaserians LawGroup

Family Law

PatrickBaghdaserians, managing partner of Baghdaserians LawGroup,isa CaliforniaState Bar certified specialistinfamilylaw.Since2007,he has represented clients in complex divorce, custody and paternity cases acrossvarious industries, includingentertainment, finance,sportsand technology.Known for his tenacious courtroom skills and impassionedadvocacy,Baghdaserians has gained national prominence for his work in family law.Hehas been featured in theLos Angeles Times, CNNand othermedia outlets. He founded Baghdaserians LawGroup in 2019, whichhas rapidlyexpandedtoserve adiverse clientele. Baghdaserians earned his lawdegree from Southwestern LawSchool. While in school,heworkedfor a federal judge, the Honorable Robert M. Takasugi,asafull-time legal extern.

Mike Arias

Managing Partner

AriasSanguinetti |Trial Lawyers

Personal Injury

MikeArias, managing partneratArias Sanguinetti |Trial Lawyers, hasoverfourdecades of experience in personal injury,class actions, mass torts, employment andsexualassault cases, securing eightand nine-figureverdicts andsettlements. He wasawarded ConsumerAttorneyofthe Year by CAOC. Ariashas shown dedicated leadership as president of CAALA andCAOC, advocating for safer, more equitable laws in California. He is also aleader in the American Association forJustice (AAJ), servingonits executive committeeto support trial lawyers andconsumers nationwide.Arias’commitment to thelegalcommunity andconsumer rights hasmade significant contributionstothe field.

Daniel K. Balaban

Founding Partner

Balaban &Spielberger

Personal Injury

DanielK.Balabanisthe foundingpartnerof Balaban &Spielbergerand aformidableforce in personalinjury law. With overadecade of experience, he hasrecovered over $200 million in verdicts, awards andsettlements. Recently he secured alandmark $1.1-million juryverdict against the manufacturer of American Airlines’ uniforms, acasewith significant implications for ongoing litigation and industrysafety standards.Balaban alsoachieved a$5-million verdict against the San Diego Sheriff’sDepartmentfor excessive force andnegligent supervision,recognized as aTop Verdict of 2022.His notablevictories include a$30.5-millionpredatorylending case anda $15-million settlement with the City of LosAngelestoimprove public safety

2024 CONSUMERATTORNEY VISIONARIES

The Baghdaserians LawGroup is structured to providethe most streamlined, effective, and zealous advocacya clientcould hope for. Ourexperiencein handling complexand sensitivefamilylaw issuesisrenownedinSouthern California.Weare passionate aboutthe lawand helpingour clients getthrough arguablythe most difficult period of their lives.

MarcusJ. Bradley

Founding Attorney

Bradley/Grombacher LLP

Personal Injury

MarcusJ Bradley, the founding attorney of Bradley/GrombacherLLP,isadistinguishedtrial lawyer with over two decadesofexperience in litigation. AUniversity of California,Davis alumnus with an English bachelor’sdegree and alaw degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law, he is licensed across allCalifornia state courts, various U.S. district courts in Californiaand the U.S. Courtof Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Specializing in complexconsumer litigation, class actions, mass torts, product liability and personalinjury,Bradley is an active member of numerous professional andcommunity organizations.His contributions to legal literature and frequent speaking engagements at conferences highlight his expertise and commitment to the legal profession

Bruce Brusavich Partner

ACTS Law

Personal Injury

Bruce Brusavich, apartner at ACTS Law, brings over three decadesofexceptionallegal service,having founded and led his own firm prior. With expertise spanningpersonalinjury,business litigation, elder abuse and more,hehas successfully navigated over 100jury trials, advocatingtirelessly forthe rights ofthousands of individualsand businesses. Brusavich’sprofoundlegal knowledge is further shared through teachingContinuing Legal Education programs, testifying before thestate legislature and serving as an expertwitnessinlegalmalpractice cases. Apast president of both the Consumer Attorneys Association of LosAngeles and Consumer Attorneys of California, he hassignificantly influencedlegal reform,showcasing his dedicationtojusticeand client advocacy

Bruce A. Broillet Partner

Greene Broillet &WheelerLLP

Personal Injury

Bruce A. Broillet, apartneratGreeneBroillet& Wheeler LLP,isa distinguishedplaintiffattorney specializing in personalinjury,wrongfuldeath, productliability,business litigation andprofessional malpractice.Hehas securedlandmarkverdictsand settlements,includinga$3.3-billionsettlement againstBig Tobacco and a$55-millionverdict forErinAndrews.Recognized nationally,Broilletis amemberofthe InnerCircleofAdvocates andhas beennamed among California’s Top100 Lawyersand TopPlaintiff Lawyers. He is afellowof theAmerican College of TrialLawyersand the International Academy of TrialLawyers. Hisaccolades include CAALA’s Trial Lawyerofthe Year and CAOC’sConsumer Attorney of the Year awards

Deborah Chang Partner

Chang KleinLLP andAthea TrialLawyers LLP

Personal Injury

Deborah Chang, apartner at ChangKlein LLP and AtheaTrial Lawyers LLP,specializesin personalinjurylaw.She began her careerwith defensefirms andachieved alandmark settlement in aclass action lawsuitfor prisonerswith AIDS. Moving to LosAngeles in 2008, Changsecured someofthe highest verdictsand settlements in Californiaand Nevada, including a$160-million verdictin LasVegas. During the pandemic, she co-founded AtheaTrial Lawyers LLP, anationalfirm promoting women in significant trials. Shehas received numerous awards, including the2023CAOCConsumerAttorney of the Year.Chang is also apastpresident of ABOTA’s LosAngeles chapter and the CAOC.

[Continued from page 4]

•The EEOC filed 34 briefs as amicus curiae in privatesuits

TheEEOCdefinessystemicsuits as patternor practice,policyand/orclass caseswhere the discrimination hasa broadimpact on an industry, profession,company or geographic location Classsuits seek relief formultipleaggrieved individuals.

Resolution highlights include:

•The EEOC resolved 98 merits suitsinFY 2023,recoveringover$22.6 millionfor 968individuals andachievedasuccessful outcome(settlement or favorablejudgment)in 91%ofall suit resolutions.

•InFY2023, theEEOCresolved14systemic suits, obtainingjustover$11.7 millionfor approximately806 individualsand significant equitablerelief. Twoselectedsystemic examples include:

ɕ In one case,the EEOC alleged that affiliated entities that own andoperate 21 McDonald’sfranchisessubjected

male andfemaleemployees to sexual harassment, resultinginthe constructive discharge of some employees.The three-year consent decreeprovides for $1,997,500 to 41 individuals,alongwith equitable relief.

ɕ In another case, the EEOC allegedthat aconstructioncontractor subjectedthe two charging parties and other Black employees workingaslaborers at aconstructionsite to racial harassment and retaliatedagainstthe charging parties.Black employees reported the harassment,but the employer did not investigate and instead terminated the two charging parties. Thetwo-yearconsentdecreeprovides for$1.2 million to 31 claimants,alongwith equitable relief.

In recognitionofthe 60th anniversary of the 1964 CivilRightsAct andthe importanceofhighlighting civilrightshistory,the EEOC expanded itslibrary of EEOC Exploredatavisualizations of aggregated charge data,workforce demographicdataand limitedemployer-reported pay

data to include selected litigationcases resolved from 2019 to thepresent.The EEOC will continuetoadd data in future years. ▐ To view or share this contentonline, usethisQRcode.

