San Diego County law firms maintain a competitive edge by attracting top attorneys as well as grooming outstanding young talent. In this special publication, The Daily Transcript recognizes the San Diego legal community’s up and coming stars with the fourth annual Young Attorneys honor.

From cloud computing and e-discovery to Skype and social media, technology is continually changing the way lawyers practice law.

When the economy collapsed in late 2008, the legal industry’s standard model of pricing -- the billable hour -- collapsed right with it.

San Diego maintains a strong connection to the issues that shape our nation and world. Many of those responsible for the perspective behind key decisions were educated at the region’s schools, including California Western School of Law. A number of California Western alumni -- thanks to their skills, circumstances, or both -- find themselves working in areas that attract the spotlight, and which potentially could impact thousands, if not millions of lives.

Although the growing use of debit cards, credit cards and electronic ACH transfers has helped streamline operations, there’s still a need to deal with traditional paper checks.

Only 5 years old, the Gomez Law Firm continues its rapid ascension as one of California’s top injury and trial firms. This year again, the firm’s lawyers achieved some remarkable successes. Attorney Robert Hamparyan obtained a $1.4 million verdict in Los Angeles for a woman that suffered a knee injury when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street. He also was named a “Super Lawyer” in the personal injury field, and received an “Outstanding Trial Lawyer” award from Consumer Attorneys of San Diego for his recent $13 million dollar verdict in a brain injury case.