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Dear Reader:
In the 2024 issue of Consumer Attorneys Magazine, we provide an in-depth look at the trends affecting consumers and businesses this year, including an alarming increase in employment discrimination, a guide to navigating on-the-job injuries and updates for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

EEOC INCREASES LITIGATION ACTIVITY AS DISCRIMINATION STATISTICS RISE
The lawsuits increased by over half in 2023 and may increase even more in 2024.

Impactful New Consumer Laws Having an Effect on 2024 Cases
A landmark year in consumer protection, the state has almost two dozen laws that will go into effect, impacting several sectors.

How Will the New Price Transparency Law Affect Businesses?
The "Honest Pricing Law" alms to tackle the surge of hidden fees that are added to Californians' bills at the very end of a transaction.

7 Key Questions Answered: Insights from a Legal Power Couple
Southern California's legal scene was ready for change when Lem and 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 and how injured clients were treated.

Injured on the Job this Year? Here’s What You Should Do
Here is an easy-to-follow guide any employee should take after an on-the-job injury.

Consumer Protection Litigation Trends Revealed in New Report
While consumer protection cases have been on an overall decline over most of the past decade, there was an increase in general consumer protection cases, class action cases, TOPA cases and data breach cases last year.

D.Law’s Unique Culture Unites and Guides Its Team
D.Law is currently working with top architects, artists, designers and craftsmen to build a new Pasadena-based headquarters featuring state-of-the-art facilities and complemented by inspiring art and furniture.

THE FIGHT FOR DRUG PRICING TRANSPARENCY
California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently led 2I attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Pharmaceutical Res. & Manufacturers of Am. v. Stolfi in support of laws that increase drug price transparency.

NEW CALIFORNIA LAW GOVERNS PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
New law prevents information regarding reproductive healthcare from being shared out-of-state.

Protecting California's Military Community from Common Scams and Fraud
The office of California's Attorney General Rob Bonta recently issued a consumer alert to help protect California service members, veterans and their family members from targeted common scams and fraud.

The Challenge of Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Addressing Legal Developments and Emerging Issues, Including Virtual Work Environments

Clio Announces $900-Million Investment Aimed at Transforming the Legal Experience for All
NEA-led investment, the largest transaction ever in cloud legal technology, includes participation from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Sixth Street Growth, CapitaIG and Tidemark.

Danny Abir
Danny Abir is a founding and managing partner of ACTS LAW, a plaintiff firm that has secured over $1 billion for clients. In less than a decade, he has helped build one of Los Angeles’ premier plaintiff firms, growing to over 100 lawyers and staff across four California offices.

Albert Abkarian
Albert Abkarian, the founder and president of Abkarian & Associates, is a testament to the power of resilience and hard work. An Armenian Iranian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in 1979 without English proficiency, his journey was marked by significant challenges.

WHAT DEFINES A VISIONARY?
For starters, it’s someone who views the future with original ideas and wonders what it could be like.

Mory Ahmadi
Mory Ahmadi is a senior trial attorney at The Barnes Firm in Los Angeles, specializing in personal injury law. Before joining The Barnes Firm, she spent a decade running her own practice, representing thousands of clients in cases involving auto accidents, dog bites and slip and falls.

Sayan Aboudi
Sayan Aboudi, Esq., a respected personal injury attorney, draws inspiration from his family’s exile by the Iranian government, sparking his dedication to advocating for the voiceless. As the managing partner of Lionsgate Law Group, APC, in the San Fernando Valley, he provides top-tier legal representation with meticulous care and expertise.

Stephan Airapetian
Stephan Airapetian, a founding partner at Stephan Filip PC, is a distinguished attorney specializing in personal injury and employment law. Motivated by a profound sense of compassion and a desire to bring about positive community change, he chose a legal career focused on advocating for the marginalized and wronged.

Chris A. Aitken
Chris A. Aitken, a partner at Aitken Aitken Cohn, is a trailblazing personal injury lawyer known for his advocacy for consumer safety and championing the rights of children with brain injuries.

