Consumer Attorneys of California

Consumer Attorneys of California California's top trial lawyers leading the way to protect consumers and civil rights. Seeking justice for ALL.

Affirming the Value of a Human Life, Regardless of Age.Bill Cheng, an active 80-year-old man, was on his daily morning w...
08/21/2026

Affirming the Value of a Human Life, Regardless of Age.

Bill Cheng, an active 80-year-old man, was on his daily morning walk to get coffee when he became the victim of a devastating crash. Dr. Mary Zi-Ping Luo was driving in the course and scope of her employment as co-founder of Amphastar Pharmaceuticals and International Medication Systems when she failed to stop at a red light, made an unsafe right turn, and collided with a truck that had the right-of-way. The impact caused Luo to lose control of her vehicle, which jumped the curb and struck Cheng on the sidewalk. Cheng underwent numerous surgeries and extensive medical treatment. Once an independent father and grandfather with an active lifestyle, Cheng was left unable to care for himself and now resides in a long-term rehabilitation facility receiving around-the-clock care. A persistent challenge in catastrophic injury cases involving older adults is the defense effort to diminish damages by focusing on a plaintiff's age.

Read more about Cheng v. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al. and attorneys Brian J. Panish, Thomas A. Schultz, Andrew Schrader, Diana R. Panish, Lalit Kundani https://www.caoc.org/?pg=Blog&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=149708

Class action litigation raises unique ethical challenges at every stage of a case. Join us in Newport Beach next month t...
08/20/2026

Class action litigation raises unique ethical challenges at every stage of a case. Join us in Newport Beach next month to explore navigating professional responsibility issues, recent developments impacting class action practice, and real-world considerations attorneys face in complex litigation.

This session is led by Daniel Warshaw (Pearson Warshaw, LLP) and features speakers Arthur Bryant, Allison Goddard, and Gretchen Nelson. See the full program and grab your seat here: https://www.caoc.org/?pg=2026ClassActionSeminar

A Care Center’s Neglect Results in an Elder’s Fatal Fall.Theresa Donahue was an 85-year-old resident at MuirWoods Memory...
08/20/2026

A Care Center’s Neglect Results in an Elder’s Fatal Fall.

Theresa Donahue was an 85-year-old resident at MuirWoods Memory Care, a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly in Petaluma. Throughout her time there, MuirWoods knew she was at risk for falls and needed assistance due to her dementia and other medical conditions. Despite this knowledge, staff repeatedly failed to meet her needs, and as a result, she suffered four falls, suffered from scabies for weeks, and suffered other forms of neglect. The fourth fall in 2021 caused her to suffer a hip fracture, which caused her subsequent decline and death. At trial, plaintiffs’ case centered on the purposeful understaffing of MuirWoods in order to increase their own profits.

Read more about Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, et al. and attorneys Karman Guadagni, Kelsey Craven, Esq., Kirsten M. Fish, Kathryn A. Stebner, Deena Zacharin, and Valerie T. McGinty: https://www.caoc.org/?pg=Blog&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=149708

The Fifth Annual Women’s Trial Skills Seminar presented by the CAOC Women’s Caucus will once again be a can’t-miss event...
08/20/2026

The Fifth Annual Women’s Trial Skills Seminar presented by the CAOC Women’s Caucus will once again be a can’t-miss event at Convention. 👏

You will hear from some of the most talented and impressive trial lawyers and businesswomen in California. Come join us for an afternoon of education, enrichment, and community. Register soon as this annual start to the Convention sells out! CAOC-Convention.com

"Each one of us benefits from California’s bountiful agricultural production—we truly are the envy of other states and c...
08/19/2026

"Each one of us benefits from California’s bountiful agricultural production—we truly are the envy of other states and countries. But enjoying that bounty should not come at a cost to those who provide the skill and labor to the industry. Low-income communities and communities of color deserve to live, work, attend school, and play in toxic-free environments, enjoy sound policies and equal access to services and opportunities, and have their voice heard in the rooms where decisions are made."

Read more from Kelsey L. Campbell and her article "Sí, Se Puede: The Enduring Fight for Environmental Justice for Farmworkers": https://online.flippingbook.com/view/1022375558/40/

A House Built Over an Abandoned Oilfield Leads to Cancer.In the mid-1970s, Union Oil operated an oilfield just outside t...
08/19/2026

A House Built Over an Abandoned Oilfield Leads to Cancer.

In the mid-1970s, Union Oil operated an oilfield just outside the city of Santa Maria. When that oilfield was abandoned, Union Oil did not clean out one of its waste sump pits as required by law at the time. Instead, it simply covered the pit with dirt and left it in the ground. Then it sold the field as “remediated” to land developers, who built homes across it. Kevin Wright bought one of those houses and lived there from 1985 to 1988. He didn’t know it had been built over a buried pit of oilfield waste, or that benzene was rising out of the ground into the air of his home. Twenty-seven years later, he was diagnosed with cancer. After his diagnosis, one of his children drove past the old street and found the house gone. Union Oil had quietly purchased and demolished it after oil appeared in the backyard.

