Mark Thomas Quigley, Civil Rights Attorney in El Segundo, California

Mark T. Quigley is a nationally respected trial attorney who has dedicated over three decades to fighting for the rights of whistleblowers and workers who have faced termination or retaliation due to unlawful employment practices. He has taken on some of the largest entities and institutions in the nation as an underdog trial lawyer.

In one of his recent achievements, Mr. Quigley obtained a $26.6 million verdict in a whistleblower retaliation and breach of contract trial. The jury at the Los Angeles Superior Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, an executive who raised concerns about worker misclassification. The defendant faced whistleblower retaliation charges, and the corporation's actions were found to be in breach of contract and done with malice, oppression, or fraud.

Another significant case involved a $2.1 million verdict and $3.2 million in attorney's fees in a whistleblower retaliation trial against the County of Los Angeles. The plaintiff, Dr. Timothy Ryan, a vascular surgeon, bravely blew the whistle on unlawful activity at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, which compromised patient safety for another surgeon's financial gain. Dr. Ryan faced rampant retaliation for his actions, but Mr. Quigley's legal prowess secured justice.

In another high-profile trial, Mr. Quigley achieved a $2 million verdict against the UC Regents and the former Dean of the UC Irvine School of Medicine. The defendants were found to have violated whistleblower protection laws against Dr. Mark Linskey, a neurosurgeon who filed a grievance concerning abuse of power, violations of UC policy, and patient safety concerns. The case resulted in a total of $3 million in damages, and Dr. Linskey was reinstated to his position as Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery and the residency program. Mr. Quigley also represented the plaintiff in a whistleblower retaliation case that went to the State Supreme Court, leading to a substantial victory for public health and safety protections. In Bonni v. St. Joseph Health System, the plaintiff, Dr. Aram Bonni, exposed concerns about understaffing at Mission Hospital and faced retaliation. The California Supreme Court decision overturned the lower court's ruling, allowing the case to proceed further.

His outstanding work extends to lottery ticket fraud cases, where he has conducted thorough investigations and obtained substantial jury verdicts, including a $7.982 million verdict and a $12 million verdict.

Mr. Quigley's exceptional legal skills have earned him numerous accolades, including being listed as a "Super Lawyer" from 2004 to 2023. He was named one of Daily Journal's Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2016 and Top 100 Super Lawyers in 2023. Woodward/White, Inc. recognized him as one of the Best Lawyers in America based on peer surveys. The National Law Journal selected him as an "Elite Trial Lawyer" in 2016, and he received the "Giant Slayer" award from The Recorder in 2015. He was also a finalist for the Consumer Attorney of the Year Award in 2014.

Mr. Quigley is a member of prestigious professional organizations, including The American College of Trial Lawyers, Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, American Association for Justice, and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He served on the Association of Business Trial Lawyers board from 2010-2014 and chaired the Technology Committee from 2013-2014. He earned his B.A. in Criminal Justice and B.A. in Political Science from Kings College in 1976 and received his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 1985.

Some other cases Mr. Quigley has been involved in include Pedowitz v. Regents; Kieffer v. Unum Group; Bodden v. Bikram Choudhury; Besartinia v. Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope; Valdivia v. St. Jude’s Academy; Williams vs. Mervyn’s; San Diego Trolley v. Superior Court, (2001), 87 Cal. App. 4th 1083 and Irvine v. Regents of the State of Calif. (2007), 149 Cal App. 4th 994