David Angeloff
David Angeloff is a dedicated trial lawyer at Stalwart Law Group, specializing in civil litigation, personal injury and employment law. Known for his balanced professionalism and tenacious client representation, he has secured significant verdicts, including $6.

J. Bernard Alexander
J. Bernard Alexander, a partner at Alexander Morrison + Fehr LLP, is renowned as one of California’s top plaintiff employment lawyers. With a history of securing large verdicts in challenging cases, three Top 100 of verdicts.

Daniel K. Balaban
Daniel K. Balaban is the founding partner of Balaban & Spielberger and a formidable force in personal injury law. With over a decade of experience, he has recovered over $200 million in verdicts, awards and settlements.

Wylie A. Aitken
Wylie A. Aitken, founding partner of Aitken Aitken Cohn, has over 50 years of legal experience in personal injury law. His notable achievements include a $54-million verdict against the U.S. government, the highest individual injury award against the federal government.

Mike Arias
Mike Arias, managing partner at Arias Sanguinetti I Trial Lawyers, has over four decades of experience in personal injury, class actions, mass torts, employment and sexual assault cases, securing eight and nine-figure verdicts and settlements.

Patrick Baghdaserians
Patrick Baghdaserians, managing partner of Baghdaserians Law Group, is a California State Bar certified specialist in family law. Since 2007, he has represented clients in complex divorce, custody and paternity cases across various industries, including entertainment, finance, sports and technology.

Deborah Chang
Deborah Chang, a partner at Chang Klein LLP and Athea Trial Lawyers LLP, specializes in personal injury law. She began her career with defense firms and achieved a landmark settlement in a class action lawsuit for prisoners with AIDS.

Bruce A. Broillet
Bruce A. Broillet, a partner at Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP, is a distinguished plaintiff attorney specializing in personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, business litigation and professional malpractice. He has secured landmark verdicts and settlements, including a $3.

Marcus J. Bradley
Marcus J. Bradley, the founding attorney of Bradley/Grombacher LLP, is a distinguished trial lawyer with over two decades of experience in litigation.

Bruce Brusavich
Bruce Brusavich, a partner at ACTS Law, brings over three decades of exceptional legal service, having founded and led his own firm prior.

Miguel Custodio Jr.
Miguel Custodio Jr., partner and co-founder of Custodio & Dubey LLP, specializes in personal.

Laura Lynn Davidson
Laura Lynn Davidson is a partner at Jacoby & Meyers, specializing in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, slip and fall and motor.

Emahn Counts
Emahn Counts, founder and managing attorney of Counts Law Firm PC, has practiced law for 20 years specializing in business, family and real estate litigation.

Richard Cohn
Richard Cohn, a partner at Aitken Aitken Cohn, is a highly respected plaintiff attorney specializing in personal injury, medical malpractice and complex birth injury cases. Renowned for his tenacity, he won the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association’s Top Gun Trial Lawyer of the Year Award in 2022.

David deRubertis
David deRubertis, sole shareholder and lead trial lawyer at The deRubertis Law Firm, APC, specializes in labor and employment law. From 2021 to 2023, he secured over $526 million in jury verdicts in employment cases, nearly $5 million in arbitration awards and a multi-million-dollar verdict for personal injury.

Rodney Diggs
Rodney Diggs, director at Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs, specializes in labor and employment law. Since becoming a partner in 2016, he has secured over $200 million in verdicts and settlements. Notable achievements include a $25-million verdict in an employment retaliation lawsuit and a $9.

Lourdes DeArmas
Lourdes DeArmas, a partner and lead trial attorney at Omega Law Group, is a dedicated advocate for equality and justice in the courtroom. Specializing in catastrophic personal injury, premises liability, sexual abuse and wrongful death, she has secured millions for her clients, including numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements.

Emil Davtyan
Emil Davtyan is the founder and managing attorney of D.Law, specializing in labor and employment law. He graduated summa cum laude from Woodbury University and earned his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School, graduating cum laude in the top 10% of his class.

