The Top 100 - California Law Business Ranks the State's Most Influential Attorneys for 1999

California Law Business
September 13, 1999

Forget Walt Disney, Republicans and corporate titans. The change of guard revealed in this year’s look at California’s most powerful lawyers was led by the ascendancy of the New Electronic Order, Democrats and the lawyers for the next millennium.

Power is, admittedly, in the eye of the beholder – as most of the 300 or so lawyers who voted for the Top 100 reminded us. And in a state with more than 140,000 attorneys who make their mark in ways large and small, it’s not surprising that nearly 600 lawyers received "votes" on the question of "Which lawyers have the most influence in California?" ¦ The biggest development in California Law Business’ second annual survey of the state’s most influential lawyers was the emergence of the new guard, as we’ve dubbed them. ¦ The stories of the professional ascent of the under-50 pack have common threads of risk-taking and reaching out to grab their personal brass rings, rather than waiting for a stage turn that may never come. ¦ Alejandro Mayorkas remembers his days working as an associate in a Century City law firm. He was making money but not making a difference. So he moved to the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles, where he rocked through the ranks to become the surprise selection to lead the nation’s largest district office into the future. The old guard was skeptical – too young, not ready, they said. ¦ Mayorkas has since begun to change their perceptions.

THE TOP 100

Brian J. Panish

The renowned litigator recently obtained the largest product liability verdict ever - $4.9 billion against General Motors (later reduced to $1.2 billion) – which made front page news around the country. He was on of the attorneys who represented the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors against "Big Tobacco."

"One of the leading product liability/catastrophic injury trial lawyers in the country."

Product Defects Bus Accidents Business Litigation Aviation Disasters Pharmaceutical Litigation Corporate Fraud Government Liability General Personal Injury Wrongful Death Automotive / Tire Defects ATV/ Rhino Rollovers More Practice Areas

Latest Firm News

Tilton v. Sempra - $15 million verdict for brain injury to minor resulting from a power company truck hitting a family vehicle.

Dominguez v. San Francisco - $21 million settlement while case was on appeal. Wrongful death of 4 year-old girl. Largest settlement ever paid by San Francisco.

Contreras v. State of California - $9 million settlment for amputation caused by a damaged freeway guardrail.

Don Gino Dominguez v. South Central Los Angeles Regional Care Center - $2 million verdict for wrongful death of a mentally and physically disabled 39 year-old man. Health care center left man unsupervised and he choked to death.

Doe v. Driver - $5.5 million settlement for death of pedestrian in an auto accident.

Doe v. Oil Refinery - $6.2 Million settlement for wrongful death and personal injury caused by the collapse of tank floating roof.

Avila v. Dresick Farms - $5.64 million dollar jury verdict for girl injured in truck v. van collision. Believed to be the largest verdict in the history of Imperial County, California.

Konrad, et al. v. Hewlett-Packard - Lawsuit filed against Hewlett-Packard for pretexting journalists and their families

Chief Warrant Officers v. Boeing, et al. - $13.55 million settlement for Army maintenance officers severely injured in the crash of Apache Longbow helicopter on a maintenance test flight during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

Does v. Doe Auto Manufacturer: confidential multimillion dollar settlement on behalf of a family involved in on-road rollover of sport utility vehicle.

Does v. Van Manufacturer and Rental Company - Confidential multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of the survivors and family members of 14 church group members involved in a fifteen passenger van rollover.

Hill v. Titan Tire - Confidential multi-million dollar settlement for a 42 year old man who sustained brain injuries following a tire failure on his vehicle.

Dominguez v. San Francisco - $27.4 Million Verdict - Mother and 6 others witnessed a city truck driver run over her daughter on a sidewalk. City completely denied responsibility. Largest verdict ever against the City of San Francisco.

Sherman v. Courrege - $25.5 Million Verdict - Wrongful death of mother, father, and son hit by a drunk driver.

Sorenson v. Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway - $2.8 Million Verdict - Plaintiffs were parents of a 48 year-old man killed when a freight train crashed into a commuter train.

Doe v. Auto Manufacturer - Major Confidential Settlement Fuel fed fire caused by defectively designed 15 passenger van rollover. Many occupants killed or severely burned.

Flores v. Continental Tire - Major Confidential Settlement - Woman sustained paraplegia when the right rear tire on the family's Ford Windstar van experienced a tread belt separation, causing the vehicle to roll over.

Panish, Shea & Boyle on TV - The trial attorneys at Panish, Shea & Boyle have been on numerous televisions shows because of their involvement in many high profile cases.