©DrobotDean /AdobeStock

Richard Cohn Partner

Aitken Aitken Cohn

Personal Injury

RichardCohn, apartner at Aitken Aitken Cohn, is a highly respected plaintiffattorney specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice and complex birth injury cases. Renowned for his tenacity,hewon the OrangeCountyTrialLawyers Association’s TopGun Trial Lawyer of the Year Awardin2022. Cohn also handlescatastrophicconstruction site incidents, commercial trucking, automobile/motorcycle accidents and insurance bad faith matters.Hehas securedmulti-million-dollarsettlements, including $5.5 million from FarmersInsurance in anotable badfaith caseand another$5.5 million against an insurer for awater damage claim. Cohnisa past president of the Orange County TrialLawyers Association andafrequent speaker at legalseminars.

Miguel CustodioJr.

Partner &Co-Founder

Custodio&Dubey LLP

Personal Injury

Miguel Custodio Jr., partner and co-founder of Custodio&DubeyLLP,specializesin personal injuryand wrongfuldeath cases. Growing up in Boyle Heights as the child of Guatemalan immigrants,he witnessed structuralinequality and dedicated his career to seeking justice forthose harmed by majorcorporations. Custodio Jr.has secured nearly $100 millioninsettlements and compelled manufacturers and retailers to address dangerous products. He is known for treating clients like family and providing pro bono representationtodomestic violencevictims. He frequently provides legal analysisfor major news outlets and is developinga scholarshipprogram forunderrepresentedstudents. Custodio Jr.’sfirm also partners with Guiding Eyes forthe Blind.

Emahn Counts

Managing Attorney

Counts LawFirmPC

Family Law

Emahn Counts,founder andmanaging attorney of CountsLaw Firm PC, haspracticedlaw for 20 years specializing in business,familyand real estate litigation. He hashandled over 1,000 litigation matters in Southern Californiaand received numerousaccolades, includingBestLawyers in America in 2024 andLos Angeles Business Journal’sLeaders of Influence.Prior to founding his firm, Counts managedthe Pasadenaofficeofanationwidelitigation firm, representing high-profileclients. He earned hisJuris Doctorate from Loyola LawSchool, where he wasa Law Review member and TrialAdvocacy Team champion. Counts is also an ambassadorfor Loyola Marymount University’sAfrican American Alumni Association and aformer president-elect of itsAlumni Association BoardofDirectors.

Laura Lynn Davidson

Partner

Jacoby &Meyers

Personal Injury

Laura Lynn Davidson is apartner at Jacoby & Meyers,specializingincatastrophic personal injury,wrongful death, slipand falland motor carrier liability cases. As an experienced trial lawyer, sheholds corporationsand insurance companies accountable,securing justice for herclients.Davidson hasachieved millionsinawards,including a$5.1-million verdictfor awoman injured by acommercial truck, a$2.5-million settlement for aman with severe spinal cord injuries from awaste truck collisionand a$2.3-million settlement forthe familyofa mankilledbyanintoxicated driver. Shealso achieved a$2.25-millionsettlementonbehalfofa manwho suffered spinal cord injuries when adeliveryman smashedthe rear endofhis car.

Emil Davtyan

Founder &ManagingAttorney

D.Law

Labor &Employment

Emil Davtyan is the founderand managing attorney of D.Law, specializing in laborand employment law.Hegraduatedsumma cum laudefrom Woodbury University and earned his JurisDoctor from Southwestern LawSchool, graduatingcum laudeinthe top 10% of hisclass. He founded Davtyan LawFirm in 2015,now D.Law, which hashelpedCalifornia workers recover nearly $1 billion.Davtyan’s firm has handled over 5,000 cases and continues to grow, acquiring theoffices ofKevin T. Barnesand Yeremian Lawin2023.His immigrant background andblue-collar experience inspirehis commitment to defending workers’ rights andfostering apositive,modern law firm culture.

David deRubertis

Sole Shareholder& Lead TrialLawyer

The deRubertis LawFirm,APC

Labor &Employment

David deRubertis, sole shareholder and lead trial lawyer at ThedeRubertis LawFirm, APC, specializes in labor and employment law.From 2021 to 2023, he secured over $526 millioninjury verdicts in employmentcases, nearly $5 million in arbitration awards and amulti-million-dollar verdict for personalinjury.Notably, deRubertis achieved a$41.5-million whistleblower retaliation verdict in December2023 and a$20-million failure-to-accommodate verdict in September 2023, both record-breaking. In June 2022, he secured the largestemployment-related jury verdict in U.S. history at $464.5 million in Martinez/Page v. SCE/Edison. During COVID when jury trials were shut down, deRubertis oversaw binding contractual arbitrations in employmentcases, winningboth overZoom.

Lourdes DeArmas

Partner &Trial Attorney

Omega LawGroup

Personal Injury

LourdesDeArmas,a partner andlead trial attorney at Omega LawGroup,isa dedicated advocate for equality andjusticeinthe courtroom. Specializing in catastrophic personalinjury,premises liability,sexual abuse andwrongful death,she hassecuredmillions forher clients,including numerousseven-figure verdictsand settlements. DeArmas represented over 22 named plaintiffsand acertifiedclass of former students in apost-secondary school accreditation case.Recognized as Best Lawyer of America in 2022-23, DeArmas is also amember of the L.A. chapter of ABOTA anda founding memberofThe League of WomenTrial Attorneys. She is passionate aboutempowering women,supporting their professional growth

Rodney Diggs

Director

IvieMcNeillWyatt Purcell& Diggs

Labor &Employment

RodneyDiggs,director at Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell &Diggs, specializesinlaborand employment law. Since becoming apartner in 2016, he hassecuredover $200million in verdicts andsettlements.Notable achievements include a$25-million verdictinanemployment retaliation lawsuitand a$9.1-million verdict in a wrongful death case against the City of Long Beach.Recognized by Best Lawyers in Americaand SuperLawyers,Diggsisa prominent figure in the legal community.Hehas also contributed significantlytolegal literature andserved in various professionalorganizations, including the John M. Langston BarAssociation andthe National Bar Association.

Deborah Dixon ManagingPartner

The Dixon Firm, APC

ProductLiability

Deborah Dixon, managing partner at TheDixon Firm,APC, is aleading advocate in productliability and employment litigation.She hassecured $1 4billionfor clients, including a$20-millionsettlement against Apple and a$3-millionsettlement against MonsterEnergy. Dixon is also thepresident of the San Diego InnofCourt and apast president of the SanDiego County Bar Foundation. As aboard member and current president, she raised money to give backtolocal nonprofit organizations. In 2022, the foundation awarded $448,500 to 24 local nonprofit organizations. Since its inception,the foundation has granted $5 million to local nonprofitsthat work on avariety of causes

BrianW. Easton Co-Managing Partner

Easton &Easton,LLP

Personal Injury

Brian Easton, an esteemedattorney since 1995, dedicates his career to advocating for injured individuals. As aco-managing partneratEaston & Easton, he upholds top trial standards and ethic and is recognized by variousprestigious organizations. Brian hassecured over $100 millionfor his clients through notable verdicts and settlements, showcasing his exceptional trial skills. Hiscommitmenttojustice andethical conductmirrors hisfather’slegacy, emphasizing respect andclient advocacy.Brian’s accolades includethe JosephD.McNeil AttorneyCivility Award for 2024, highlighting hisprofessionalism andcivility. Beyond hislegal success, Brian cherishes theimpact of helping the seriously injured and the privilege of working alongside family for over 28 years.

