Online legal services part of changing landscape
Online legal services are not going away, so traditional attorneys need to adapt to the changing marketplace, according to panelists at a San Diego Law Library event last month.
Education
Law School/Year: California Western School of Law, magna cum laude, 1976, Editor-in Chief, Law Review
College/Year: University of Oregon, 1969
Bar Admissions
All California Courts, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, Central and Northern Districts of California
Practice Areas
Business Litigation; Civil Litigation; Intellectual Property; Personal Injury & Property Damage; Product Liability
Major Cases
I have 95 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million each, including a $13.2 million settlement for delay of the San Diego Convention Center; an $8 million verdict for a freeway collision; a $6 million settlement resulting in the government outlawing rear seat lap-only belts; a confidential settlement with Honda, followed by a “60 Minutes” report that led to the Justice Department outlawing 3-wheel ATVs; a $4.5 million settlement for a collision on a racetrack when the participants signed a liability waiver; and a $2.5 million verdict, upheld on appeal, finding the Porsche Turbo 930 too powerful for the average driver.
Professional Background
Following law school I joined Luce Forward Hamilton and Scripps as an associate in 1976. While engaged in a general civil practice specializing in negligence, insurance and product litigation, I became a partner in 1980.
In 1986, I founded what is now known as the McClellan Law Firm, engaging in a national trial practice specializing in representing severely injured people in actions involving defective products, negligence and insurance claims handling practices.
The firm has since expanded its practice to also include business and intellectual property litigation.
Professional Affiliations
I have the distinction of being the first and only San Diego personal injury attorney selected for admission to the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invitation only group of top plaintiff’s attorneys, limited to 100 members nationwide. I am a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, where I served as President of the San Diego Chapter. I am a Master of the American Inns of Court and a former Member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, CASD and CAOC.
Personal Affiliations
I have served on the board of directors for Sharp HealthCare and the Sharp Foundation. I have also served on the board of trustees for California Western School of Law, and have been co-chair of the Annual KPBS Auction. Many hours and dollars have been gladly donated to multiple charitable organizations, mostly involving children.
Personal Background
Originally from Portland, Ore., I entered the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, eventually becoming a Captain. As an infantry officer, I was deployed to Cuba and Southeastern Asia, among other places. I was designated an “expert” with a weapon, and provided protection for Naval Intelligence. After leaving the Marine Corps, I joined the Executive Office of the President in Washington, D.C., until I left for law school.
Online legal services are not going away, so traditional attorneys need to adapt to the changing marketplace, according to panelists at a San Diego Law Library event last month.
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Troutman Sanders is an internationally recognized firm with more than 600 lawyers and offices located throughout the United States and China. The San Diego practice covers a broad range of services including complex commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, insurance litigation, and real estate and business transactions, led by Managing Partner Michael J. Whitton, named a Transcript 10 Top Attorneys finalist.
Good, honest and loyal employees are the greatest asset of any company. Unfortunately not all employees are great. Some employees are dishonest and others are vindictive. Not surprisingly, ex-employees who are discharged due to dishonesty are the most likely ones to post a defamatory blog about their former employer.
The attorneys of The Gomez Law Firm gladly step into the ring for their clients when defendants don’t pay what’s fair. This boutique firm focuses on high-value and high-profile catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, trucking litigation and elder abuse. The willingness of the attorneys to go to trial combined with their attention to detail, impeccable service and results-driven approach have allowed the firm to obtain more than $250 million in verdicts and settlements since 2000.
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