Vineet Dubey
Vineet Dubey, partner and co-founder of Custodio & Dubey LLP, specializes in toxic torts, focusing on holding companies accountable for marketing products with toxic chemicals. Over a decade, he has led lawsuits against major food manufacturers and retailers, removing or reformulating thousands of hazardous products.

Deborah Dixon
Deborah Dixon, managing partner at The Dixon Firm, APC, is a leading advocate in product liability and employment litigation. She has secured.

Matthew D. Easton
Matt Easton, a partner at Easton & Easton, is renowned for his success in securing significant settlements, such as a $20 million mediated settlement in 2019. Recognized by various prestigious organizations, including “Best Lawyers in America,” Matt’s exceptional trial skills have led to over $100 million in settlements for his clients.

Brian W. Easton
Brian Easton, an esteemed attorney since 1995, dedicates his career to advocating for injured individuals. As a co-managing partner at Easton & Easton, he upholds top trial standards and ethic and is recognized by various prestigious organizations.

Therese B. Garcia
Therese B. Garcia, an attorney at Lem Garcia Law, PC, specializes in personal injury. She joined the firm in 2016 bringing extensive advocacy experience. She is also dedicated to public service, having worked with low-income, elderly and disabled individuals before joining Lem Garcia Law.

Genie Harrison
Genie Harrison specializes in women’s rights, sexual harassment, equal pay and sexual abuse cases. She secured a record-setting $100-million settlement for the women of Riot Games and helped obtain $17 million for Harvey Weinstein’s victims.

Lem Garcia
Lem Garcia, founder of Lem Garcia Law, PC, is a prominent personal injury attorney in Southern California. Starting his firm in 2014 with minimal resources, he has secured top settlements, including $8 million and $3 million.

Ricardo Echeverria
Ricardo Echeverria is an acclaimed trial attorney specializing in insurance bad faith and catastrophic personal injury cases. His career is decorated with significant achievements, including multiple recognitions as one of the Top 30 Plaintiff Lawyers in California and induction into The Inner Circle of Advocates in 2023.

Stephen M. Garcia
Stephen Michael Garcia, founding partner of Garcia & Artigliere, has specialized in civil trial practice since 1994, after nine years in criminal trial advocacy. He has led over 3,500 elder and dependent adult neglect cases, securing over $3 billion in awards nationwide, including a record $38-million settlement in California.

Shane Hapuarachy
Shane Hapuarachy is a partner at Jacoby & Meyers, specializing in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Known for his strategic thinking and risk-taking, he has secured numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements against various entities, often achieving jury verdicts significantly higher than pre-trial offers.

Tracy Lee Fehr
Tracy Lee Fehr, partner at Alexander Morrison + Fehr LLP, specializes in labor and employment law, focusing on wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation and harassment. With nearly 20 years of practice, she has won several appeals and writs and settled numerous cases.

Kiley Grömbacher
Kiley Grömbacher specializes in complex litigation, including consumer and employment class actions, product liability, personal injury and pharmaceutical mass torts. She has secured large verdicts and settlements, particularly for women and children, and is driven by a passion for justice against corporate misdeeds.

Mahru Madjidi
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.

Brian S. Kabateck
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.

Barry Kurtz
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.

Angela S. Lee
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.

Jennifer L. Lallite
Jennifer Lallite, Of Counsel at GRSM’s L.A. office, excels in defending employers against workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrong­ termination lawsuits, including wage and hour and ful PAGA actions.

Arash Homampour
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.

Edward Y. Lee
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.

Steven Heimberg
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.

Patrick McNicholas
Patrick McNicholas achieved nearly half a billion dollars in mass tort settlements in 2023, primarily from wildfire litigation.

Shahane A. Martirosyan
Shahane A. Martirosyan, a prominent attorney at Stephan Filip PC, leads the labor and employment department, specializing in representing employees in a wide range of employment disputes, including whistleblower retaliation, sexual harassment and discrimination.

Tigran Martinian
Tigran Martinian is the founder of Martinian Lawyers, a Los Angeles firm specializing in personal injury, wrongful death and criminal defense law.