Vineet Dubey

Partner &Co-Founder

Custodio&Dubey LLP

Toxic Torts

VineetDubey,partnerand co-founder of Custodio &DubeyLLP,specializesintoxic torts,focusing on holding companies accountablefor marketing products with toxic chemicals. Over adecade, he hasled lawsuitsagainst major foodmanufacturers andretailers, removing or reformulating thousands of hazardousproducts. Dubey’s landmark case,Ecological AllianceLLC v. TheKrogerCo.,highlighted lead contamination in foodproducts. He hassettled moreProposition 65 matters thanany otherattorney for three consecutive years, resultingin nearly $100 million in settlements. Dubeyactively engages in community service, partneringwith organizations likeGuiding Eyes for the Blind and developingscholarships for underrepresented students

Matthew D. Easton

Co-Managing Partner

Easton&Easton, LLP

Personal Injury

Matt Easton, apartner at Easton &Easton, is renownedfor hissuccessinsecuring significantsettlements, such as a$20 million mediated settlement in 2019. Recognizedbyvarious prestigiousorganizations, including “Best Lawyers in America,”Matt’sexceptionaltrial skills have ledtoover $100 million in settlements forhis clients.Apart from his legal achievements,Mattis esteemed for affecting lasting changeincorporate practicestoprevent future injuries. He is dedicated to hisfamilyand community,valuing his role alongside hisfamilyatEaston &Easton. Passionate about outdoor activities and fluent in Spanish, Matt’sdiverseexperiences enrich his abilitytoserve clientseffectively.

[Continued from page 17]

Abusinessthatpressures youtomakea quick decision or to nottalkwithyourfamily,friends, amilitaryfinancialcounselor or an officeror NCOthatyou trustmay be outtoscamyou

•Takeadvantage of free annualcredit reports: Youare entitled to onefreecredit report everyyearfromeachofthe three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian andTransUnion. Your credit historycontains informationfromfinancialinstitutions, utilities, landlords, insurers andothers. By checking your credit reportsatleast once ayear, you canidentifysigns of identity theftaswellas errors in your report that couldberaising the cost of your credit

•Place afraud alert: If your identity is stolen, putafraud alertonyourcreditreportby contacting thethree main credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian andTransUnion. Also,considerrequestingacreditfreeze, whichwillrestrictaccess to your credit file, making it difficultfor identity thievesto open newaccountsinyourname. Report identity theftright away andget arecoveryplanat

identitytheft.gov.Additionally, fileapolice report with your localsheriff or police department andkeepa copy foryourrecords

•Reportsuspiciousactivity: Nevergiveout personal informationtoa lender or servicer that contacts youout of theblue. If youare feelingunsure, hang up andcallyourloan servicer directly at thenumberthatislistedon your mortgage statement. Report suspicious activity to theOfficeofthe Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report andfile acomplaint with theFTC

•Protect your online informationand accounts with strong passwords: Protect yourself by usingdifferent, uniquepasswords foreachofyour online accounts.Makesure that thepasswords youuse areatleast eight characters,including amix of letters, numbers andsymbols

•Check your credit card billsand bank statementsoften: Look forunauthorizedcharges, withdrawalsorunexpectedbills andreport irregularactivitytoyourbank as soon as you seeit. If younoticethatabilldidn’t arrive on time,itmay mean that someonehas changed thecontact informationonyouraccount in

order to hide fraudulent charges. Don'tshare personal information: Be carefulabout what personal informationyou share, such as your addressorfinancial information.

•Signupfor theEnhancedHomeowner NotificationProgram: If youresideinLos Angeles County,you maysignuptoreceive mailed copies of documentsrecordedagainst your home,allowingyou to review recorded real estate documentssoyou areaware of actions takenagainst your property

If youare military or part of amilitaryfamily andbelieve youhavebeenthe victim or target of ascam, immediatelycontact your localpolicedepartmentorreach outto your base legaloffice. Forthe legaloffice’s contactinformation,ask your commandorvisit legalassistance.law.af.mil ▐

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Ricardo Echeverria

Partner

Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP

Personal Injury

RicardoEcheverriaisanacclaimedtrialattorney specializing in insurance badfaith and catastrophic personal injurycases. His career is decorated with significant achievements, including multiplerecognitions as one of the Top30PlaintiffLawyers in Californiaand inductioninto TheInner Circle of Advocatesin2023. Echeverria’snotable victories encompass a$68-million juryverdict in amedical malpracticecase and numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts in various complexcases.Apast president of theConsumer Attorneys Association of LosAngeles andhonored with several Trial Lawyer of theYearawards,his influence extends through hisfrequent lectures andmembershipinprestigious legal bodies. Echeverria holdsaB.S. from California Polytechnicand aJ.D.fromSanta ClaraUniversity.

Lem Garcia

Attorney

LemGarcia Law, PC

Personal Injury

Lem Garcia, founder of LemGarcia Law, PC, is aprominentpersonal injury attorney in SouthernCalifornia. Starting hisfirm in 2014withminimal resources,he has secured top settlements, including $8 million and $3 million. Afirst-generation Filipino American, Garcia earned his journalism degree from CaliforniaState PolytechnicUniversity and alaw degree from Western State University College of Law, graduatinginthe top 20%. His firmisknown for its exceptionalclient service, reflectedinits perfect five-star reviews onGoogle and Yelp.Committed to community service,Garcia Lawoffers an annual $1,000 scholarshipto college students aiming to make theworld abetter place and generously donates to various schools and charities in the area.

TracyLee Fehr Partner

Alexander Morrison+ Fehr LLP

Labor &Employment

Tracy LeeFehr, partneratAlexander Morrison + FehrLLP,specializes in labor andemployment law, focusing on wrongfultermination, discrimination, retaliation and harassment. With nearly 20 yearsofpractice,she haswon several appeals andwrits andsettled numerous cases. In January2023, Fehr wasappointedtothe Executive Board of theCaliforniaEmployment Lawyers Association (CELA). Shehas been named aSouthern California “Super Lawyer” andone of theTop Women Attorneys in SouthernCalifornia from 2017-2024. Hernotable victories includesignificant published decisionsand appellate wins, showcasingher expertiseinemploymentlitigation.Fehrholds degrees from the USC GouldSchoolofLaw and Binghamton University

StephenM. Garcia

Founding Partner

Garcia &Artigliere

Personal Injury

Stephen MichaelGarcia,founding partnerofGarcia &Artigliere,has specializedincivil trialpractice since1994, after nine years in criminal trial advocacy.Hehas ledover3,500 elderand dependent adult neglect cases,securing over $3 billioninawardsnationwide,includingarecord$38-million settlementinCalifornia. Garcia’s numerous honors include being namedaSuperLawyer for over 15 yearsand a“Trailblazer” by theNational LawJournal. He has served on variousboards, contributedto legislative efforts for elderrights andfrequently lecturesonelder abuse litigation Garcia’sfirm wasrecognizedasone of California’s top boutiquelaw firms forits litigation efforts on behalf of elderand dependentadults.

