J. Gary Gwilliam
Gary Gwilliam is considered one of the best consumer trial attorneys in the state. His reputation and skill in representing seriously injured plaintiffs is well known. He has tried 150 jury cases, of which more than 100 were personal injury cases. He has handled major cases in every area of consumer law, including serious automobile and construction accidents, products liability, medical malpractice, bad faith insurance, civil rights (including police misconduct), wrongful termination
and employment discrimination.
His results on behalf of clients include:
A $6.1 million jury verdict for a 29-year-old man who suffered quadriplegic injuries when the roof of his Corvette was crushed in a roll-over accident. This was the largest single injury verdict in Contra Costa County history.
A multi-million dollar settlement for 80 plaintiffs in their insurance bad faith suit against their automobile insurance company for failure to pay medical benefits covered by the plaintiffs' policies.
A $5.5 million jury verdict for a 19-year-old man who suffered severe hand injuries caused by a press machine at his place of work. This was the largest hand injury verdict in the United States and the largest single injury verdict in Alameda County history.
A $4 million jury verdict for the family of a man who was killed by police officers when he was threatening suicide. This was the largest police shooting misconduct verdict in Northern California history.
Gary is a former president of the Consumer Attorneys of California and was nominated Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1995 and 1996 by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. Gary is also a receipient 2001 of the California Lawyer Attorney of the Year award for employment law. A noted lecturer and motivational speaker, he has conducted seminars and workshops around California and the United States for many years. His ethics seminar, "How to Get a Winning Verdict in Your Personal Life," won him a Consumer Attorneys of California Presidential Award in 1994. He is the author of numerous articles on California consumer law and is frequently called upon to serve as an expert witness on the standard of care for lawyers' conduct.
Academic Credentials
- Bachelor of Arts, Pomona College, California, 1959
- LL.B. University of California Law School, Berkeley, Boalt Hall, 1962
- Certified Specialist, products liability, personal injury and professional negligence, Consumer Attorneys of California
Associations
Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly California Trial Lawyers Association)
President 1988
President-Elect 1987
Parliamentarian 1986
Board of Governors 1983-present
California Trial Lawyers Association Political Action Committee Chairman 1986
Alameda-Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers Association
President 1974-76
Board of Governors 1970-present
Alameda County Lawyers Club
American Arbitration Association
The American Bar Association
American Board of Trial Advocates
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
National Board of Trial Advocacy
National Employment Lawyers Association
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Board 1996-1999
Executive Committee 1999-2000
Secretary 2000-2001
Vice President 2001-current
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