Christopher Melcher
With 30 years of experience, Christopher Melcher specializes in complex family law litigation and premarital agreements. He handles cross-border disputes and is a certified family law specialist, appellate specialist and board-certified civil trial lawyer.

Matthew S. McNicholas
Matthew S. McNicholas is a leading employment attorney in Southern California, specializing in representing first responders facing discrimination, harassment and retaliation. As panel counsel to the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, he secured over $17 million in employment resolutions in 2023.

Jordan Matthews
Jordan Matthews served as lead counsel in landmark litigation against Steve Wynn, representing the primary witness for the Wall Street Journal’s expose, “Dozens of People Recount Pattern of Sexual Misconduct by Las Vegas Mogul Steve Wynn.” Matthews’ actions led to Wynn’s resignation from Wynn Resorts and the Republican Finance Committee.

Lisa Helfend Meyer
Lisa Helfend Meyer, co-founder and senior partner at Meyer, Olson, Lowy & Meyers, LLP, has been a certified specialist in family law since 1989. Known for handling high-conflict and complex divorce and custody cases, she provides top-quality legal services in all areas of family law.

Steven A. Mindel
Steven A. Mindel, a certified family law specialist, is the managing partner at Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt & Klein, LLP. With over 35 years of experience, he balances leading one of Southern California’s largest family law firms with serving his clients. He graduated magna cum laude from UCLA and earned his Juris Doctor from USC Gould School of Law.

Doreen Marie Olson
Doreen Marie Olson, co-founder of Meyer, Olson, Lowy & Meyers, LLP, is a certified family law specialist with over 30 years of experience..

Shahab Mossavar-Rahmani
Shahab Mossavar-Rahmani is a California founding partner at Omega Law Group, PC, where he specializes in personal injury law. He is known for his dedication to helping wrongfully injured individuals and holding negligent parties accountable.

G. Seth Mitchell
G. Seth Mitchell has 18 years of legal experience, initially as a defense attorney before transitioning to plaintiff representation nine years ago. Specializing in personal injury cases, he has won over $35 million for his clients, including numerous six- and seven-figure victories.

Sean O’Neill
Sean O’Neill is a partner at Stalwart Law Group, specializing in catastrophic personal injury, elder abuse, wrongful death and medical malpractice. A graduate of the University of Arizona and Pepperdine University School of Law, he has a diverse legal background, including corporate counsel experience and defense litigation.

Neama Rahmani
Neama Rahmani is the president and co-founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers. He graduated from Harvard Law at 22, making him one of the youngest graduates in the 200-year history of the law school.

Catalina Rodas
Catalina Rodas received her JD from Southwestern Law School in 2011, graduating in the top 20% of her class. As a Schumacher Scholar and Dean’s Scholar, she excelled in the Moot Court Honors Program, earning accolades in multiple competitions. She clerked for Honorable Amy M.

Khail A. Parris
Khail A. Parris has secured over $200 million in verdicts and settlements, specializing in catastrophic injuries, trucking collisions and spinal and brain injuries.

David M. Ring
Dave Ring co-founded Taylor & Ring in 2002, establishing it as one of California’s top plaintiff’s law firms, focusing on sexual abuse, serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. Renowned for representing sexual abuse victims, he has tackled complex cases against powerful perpetrators since the mid-1990s.

Mark Quigley
Mark Quigley is a pioneer in labor and employment law, dedicated to protecting whistleblower rights. With 30 years of experience, he has successfully challenged some of the country’s largest corporations and institutions, securing tens of millions in damages from insurance companies.

R. Rex Parris
R. Rex Parris is the founder and managing partner of PARRIS Law Firm, which has obtained tens of millions of dollars for clients over the last 18 months. Leading the premier personal injury firm in Los Angeles County, he is also a multi-term mayor of Lancaster and an active community supporter.

Ryan Saba
Ryan Saba is an award-winning civil litigation and trial attorney, known for prosecuting individual, class action and mass action claims. A founding partner of Rosen Saba, LLP, he has experience in consumer litigation, employment law, business disputes and catastrophic injury claims.