ThereseB. Garcia

Attorney

LemGarcia Law, PC

Personal Injury

Therese B. Garcia,anattorney at LemGarcia Law, PC, specializesin personalinjury.She joined the firmin2016 bringing extensive advocacy experience.She is also dedicated to public service, having worked with low-income,elderly and disabled individuals before joining LemGarcia Law. Garcia’sempathetic approachhas transformedclient interactions at the firm, leadingto significant settlements, including multiple cases over$1million. She holds abachelor’sdegree from Bryn Mawr Collegeand alaw degree from the University of the District of Columbia. She also serves as ahuman resources commissioner for West Covina and actively participates in civic activities, exemplifying her commitment to public service

Shane Hapuarachy Partner

Jacoby& Meyers

Personal Injury

Shane Hapuarachy is apartner at Jacoby &Meyers, specializinginwrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Known for hisstrategic thinking andrisk-taking, he has secured numerous seven-figure verdicts andsettlements against various entities, often achieving jury verdicts significantly higher thanpre-trial offers. Before joining Jacoby &Meyers, he was apartner at anotherprestigiousfirm.Hapuarachy holdsalaw degree from Loyola LawSchool and bothabachelor’s and master’sdegrees from UCLA. He is amember of several professional associations, including the American Board of TrialAdvocates(ABOTA), the AmericanAssociationfor Justice (AAJ),the Consumer Attorneys Association of LosAngeles (CAALA) andthe South Asian Bar Association (SABA).

Kiley Grombacher

Founding Attorney

Bradley/Grombacher LLP

Personal Injury

Kiley Grombacher specializesincomplexlitigation, including consumer andemployment classactions, product liability,personalinjury andpharmaceuticalmass torts. Shehas securedlarge verdictsand settlements, particularlyfor women andchildren, andis driven by apassion for justice against corporate misdeeds. Notablecases include leading aclassactionlawsuitagainst Johnson &Johnson resultingin a$1.75-millionsettlement overcarcinogenicsunscreenand litigation against Meta forprivacy invasion. Grombacher’s experiencesand backgroundasa mother influence herdedicationtovulnerable groups.She holds alaw degree from Chapman University,abachelor’sfrom UCLA andhas been recognized by Southern CaliforniaSuper Lawyerssince2015

Genie Harrison

Founder,President, Lead TrialAttorney

GenieHarrisonLaw Firm,APC Labor &Employment

Genie Harrison specializesinwomen’s rights, sexual harassment, equal pay andsexual abuse cases.She securedarecord-setting $100-million settlement forthe womenofRiotGames and helped obtain $17million forHarvey Weinstein’s victims.Harrison’s awardsinclude theAssociation of Southern California Defense Counsel’s2022Civil Advocate Hall of FameAwardand CAOC WomanConsumer Advocate of the Year for 2021. She hasbeen named among the Top50Women Southern California SuperLawyers(2010-2011,2015-2024) andlistedinthe Best Lawyers in Americafor Employment Law(2012-2024). Harrison’s lawfirm has been recognizedamong the BestLaw Firms in Americafor Employment Law (2015-2024). She also created DamagesGenieand IncidentGenie

VISIONARIES

Steven Heimberg

Partner & Trial Lawyer

Stalwart Law Group

Personal Injury

Steven Heimberg, M.D., is a partner and trial lawyer at Stalwart Law Group, specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice. Nationally renowned for his legal expertise, he has achieved historic verdicts and settlements, making him one of California’s most honored medical doctors practicing law. He joined Stalwart Law Group in 2022 after 30 years as a senior partner at Heimberg Barr, LLP. Dr. Heimberg holds top ratings from Los Angeles Magazine, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers and U.S. News & World Report. His humanitarian efforts include work with the spinal cord-injured community in the U.S. and founding free schools in Cambodia. His unique dual expertise as a lawyer and physician drives his mission for justice and community service.

Brian S. Kabateck

Founding & Managing Partner

Kabateck LLP

Personal Injury

Brian S. Kabateck is the founding and managing partner of Kabateck LLP, specializing in high-profile consumer litigation. He has secured tens of millions of dollars for victims of digital privacy violations, civil rights abuses, sexual abuse, defective products, insurance bad faith and catastrophic injuries. Recently, he filed over 1,200 claims against public entities for flood damages in California’s Central Valley and Monterey Bay area. Kabateck also led a $57-million settlement for mobile home park residents and fought against overbilling by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. As a past president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, he continues to work with lawmakers to protect California consumers and actively supports new law graduates.

Arash Homampour

Partner & Founder–Trial Attorney

The Homampour Law Firm

Personal Injury

Arash Homampour is the founder and trial attorney at The Homampour Law Firm, specializing in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, employment and insurance bad faith cases. Starting his firm with no resources, he is now one of California’s top trial attorneys. Homampour is known for his success against major corporations and public entities, securing over half a billion dollars for clients since 1993. Notable achievements include a $23.75-million settlement against the city of San Diego. Recognized for his innovative use of technology in trials, he also handles appellate work, including successful arguments before the California Supreme Court. Homampour also is on the advisory board of OneKid OneWorld, which focuses on changing the world one kid at a time in South Central America and Africa.

Barry Kurtz

Chair, Franchise and Distribution Practice Group

Lewitt Hackman

Labor & Employment

Barry Kurtz is the chair of the franchise and distribution practice group at Lewitt Hackman in Encino, one of California’s largest departments of its kind. A certified specialist in franchise and distribution law by the State Bar of California and a certified franchise executive, he has been recognized among the top 5% of attorneys nationwide by The Best Lawyers in America. Kurtz has extensive experience in corporate, mergers and acquisitions, business transactional law and commercial real estate leasing. He has served on multiple boards, authored numerous articles and provided expert witness testimony in franchise litigation. He was named a Super Lawyer for the 13th consecutive year in 2022.

Jennifer L. Lallite Of Counsel

Gordon Rees Skully Mansukhani Labor & Employment

Jennifer Lallite, Of Counsel at GRSM’s L.A. office, excels in defending employers against workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination lawsuits, including wage and hour and PAGA actions. Skilled in handling cases in state and federal court, arbitration and administrative agency matters, she also defends medical malpractice, professional liability and general liability cases. Lallite is admitted to practice in California, New York and New Jersey, and is also a Certified Public Accountant in California and New York. She earned her law degree from Fordham University and graduated cum laude in accounting from Howard University. Lallite is a member of the Langston Bar Association and the Black Women Lawyers Association.

Edward Y. Lee

Principal Trial Attorney

Law Offices of Edward Y. Lee

Personal Injury

Edward Y. Lee, principal trial attorney at the Law Offices of Edward Y. Lee, has been a licensed attorney since 1994, specializing in personal injury, criminal defense and civil litigation. He is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Seven Figure Lawyers collective. Recognized as a Who’s Who Top Attorney of North America and a Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney by Best of the Best, his firm has been ranked among the 10 best by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys and Attorney and Practice Magazine. He provides legal commentary on major networks and is guided by strong Christian beliefs in his ethical work for clients.

Angela S. Lee

Trial Attorney

Law Offices of Edward Y. Lee

Personal Injury

Angela S. Lee is a dedicated trial attorney at the Law Offices of Edward Y. Lee. Graduating top of her class from La Verne Law School, she was a member and editor of the La Verne Law Review. Since becoming a lawyer in 2012, Lee has passionately advocated for her clients, understanding the critical importance of support and representation. Fluent in Korean and conversational in Spanish, she excels in effectively communicating her clients’ stories to juries and insurance companies. Lee is committed to listening to her clients, comprehending their losses and being a reliable presence. Her love for law and unwavering dedication to her clients define her distinguished legal career.

