Brian Panish

One of the country’s leading trial attorneys, Brian Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in United States history on behalf of plaintiffs. His courtroom victories include a $4.9 billion verdict in the landmark products liability case Anderson v. General Motors, over 100 verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million in personal injury and wrongful death cases and seven verdicts in excess of $50 million. Mr. Panish consistently serves in a leadership role in the largest personal injury cases in the state and country including the Porter Ranch/Aliso Canyon Gas Blowout Litigation as well as the Woolsey Fire and Thomas Fire litigations.

Since 2011 alone, Mr. Panish has obtained more than $600 million in verdicts including a $135,000,000 verdict for two men who suffered childhood sexual abuse at the hands of their teacher in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, a $23,720,996 verdict to a Southern California man and his wife after the man suffered a lower leg amputation as a result of being struck by a 28-foot utility truck while riding his motorcycle, a $21,503,420.48 verdict for a Southern California man who suffered catastrophic injuries after a vehicle illegally exiting the 405 Freeway HOV lane struck his motorcycle and sent him careening across three lanes of traffic and into a passing flatbed trailer, a $41,864,102 verdict for a U.S. Air Force Captain who suffered catastrophic injuries after being struck from behind while on his motorcycle and then dragged the length of a football field by a Southern California Gas Company truck, a $53 million verdict for two adult brothers severely injured in a near head-on collision with a CRST semi-truck, a $36.5 million verdict against Schneider National for a big-rig crash that left a woman with severe spinal cord injuries, a $20 million verdict for a woman who suffered a brain injury in a hit-and-run accident involving a J.B. Hunt tractor trailer, a $17.845 million award in a wrongful death case involving four family members killed when a Marine jet crashed into their home, a $17 million verdict against Los Angeles MTA in the wrongful death of a visually impaired passenger, a $8.3 million verdict in the first DePuy ASR Hip Implant case to go to trial, and many more.

Because of his expertise in personal injury, wrongful death and product liability cases, Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive committees in numerous high profile mass torts and major disaster cases, including litigation involving train crashes (co-lead counsel in the the Chatsworth Metrolink disaster, the Glendale Metrolink crash, and the Placentia Metrolink collision), airplane disasters (Alaska Airlines Flight 261 and Singapore Airlines Flight 006 crashes), pharmaceuticals (Vioxx and diet drugs), and defective product cases (Welding Rods, DePuy ASR Hip Implant Litigation, and Toyota Unintended Acceleration cases.)

Recognized as being among the top trial lawyers in the country by numerous publications and organizations, Mr. Panish's recent accolades and honors include, but are not limited to 2024 Top Plaintiff Lawyers by Daily Journal, named among the LA500 and Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys by the Los Angeles Business Journal, a 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee by Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, a 2022 Finalist for CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year, a 2022 West Trailblazer by The American Lawyer2021 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions, 2020 Plaintiffs , a Lawyer Trailblazer by National Law Journal, 2019 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) award in the area of Personal Injury (a distinction he also received in 2013), 2019 Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar by Law360, recipient of the 2019 Harvey L. Silbert Torch of Learning Award from the American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU), 2019 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year – Plaintiffs Personal Injury, 2018 Best Lawyers® Lawyer of the Year - Aviation Law, 2017 Civil Advocate Award by the Association of Southern California Defense Council, 2016 Outstanding Litigator by Southwestern Law School, 2015 Robert E. Cartwright award from the Consumer Attorneys of California, 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award from the Consumer Attorneys of California, Champions of Justice award from Loyola Law School in 2010, and Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2010 from the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) in 1999. Mr. Panish has been named by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America, repeatedly recognized by Daily Journal as a Top 100 Lawyer in California and Top Plaintiff Lawyer in California, named by Lawdragon as one of the Top 500 Attorneys and Litigators in the United States, and by the Recorder as one of the Top 20 Lawyers in California.

In addition to his numerous honors, Mr. Panish is a member and past president of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group comprised of 100 of the best plaintiff lawyers in the nation who are respected among their peers and who are experienced and skillful in the handling of courtroom trials. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and previously served as the 2011 President of the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA. Mr. Panish received his law degree, with honors, from Southwestern Law School, as well as an Honorary Doctor of Law degree in 2011 where he also delivered the commencement speech at graduation. In 2017, his alma mater established the Panish Civil Justice Program with a goal of providing top litigation training to students, creating a crossroads for judicial bench and bar, strengthening the foundations of the American civil justice system. He received his B.S. from California State University Fresno, where he was named Scholar Athlete. In 2019, Mr. Panish was honored to be presented with the 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition of his extensive legal accomplishments as well as his generous support of community and University causes. He previously received the Athletic Directors Award from Fresno State and was named outstanding alumnus at the school’s Centennial Celebration in 2010.

Verdicts and Settlements: The following is a list of just some of the landmark cases that Brian has been involved in:

· $4.9 Billion – Anderson v. General Motors Corp.

· $3.3 Billion – LA County v. Tobacco Industry

· $135 Million – Blair v. Moreno Valley Unified School District

· $58 Million – Griggs v. Caterpillar, et al.

· $55.4 Million – Lampe v. Continental General Tire

· $53.745 Million – Lennig v. CRST

· $46 Million – Lo v. Southern California Gas Company

· $39.5 Million – Freeman v. Board of Trustees of the California State University

· $36.5 Million – Sheth v. Schneider National

· $34.5 Million – Casillas v. Landstar Ranger, Inc.

· $32.5 Million – Johnson/Allen/Cascio v. City of Beverly Hills

· $27 Million – Dominguez v. San Francisco

· $25.5 Million – Sherman v. Courrege

· $23.7 Million – Rojas v. Hajoca Corporation

· $23.5 Million – Lee v. Pupil Transportation Cooperative

· $22 Million &nda