Read more about Wright, et al. v. Union Oil Company of California and attorneys Taylor Ernst, Don A. Ernst, Danielle Miller, Terry Kilpatrick, Jakob Norman, Brian Ward, Erin L. Powers, and Ansley Hope O’Brien: https://www.caoc.org/?pg=Blog&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=149708

Presenting: 2026 Finalists! https://www.caoc.org/?pg=Blog&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=149708Join us in celebrating the ...
08/18/2026

Presenting: 2026 Finalists! https://www.caoc.org/?pg=Blog&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=149708

Join us in celebrating the finalists for Consumer Attorney and Street Fighter of the Year. The winners will be announced on Saturday, November 14, during the Annual Installation & Awards Dinner hosted in conjunction with the 65th Annual Convention in San Francisco. Thank you for your advocacy and your never-ending pursuit of justice!

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CONSUMER ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Wright, et al. v. Union Oil Company of California: Taylor Ernst, Don A. Ernst, Danielle Miller, Terry Kilpatrick, Jakob Z. Norman, Brian J. Ward, Erin L. Powers and Ansley Hope O’Brien

Tennier, et al. v. MBK Senior Living LLC, et al.: Karman M. Guadagni, Kelsey S. Craven, Kirsten M. Fish, Kathryn A. Stebner, Deena K. Zacharin and Valerie T. McGinty

Cheng v. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al.: Brian J. Panish, Thomas A. Schultz, Andrew Schrader, Diana R. Panish and Lalit Kundani

Hakimi v. City of Los Angeles: Rahul Ravipudi, Thomas A. Schultz, Jonathan H. Davidi and Tyler R. Paboojian

Garcia v. Starbucks Corporation: Nicholas C. Rowley, John A. Kawai, Grayson P. Yoder and Daniel B. Bidegaray

Doe v. Dignity Health DBA Methodist Hospital of Sacramento: John C. Taylor, Natalie Weatherford and Sonya Ostovar

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STREET FIGHTER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Jimenez and Gonzalez v. New Haven Unified School District: Megan T. Burns, Emily L. Dahm and Alan Charles Dell’Ario

Soto, et al. v. City of Torrance, et al.: Michael S. Carrillo, Christian Contreras and Laura M. Jimenez

Munguia v. County of San Bernardino: Daniel Kramer, Brandon Salumbides and Stuart B. Esner

E.I. v. El Segundo Unified School District: Christa H. Ramey, Siannah Collado, Schyler S. Katz, Shea Murphy and Holly N. Boyer

RIGGED.From the courtroom where Elon Musk faced a jury to the emerging battleground of AI-driven price-fixing, market ma...
08/18/2026

RIGGED.

From the courtroom where Elon Musk faced a jury to the emerging battleground of AI-driven price-fixing, market manipulation has a new face. A panel of top-tier litigators unpacks securities trials, state court securities actions, algorithmic collusion, and landmark Cartwright Act amendments — arming consumer attorneys with the strategies that matter most right now.

Led by Adam Polk ( Sharp LLP) and featuring speakers Lin Chan, Mark C. Molumphy, and Emily Beale.

Join us in Newport Beach on September 24 for the Class Action Seminar hosted by CAOC. Tickets here! https://www.caoc.org/?pg=events&evAction=showDetail&eid=346496

"You occupy an impossible position. You watch the three years and substantial resources you expended proving liability p...
08/14/2026

"You occupy an impossible position. You watch the three years and substantial resources you expended proving liability prepare to leave the courtroom. Your client endured the ordeal of trial. The jury performed its constitutional duty. Now, at the threshold of the punitive phase, the phase designed to punish and deter precisely the kind of calculated misconduct the jury identified, you possess no evidence of the defendant’s financial condition."

Read more from Steven R. Young's piece, "The Empty Briefcase in Phase Two of Trial: Obtaining Financial Evidence to Support California Punitive Damages Awards" here: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/1022375558/28/

Are you joining us in September for the 2026 Class Action Seminar? Hosted in Newport Beach - we'll break down topics lik...
08/14/2026

Are you joining us in September for the 2026 Class Action Seminar? Hosted in Newport Beach - we'll break down topics like employment class action cases.

This session, led by Deborah Dixon (The Dixon Firm), features leading class action lawyers for a dynamic discussion of practical tools, proven strategies, and key insights for navigating mass arbitrations, as well as effective approaches to certifying class actions in employment and consumer cases.

Speakers include Paula Brown, James Kan, and Eric Kingsley. Grab your tickets here, limited seats remain! https://caoc.org/26classaction

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95814

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