Mahru Madjidi

Shareholder

Shegerian & Associates

Labor & Employment

Mahru Madjidi, a distinguished attorney and shareholder at Shegerian & Associates, excels in employment law with a focus on discrimination, harassment, whistleblower retaliation, wage and hour disputes and wrongful termination cases. Appointed as a shareholder in April 2023, she has consistently achieved significant verdicts, including a record $155.4-million award for public policy and retaliation in 2021. Some of Madjidi’s recent victories also include a $14-million gender discrimination award, a $6.3-million age discrimination and retaliation award, a $5.4-million whistleblower retaliation award and a $2.9-million failure-to-accommodate disability award.

Tigran Martinian

Attorney &Founder

Martinian Lawyers

Personal Injury

TigranMartinianisthe founder of MartinianLawyers, aLos Angeles firmspecializing in personal injury, wrongful deathand criminaldefenselaw.Knownfor his aggressive trial approach, he hassecured settlements and verdicts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, including alandmark$600,000 verdictfor abroken arm case.Migrating to LosAngeles in his teens, Martinian’srelentless work ethic epitomizes the “Americandream.” Trained by renowned trial lawyers, he combineshis legal expertisewith apassion forjustice,providing clients with exceptional representation. He wasrecently appointed asafellowatthe International Congress of Blockchain Legal Advisors.Additionally, the firm achievedan $8-million wrongful death settlementagainst amajor carrier company.

Jordan Matthews Partner Weinberg Gonser LLP Labor &Employment

Jordan Matthews servedasleadcounsel in landmark litigation againstSteve Wynn, representingthe primary witness for the Wall Street Journal’sexpose, “Dozens of People Recount Pattern of Sexual Misconduct by LasVegas Mogul Steve Wynn.” Matthews’actions led to Wynn’s resignation from Wynn Resorts and the Republican Finance Committee. Additionally,$55 millionintotal fineswere levied against Wynn Resorts, anda $10 millionfine was levied against Wynn in July 2023, removing himfrom the gaming industry.

Matthews represents the late-Nichelle Nichols’son,Kyle Johnson,inlong-running litigation against Nichols’former manager,GilbertBell; and is lead counsel against record producer Teddy Riley’sdaughter andfitness celebrity,DejaRiley

Patrick McNicholas Partner

McNicholas &McNicholas, LLP

Personal Injury

Patrick McNicholas achieved nearly half abillion dollars in masstort settlements in 2023, primarily from wildfirelitigation. He has represented more than 12,000 victimsagainst Pacific Gas& Electric Company (PG&E), SoCalEdisonand theCalifornia Department of Water andPower (DWP), servingasco-lead on the DixieFire and CreekFire cases. McNicholas hassecured multi-million-dollarsettlements, including $248.5millionfor the Camp Fires and $175.7million for the NorCalFires. His efforts have led to criticalsafetyimprovements,suchas theburial of powerlines by PG&Eand Edison. McNicholas also leads mass tort casesrelated to systemic sexual abuse in California’s juvenile hall facilities, driving significant changes in publicsafetyand victim recovery

Lisa Helfend Meyer

Co-Founder& Partner

Meyer,Olson, Lowy &Meyers

Family Law

Lisa Helfend Meyer,co-founder and seniorpartner atMeyer,Olson, Lowy &Meyers, LLP,has been a certified specialist in familylaw since1989. Known for handling high-conflict andcomplexdivorceand custody cases, she provides top-quality legal servicesinall areas of familylaw.Her notable casesincludethe precedent-setting Abbie Cohen Dorn case.Beyond her legal achievements, Meyer is committed to supporting special needs children and adults, cancerresearchand mentoring girlsfrom underservedareas. She is amember of several professional organizations, including the State Bar of California, theLos Angeles County BarAssociation, theBeverly Hills Bar Association,the CenturyCityBar Association, the California Association of Family LawSpecialists and the National Organization for Women

ShahaneA. Martirosyan Partner

Stephan FilipPC Labor &Employment

ShahaneA.Martirosyan, aprominentattorney at Stephan Filip PC, leads the labor andemployment department, specializing in representing employees in awiderange of employment disputes, including whistleblower retaliation,sexualharassment anddiscrimination.Known forher client-centered approach, shetailors unique strategies foreachcase,achieving significant victories such as three seven-figure trial verdicts andplaying apivotalrole in landmarkcases againstmajor corporations.Beforeher currentrole, Martirosyangainedexperienceatplaintiff-side lawfirms and earned herdegrees fromUCLA andthe University of Cincinnati College of Law. An active memberofthe legalcommunity,she contributesto various associationsand lectures at localcolleges

Matthew S. McNicholas

Partner

McNicholas&McNicholas, LLP

Labor &Employment

Matthew S. McNicholas is aleading employment attorney in Southern California, specializingin representing first respondersfacing discrimination,harassment andretaliation.Aspanel counsel to theLos Angeles Police ProtectiveLeague and the UnitedFirefighters of LosAngeles City,hesecuredover $17 million in employment resolutionsin2023. Hiscases have prompted significantinstitutional changes such as improvingfire inspections andupdatingpoliceprocedures. Notable achievements include a$2.25-million settlement in agenderharassment case against WillitsPD. McNicholas’ workholdspublic safetyagencies accountable,empowering employeestocreate saferworkplaces anddriving real changewithin police and firedepartments.

Christopher Melcher

Partner

Walzer Melcher &Yoda LLP

Family Law

With 30 years of experience,ChristopherMelcher specializes in complex family law litigation and premarital agreements.Hehandles cross-border disputes andisacertifiedfamilylaw specialist, appellate specialist andboard-certified civil trial lawyer.Melcher has presented over 200 continuingeducation programs andauthoredmultiple treatise chapters andarticles. Melcher serves as an adjunct professor at hisalma mater,Pepperdine University,has writtenseveralbooksand articles andisrankedinthe Daily Journal’sTop 100 Attorneys for 2022 He is ranked Tier 1byChambers &Partnersfor the Family/Matrimonial: High Net Worth practice

Steven A. Mindel

Managing Partner

Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt &Klein, LLP FamilyLaw

Steven A. Mindel,a certifiedfamily law specialist, is the managingpartner at Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt &Klein,LLP.With over 35 years of experience, he balances leadingone of Southern California’s largestfamilylaw firms with serving hisclients.He graduated magnacum laudefromUCLA and earnedhis JurisDoctor from USC GouldSchoolofLaw.NamedaSuper Lawyer since2004, Mindel has been on Southern California’s Top100 Lawyers listsince 2007 andhas been selectedtothe Top10list in thepastthree years. He is afellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyersand the International Academy of FamilyLawyers andactively participates in multiple legal andcommunity organizations.

G. Seth Mitchell

Senior TrialLawyer

TheBarnes Firm

Personal Injury

G.Seth Mitchell has 18 years of legalexperience, initially as adefense attorneybefore transitioning to plaintiff representation nine years ago. Specializing in personal injurycases,hehas wonover $35millionfor his clients, including numeroussix-and seven-figure victories. Mitchell utilizeshis defense expertise to maximize client recoveryand is known for his aggressive litigation strategies.He stays current with legal trends and effectively employs investigation and expert testimony to strengthen hiscases.Recently,hewon asignificantsettlement fora client injured duetoanunsafe schoolcondition. Mitchellgraduated fromSouthwesternLaw Schooland the Universityof Richmond and volunteers at the LosAngeles County SuperiorCourt.