Robin Saghian
Robin Saghian is a founding partner of Omega Law Group, PC, specializing in personal injury law in Los Angeles. After graduating from USC at 19 with a B.A. in sociology, he earned a full scholarship to Loyola Law School, where he received the prestigious Dean’s Scholarship.

John C. Taylor
John C. Taylor is a founding partner of Taylor & Ring, a leading plaintiff’s law firm in Southern California established in 2002. With over 130 jury trials, he is renowned for his advocacy in high-profile cases involving police misconduct, civil rights violations, sexual abuse, personal injury and wrongful death.

Laura Sedrish
Laura Sedrish, a partner at Jacoby & Meyers, is one of California’s most accomplished plaintiff personal injury attorneys. With over two decades of experience, she has successfully negotiated for both national and international clients.

Christine D. Spagnoli
Christine D. Spagnoli, a partner at Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP, is a leading consumer advocate specializing in automobile defect litigation. Known for her landmark victories, she has dedicated her career to exposing dangerous products and holding manufacturers accountable.

Elise R. Sanguinetti
Elise Sanguinetti is a founding partner at Arias Sanguinetti with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Montreal. Specializing in serious injury, wrongful death, sexual assault and product liability, she exclusively represents plaintiffs in civil litigation.

Boris Treyzon
Boris Treyzon, a founding partner at ACTS LAW, is renowned as a top trial lawyer nationally, specializing in complex cases from catastrophic personal injury to business and product liability.

Carney R. Shegerian
Carney R. Shegerian, the founding partner of Shegerian & Associates, has made a significant impact over the past 25 years as a dedicated advocate and trial attorney for employees wronged by their employers. His notable achievements include a $155.

Cynthia Sandoval
Cynthia Sandoval has an impressive skill set unmatched by most mediators. Her experience as plaintiff, defense and in-house counsel sets her apart, and she is able to connect with the parties and counsel in a trusted and sincere manner.

John A. Sheehan
John A. Sheehan serves as the managing attorney at The Barnes Firm’s Los Angeles office, a prominent personal injury law firm recognized nationwide. With over three decades of experience since his admission to the bar in 1988, he passionately represents injured individuals, advocating against large corporations and insurance carriers.

Natalie Weatherford
Natalie Weatherford is a dedicated advocate for victims of sexual abuse, earning record-breaking verdicts and settlements. In 2022, she secured a $102.5-million verdict for former students abused by a music teacher and in 2023 obtained a $25-million verdict for a student abused by an assistant football coach.

Matthew Wallin
Matthew Wallin is a partner at Gibbs Giden Locher Turner Senet & Wittbrodt, practicing labor and employment law in the Los Angeles and Westlake offices. He has extensive experience defending private businesses and public entities in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage and hour disputes.

Ron Zambrano
Ron Zambrano is the employment litigation chair and partner at West Coast Trial Lawyers, specializing in employee rights. With over a decade of experience, he focuses on cases involving workplace discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation and wage and hour violations.

Allison Rachel Willett
Allison Rachel Willett is the managing partner at Willett & Willett, LLP, focusing on consumer rights through class action litigation. Recognized as a Super Lawyers Southern California Rising Star and awarded “Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers” by the National Trial Lawyers, she has a distinguished career spanning nearly two decades.

Diana P. Zitser
Diana P. Zitser, founder of Zitser Family Law Group, APC, is a certified family law specialist with over 20 years of experience in highnet-worth divorces, legal separations and complex property settlements.

Alexander Zeesman
Alexander Zeesman, founding partner of Accident Fighters, APC, manages personal injury cases from intake to resolution. An experienced litigator and a 2018 “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Attorney, he excels in trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution.

Diana Zeesman
Diana Zeesman specializes in personal injury law. A University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law graduate, she has extensive experience from externships and internships in various legal settings, including the California Department of Corrections and the Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission of Sacramento County.

Alexander R. Wheeler
Alexander Wheeler is a partner at PARRIS Law Firm, specializing in severe personal injury, wrongful death, insurance bad faith and class action litigation. Recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer since 2019, he has secured over $500 million in verdicts and settlements.