Doreen Marie Olson FoundingPartner

Meyer,Olson, Lowy &Meyers Family Law

Doreen Marie Olson, co-founder of Meyer, Olson, Lowy &Meyers, LLP,isa certifiedfamily law specialist with over30years of experience

Shehas successfully concluded hundreds of cases, establishingher firmasaleading authority in high-asset and complexfamily law matters. Olson is known for her tenacity and commitment to mentoring colleagues.She is actively involved in several organizations, including theBeverlyHills Bar Association and theLos Angeles Bar Association. She supports numerous causes suchasThe Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, which assists low-income clients who are victims of domestic violence to obtain restraining orders,and PATH (People Assisting theHomeless), demonstrating her dedicationto both her clients and the community

Shahab Mossavar-Rahmani Founding Partner Omega LawGroup

Personal Injury

Shahab Mossavar-Rahmani is aCalifornia founding partneratOmegaLaw Group,PC, wherehespecializes in personal injurylaw.Heisknown for his dedication to helping wrongfully injured individuals and holdingnegligent parties accountable. Prior to Omega, Mossavar-Rahmani was adeputy publicdefenderinOrange County, gaining extensive trialexperienceincriminal cases. Sincetransitioningto civilpractice in 2014, he hasfocused solely on representing injuryvictims, earningrecognition from the NationalTrial Lawyers- Top100 andwas admittedintothe Multi-MillionDollarAdvocates Club.Mossavar-Rahmani hasalsobeen named aSouthernCalifornia Rising Star everyyear since 2015, an honorreserved for only 2.5% of attorneysinSouthern California.

Sean O’Neill Partner

Stalwart LawGroup

Personal Injury

SeanO’Neillisa partner at Stalwart LawGroup, specializing in catastrophic personal injury,elder abuse, wrongful death and medicalmalpractice

Agraduate of theUniversityofArizonaand Pepperdine University SchoolofLaw,hehas adiverse legal background, includingcorporate counselexperienceand defense litigation. Whileworking foraninsurance firm, O’Neillgained experience learning how insurancecompanies value claims. Since joiningStalwartLaw Group in 2020, he has secured over $100 millioninrecoveries for hisclients. Notablecases include a$28.7-million braininjury verdict, an $18.5-million medical malpracticesettlement anda$12.5-millionelder abusesettlement.

[Continued from page 19]

best-in-classretention andNPS aretestaments to theteam’sability to continuously innovate, deliverimmense valueand meet thedynamic needsofthe legalsector. With theright foundation in placefor continuedmarketexpansion and advanced AI capabilities,webelieve thebestis yettocome. We look forwardtoapplyingNEA’s company-buildingexpertise to partnerwithJack andthe Clio team on theirnextphase of growth.”

Clio raised itsSeriesE fundinginApril 2021, a$110-milliongrowthequityround.Since then, Clio hasgrown itsrevenue beyond $200 million ARRand hasexpandedinternationally to the APAC region,aswellasupmarkettobecome theleaderinmid-marketcloud legalpractice management software,serving more than 1,000 mid-sizedfirmsinthe United States alone. Clio’s all-in-one payments business hasskyrocketed sinceits launch in 2022,now processing billions of dollarsannuallyinlegal-specific transactions Additionally,Clio’splatformhas been expanded to include:

•ClioDuo proprietarygenerative AI solution to help lawyerscompleteroutine tasksand

leveragetheir firmanalytics to runamoreefficientpractice; includingaudit logfunctionality forcourt discovery(availablein2024)

•ClioAccountingtomanagefirm financesin onesystemofrecord, designed to help keep lawfirmscompliant

•Modulefor personal injury lawyerswith distinct litigation needsand procedures for medicalrecordkeeping;thisadd-onoffers rapidsettlementestimates forhigh-volume case assessments.

•ClioDraft intelligentdocumentautomation andcourt form librariesin50+ jurisdictions.

•Electroniccourt filingservicesavailable directly in Clio to streamline courtinteractions.

•Legal Aidand nonprofit grantbilling models, eligibility calculatorsand dashboards

•Google LocalService Adsdirectlyembedded in theClioplatformtogenerate, screen and intake localleads

“While we’reimmensely proudofour growth to date,the real opportunityliesahead of us,” continuedNewton. “AIisusheringinanexciting andimportant newera forlegaltech,and Clio is leading that transformation.There’s much to accomplish forthe successofour customersso they canthriveinaneconomy that embraces technology in everyinteraction.”

Clio hasmorethan1,100 employeeslocated across hublocations in NorthAmerica, EMEA andAPACregions.The company is actively hiring across allareas of itsbusiness includingproduct,R&D,sales,marketing and customer success.

LawfirmsOsler,Hoskin&HarcourtLLP and Wilson SonsiniGoodrich &Rosatiservedas legalcounsel to Clio.William Blairacted as Clio’s exclusivefinancial advisor. ▐

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Khail A. Parris

Partner PARRIS LawFirm

Personal Injury

Khail A. Parrishas secured over $200million in verdicts and settlements, specializingin catastrophic injuries, trucking collisions and spinaland brain injuries. Recognized as aRisingStar by Super Lawyers since 2020 and named TrialLawyer of the Year by the AV Bar Association in 2018, his notable cases include a$58.3-million verdict for atrainyard worker,a $6-million settlement for avalet injuredbyadrunkdriverand $8.9-million verdict thatinvolves aman whowas severelyinjured bya drunk driver and an insurance company who was unwilling to properly settle the case.Parrisled the trial team that obtained a$4-millionverdict for damages on behalfofa woman struckbya suspected distracted driver.

Mark Quigley

Partner

Greene Broillet &Wheeler LLP

Personal

Injury

Mark Quigley is apioneer in laborand employment law,dedicated to protecting whistleblower rights. With 30 years of experience,hehas successfully challenged some of the country’slargest corporations andinstitutions, securing tens of millions in damages from insurance companies. Notably, he obtained a$39-millionverdict for awhistleblower against UC San Diego in 2023. Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America, Quigley has been consistently named a Super Lawyer since 2004 and waslisted among theTop 100Lawyers in California by the Daily Journal.His membershipsincludethe American College of Trial Lawyers and theConsumer Attorneys Association of LosAngeles.

R. Rex Parris

Founder &Managing Partner

PARRISLaw Firm

Personal Injury

R.Rex Parrisisthe founder andmanaging partner of PARRIS LawFirm, whichhas obtainedtens of millions of dollarsfor clients over the last 18 months. Leading the premier personal injuryfirm in LosAngelesCounty,heisalso amulti-termmayor of Lancaster andanactivecommunity supporter.Notablecases include a$20-millionverdict forafamily affected by adrunk driverand an $8.9-millionverdict for aman severely injured by adrunk driver. Parris’ leadershipand commitment to justice have established himasa premier trial lawyer andcommunity advocate. He filed aclass action lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging thatthe utility giant violated state lawbyoverchargingits customers.

Neama Rahmani

President

West CoastTrial Lawyers

Personal Injury

NeamaRahmaniisthe president and co-founder of West CoastTrial Lawyers.Hegraduated from HarvardLaw at 22, making himone of the youngest graduatesinthe 200-year historyof the lawschool. Initiallyrepresenting major corporationsatO’Melveny& Myers,hetransitionedtothe United StatesAttorney’s Office as afederal prosecutor,successfully prosecuting afugitivemurderer and drug kingpin. Rahmani returned to LosAngeles to start West Coast Trial Lawyers,focusing on personal injury andemploymentlaw.Heisa regularlegal commentatoronnews and television such as CNN, BBC, MSNBCand Fox.

David M. Ring

Partner

Taylor &Ring

Personal Injury

Dave Ring co-foundedTaylor &Ring in 2002, establishing it as one of California’s top plaintiff’s law firms,focusing on sexualabuse,seriouspersonal injury and wrongfuldeath cases. Renownedfor representing sexual abusevictims, he has tackled complex cases against powerful perpetratorssince the mid-1990s. His career features record-breaking verdicts and significant settlements, includinga$40-million settlement against Dr. George Tyndalland USC, a$97.5-million settlement against the city of Santa Monica and a$45.5-million jury awardagainst L.A. County’sDCFS. Ring’s high-profilecases,such as representingavictim of Harvey Weinstein, have madeheadlines, and he frequentlyserves as amedia commentatorand quotedintop-tier nationalpublications.

Ryan Saba Partner

Rosen Saba,LLP

Personal Injury

Ryan Saba is an award-winning civil litigation and trial attorney,known for prosecuting individual, class action and mass actionclaims. Afounding partnerofRosen Saba, LLP,hehas experience in consumerlitigation, employment law,business disputes and catastrophic injury claims. His practice consistently achieves some of California’s largest settlementsand verdicts. Saba has received numerous awards in 2022 and 2023, including “Top PlaintiffsAttorney” in California by the Daily Journal, and was namedinthe 2023 and 2024 annualranking of the Top500 Leading LitigatorsinAmerica by Lawdragon. He won ajury trial in the amount of $62 million for aclaim against aformer employee who took confidential informationinorder to starta competing business.

Catalina Rodas

Attorney Castelblanco LawGroup

Personal Injury

Catalina Rodasreceived herJDfromSouthwestern LawSchool in 2011,graduating in the top 20% of herclass. As aSchumacher Scholar and Dean’s Scholar,she excelledinthe MootCourtHonors Program, earningaccolades in multiple competitions. She clerkedfor HonorableAmy M. Pellmanand completed aCopyright and Entertainment LawPracticum. Rodasearnedher B.S. from the University of Florida, where shewas aBrightFutures Scholarand received several prestigiousawards.She is passionate about social justice,co-founding Hugs From Hollywood and volunteering with variouslegal aidorganizations.Anactivemember of multiplebar associations,she is licensedto practiceinCaliforniaand federal districtcourts.

Robin Saghian

FoundingPartner

OmegaLaw Group

Personal Injury

Robin Saghian is afounding partner of Omega Law Group, PC, specializing in personal injurylaw in LosAngeles. AftergraduatingfromUSC at 19 with aB.A. in sociology,heearnedafullscholarship to Loyola LawSchool, where he received the prestigious Dean’s Scholarship.Named aRising Star from 2015 to 2019,Saghian believes in achieving the best resultsthroughtrustful clientrelationshipsand personalized representation. Hispractice includes personal injury, employment law, classaction,breach of contract, harassment andwrongfultermination cases. Additionally,heisa licensed Californiareal estate broker.Saghian handles casesstatewide, ensuring both legal andreal-life issues areaddressedfor maximum recovery

VISIONARIES

Cynthia Sandoval Mediator

SandovalMediation,P.C.

Labor &Employment

CynthiaSandoval has an impressive skill set unmatched by most mediators.Her experience as plaintiff, defense and in-house counsel sets herapart,and sheis able to connect with the parties and counsel in atrusted and sinceremanner. In addition to her private practice,Sandoval serves on theMediation Panelofthe U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Shedemonstrates adeep understanding of the participants’ perspectives, which enables her to work towards inventivesolutions to drive results. Since becoming aneutral, Sandovalhas built astrong following and has successfully mediateda wide variety of disputes from single plaintifftolarge,complexclass and PAGA actions.

Laura Sedrish Partner

Jacoby& Meyers

Personal

Injury

Laura Sedrish, apartner atJacoby &Meyers, is one of California’s most accomplishedplaintiffpersonal injury attorneys. With over two decadesofexperience,she has successfully negotiated for both national and international clients. Her dedication to detail,dynamic advocacy andsharp negotiation skills makeher an essentialpart of the Jacoby &Meyers team.Sedrish hassecured hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts. Recognized as aSuper Lawyerby SuperLawyers of SouthernCalifornia and namedaTop 50 Womenand Top100 Super Lawyer multiple times,she was also listed as aTop 100 Women Lawyer by the Daily Journal. Sedrish serves on the boards of CAALA and CAOC and is amember of AAJand NJA.

EliseR. Sanguinetti Partner

AriasSanguinetti |Trial Lawyers

Personal Injury

Elise Sanguinetti is afoundingpartneratArias Sanguinetti with officesinthe SanFrancisco BayArea, LosAngeles,Las Vegasand Montreal. Specializinginserious injury, wrongful death,sexual assaultand product liability,she exclusively represents plaintiffs in civillitigation. Admitted to theCalifornia bar in 1997,Sanguinetti graduated from theUniversity of San Francisco School of Law. Sheholdsan AV ratingfromMartindale-Hubbell andhas been aCalifornia SuperLawyer every year sincebecoming eligible.She hasreceived numerousawards, including the Joe Tonahill Award andthe Marvin E. LewisAward. Sanguinetti serves on theJudicialCouncil of California’s Civil andSmall Claims Advisory Committee andthe NationalJudicialCollegeBoardofVisitors

John A. Sheehan

Managing Attorney

The Barnes Firm

Personal Injury

John A. Sheehan serves as the managing attorney at The Barnes Firm’s LosAngeles office,a prominent personal injury law firmrecognized nationwide. With over threedecades of experience since hisadmission to thebar in 1988, he passionately represents injured individuals,advocating against large corporations andinsurance carriers.Sheehanhas securedsignificant settlements, including anotable case representing apedestrianstruckbyasnowplow operator in Buffalo,New York.His commitment extends to advocating forconstruction and workplace accident victims, drawing from personal experienceand adisciplined approach to legalpractice.Sheehanholds aJuris Doctorate from McGeorge School of Lawand is licensed to practice in New York and California.

Carney R. Shegerian

Founding Partner

Shegerian &Associates

Labor &Employment

Carney R. Shegerian, the founding partnerof Shegerian &Associates,has made asignificant impactover the past 25 years as adedicated advocate and trial attorney for employees wronged by their employers. Hisnotable achievements include a $155.4-million verdictinaretaliation case againstFarmers Insurance, oneof the largest in LosAngeleshistory.Shegerian has secured over $1 billionfor clients, with more than 100 juryverdicts, including50seven-figure or higher awards. Recognized as atop attorney,hehas been named TrialLawyer of the Year in 2013and afinalist for the award multiple times. Shegerianisalso included in the Daily Journal’sTop 75 Laborand Employment Lawyers and wasawarded Employment Attorney of the Year (2023)byBest Lawyers.

John C. Taylor Partner

Taylor &Ring

Personal Injury

John C. Taylorisafounding partner of Taylor &Ring, aleading plaintiff’slaw firm in Southern California establishedin2002. With over 130jurytrials, he is renowned for his advocacy in high-profile cases involving police misconduct, civil rights violations, sexual abuse,personal injury and wrongfuldeath. His courtroom successes include multi-million-dollar verdicts andsettlements, such as a$57.5-million verdict in an aviation accident case and a$35-millionverdict for arape victim.Recently, Taylor secured significant outcomes,including a$7.5-millionsettlement against the Orange County Sheriff’sDepartment and multiple settlements for sexual abuse victims against LAUSD.Committedtojustice,hecontinuesto pursue groundbreaking civil rights cases challenging police misconduct.

ChristineD. Spagnoli

Partner

Greene Broillet &WheelerLLP

Personal Injury

ChristineD.Spagnoli,a partneratGreene Broillet &Wheeler LLP,isa leading consumeradvocate specializinginautomobile defect litigation. Known forher landmark victories, shehas dedicated hercareer to exposing dangerousproducts andholding manufacturersaccountable.Spagnoliserves on the Judicial CouncilofCalifornia’s Civil Jury InstructionCommitteeand the LosAngeles Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.Notablecases include a$73-millionverdict againstFordMotor Companyfor arollover crash and securing adefect investigation andrecall of Goodyear tires.Her work hasled to significant safetyimprovements and multi-million-dollar verdicts, includinga $58-million verdictfor adefective O-ring anda$21-million verdictagainst Southern California Edison

Boris Treyzon Partner ACTS Law

Personal Injury

Boris Treyzon,afounding partner at ACTS LAW, is renownedasatop trial lawyernationally, specializing in complex casesfromcatastrophic personalinjurytobusinessand product liability Recognized as the 2021 CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year andlisted in the 2022 Daily Journal’sTop 100 LawyersinCalifornia, he consistentlyachieves significant verdicts andsettlements. Treyzon earned hisJuris Doctor from theUniversity of La VerneSchoolofLaw in 1997and is admittedtopractice in both California state courtsand the U.S. DistrictCourt. Active in CAALA, CAOC andAAJ,heisdedicatedto advocating forplaintiffs andmentoring younglawyers,emphasizing client representation with integrity andempathy.

Matthew Wallin LawPartner

GibbsGiden LocherTurnerSenet &Wittbrodt

Labor &Employment

Matthew Wallinisa partner at Gibbs Giden Locher TurnerSenet &Wittbrodt, practicing laborand employment law in the LosAngeles andWestlake offices. Hehas extensive experience defending private businesses and public entities in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation andwage andhour disputes. Wallinadvisesclients on best employment practices,policy development and compliancewith disability and wage laws. He has represented clients in state and federal courts, as well as before agencies likethe EEOCand DFEH. He also has experienceinappellate cases and providestraining on sexual harassment and policy updates.

Alexander R. Wheeler Partner

PARRIS LawFirm

Personal Injury

Alexander Wheeler is apartner at PARRIS LawFirm, specializinginseverepersonal injury, wrongful death, insurance badfaith andclass action litigation. RecognizedasaSouthernCalifornia Super Lawyer since 2019,hehas secured over $500millionin verdicts and settlements. He hasled numerous federal and state class actions and achieved significant seven-and eight-figure jurytrial verdicts. Wheeler speaksatContinuing LegalEducation seminarsnationwide on trial practice and the application of cognitivescience in law.Heserves on the board of advisors at Pepperdine University School of Lawand holds memberships in various legal associations, including the Consumer Attorneys Associations of LosAngeles and California

Natalie Weatherford Partner

Taylor &Ring Personal Injury

NatalieWeatherford is adedicatedadvocate for victims of sexual abuse, earning record-breaking verdicts andsettlements. In 2022, shesecureda $102.5-million verdict for former students abused by a musicteacher andin2023obtained a$25-million verdict forastudent abused by an assistant football coach.Notably, in January 2024, Weatherford achieved a$35-million verdictfor awoman rapedbyher high school track coach. In 2024, she received a$13-million verdict on behalf of a14-year-old girl who was sexually manipulated by a19-year-oldone-to-one aide at ahigh school,a $5-millionsettlement on behalf of achild whowas sexually abused by herjunior highschoolteacher anda $2-million settlement forayounggirlwho was verbally harassed by herhighschool coach.

AllisonRachel Willett

Managing Partner

Willett &Willett, LLP

Product Liability

Allison Rachel Willett is the managing partner at Willett &Willett, LLP,focusing on consumer rights throughclass actionlitigation. Recognized as aSuper Lawyers Southern CaliforniaRising Star and awarded“Top100 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers”bythe National TrialLawyers,she hasadistinguished career spanning nearly two decades. Willett achieved alandmark$38-million settlement as classcounsel in the Lash Boost cases,securing compensation andsignificant injunctive relief.Her expertise in complex litigation andmediation certification underscores her commitmenttoachieving meaningful outcomesfor herclients.She is known for herstrategic approach andhas earnedaccolades for hercontributions to advancing consumerprotections andmarketplace transparency.

Ron Zambrano

EmploymentChair &Partner

West Coast Trial Lawyers

Labor &Employment

Ron Zambrano is the employment litigationchair and partner at West Coast Trial Lawyers, specializing in employeerights. With over adecade of experience,hefocuses on cases involving workplace discrimination,harassment, wrongfultermination, whistleblower retaliation and wage and hour violations. Zambrano hassecured millions in settlementsfor clients fromdiverse backgrounds.Previously at Carlin &Buchsbaum LLP,hehandled high-profile cases against entities like the City of LosAngeles and majorcorporations. Fluent in Spanish anda graduate of theUniversity of Southern Californiaininternationalrelations, Zambrano earned his law degree withhonors from Whittier LawSchool, where he servedasarticleseditor forthe Whittier LawJournal

Diana Zeesman Partner

Accident Fighters, APC

Personal Injury

Diana Zeesman specializesinpersonal injury law.A Universityofthe Pacific,McGeorgeSchool of Law graduate,she has extensive experience from externships and internships in various legalsettings, including the California Department of Corrections and theHuman Rights/Fair Housing Commission of Sacramento County.Zeesman holds aTrial Advocacy certificate and graduated on theDean’sList. Admitted to practice in California,Colorado and Arizona,she leveragesher legal expertise andmarketingand management background from theUniversityofColorado Denverto effectively advocate for her clients. She is an alumnus of theCAALA (Consumer Attorney Association of LosAngeles) Plaintiff’sTrial Academy andhas been published in the CaliforniaLawyer’sAssociation’s publication, ThePractitioner

Alexander Zeesman Partner

AccidentFighters, APC

Personal Injury

Alexander Zeesman, foundingpartnerofAccident Fighters, APC, manages personalinjury casesfrom intaketoresolution. An experiencedlitigatorand a2018“Top40Under 40” TrialAttorney,heexcelsintrial advocacyand alternative dispute resolution.Heisadmitted to practice in California, Pennsylvania andColorado.Zeesmanisan alumnus of theCAALA (ConsumerAttorney Association of LosAngeles) Plaintiff’s TrialAcademy andhas been published in the California Lawyer’sAssociation’s publication, ThePractitioner.Asecond-generation attorney following hisfather andaunt, he hasdeepties to Southern California’s legal community

Diana P. Zitser

Diana P. Zitser,founderofZitser Family Law Group,APC, is acertifiedfamily law specialist with over 20 years of experience in highnet-worth divorces,legalseparations andcomplex property settlements. With abackground in business administration and finance,and as aformer certifiedgeneralrealestate appraiser,she excels in high-assetdivorce litigation andnegotiations. Zitser is recognized as aSuper Lawyerand has been named among the Top50 Women Lawyers andTop 100Attorneys in Southern California. Sheholds a perfectAVVOratingand the prestigiousMartindale-Hubbell“AV Preeminent” rating. Zitserisa memberofseveral bar associations andserves on the advisory boardofthe American Academy forCertified Financial Litigators