Member Directory

Widely regarded by his peers as one of the nation’s top trial lawyers and with nearly fifty years of experience representing victims, Thomas V. Girardi has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, handling claims involving wrongful death, commercial litigation, products liability, bad faith insurance, and toxic torts. In 2003, he received the most prestigious honor of being inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame by the California State Bar. Mr. Girardi is a Member of the Board of Directors and former President of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only worldwide organization, limited to 500 trial lawyers. Mr. Girardi is also the first trial lawyer to be appointed to the California Judicial Council, the policymaking body of the state courts.

• California, 1964
• U.S. Federal Courts, 1965

• New York University School of Law, New York, New York
  • L.L.M. – 1965
• Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California
  • J.D. – 1964
  • Honors: “Distinguished Alumnus Award” – 1997
• Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
  • B.A. – 1961
  • Honors: Outstanding Professional Achievement Award – 1992

• “AV” Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell (Martindale.com’s Highest Rating)
• Best Lawyers publication, “Best Lawyers in America”, 1987 – Present
• Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Top 100 Lawyers in California”, 2008 – Present
• Los Angeles Magazine, “Southern California Super Lawyer”, Highest Vote-Getter in California, 2004 – 2008
• Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Top 100: California’s Leading Lawyers”, 2007
• Best Lawyers, “The Los Angeles Area’s Best Lawyers”, 2006
• Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Top 100: California’s Leading Lawyers”, 2006
• Loyola Law School, “Champion of Justice”, 2005
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Ted Horn Memorial Award, 2004
• California State Bar, Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, 2003
• Lawyers for Public Justice, “Trial Lawyer of the Year”, 1996
• American Board of Trial Advocates, “Cal-ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year”, 1996
• Los Angeles Trial Lawyers, “Trial Lawyer of the Year”, 1995 – 1996

• Litigation Counsel of America, President, 2015
• Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers, 2010 – Present
• California Judicial Council, Member, 2005 – Present
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, President, 2005
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Board of Directors
• American Board of Trial Advocates, President, 1999
• Loyola Law School, Associate Professor, 1976 – Present
• Inner Circle of Advocates, Member
• American Board of Professional Liability Lawyers
• International Society of Barristers
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
• Consumer Attorneys of California

“Champions of Justice” radio show on KRLA 870 AM in Southern California (2006 – present)
– Host of radio show that discusses relevant legal issues facing Americans today.
Lawdragon Magazine, “The baron of billions slams home record verdicts and settlements . . .” – 2007.
Lawdragon Magazine, “This powerbroker moves legal mountains . . .” – October 2006.
Lawdragon Magazine, “No defendant can intimidate this hero of the plaintiffs’ bar . . .” – March 2006.
Lawdragon Magazine, “The leading trial lawyer in America today . . .” – 2005.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Making Rain in the Golden State” – 2005.
Metropolitan News Enterprise, “Tom Girardi Named to Judicial Council” – 2005.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Two Attorneys Join State Judicial Council” – 2005.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Girardi Honored by his Peers” – 2005.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Girardi Gives $1 Million to Loyola High School” – 2004.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Top 100 Taking the Moment and Making it Matter” – 2004.
The National Law Journal, “Top Verdicts of 2003” – 2004.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “State’s Most Influential Lawyers” – 2003.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Class Action Demands Ford Recalls” – 2003.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Jury Awards $45 Million to Boy Paralyzed in Minivan Accident” – 2003.
Los Angeles Daily News, “Paraplegic Boy Awarded $45 Million” – 2003.
The National Law Journal, “$45 Million in Lap Belt Suit” – 2003.
The National Law Journal, “Winning Hall of Fame” – 2003.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Top 100” – 2002.
Texas Bar Journal, “See You in Dallas!” – 2002.
California Law Business, “The Top 100” – 1999.
California Law Business, “Payback” – 1999.
The National Law Journal, Verdicts – 1999.
Los Angeles Business Journal, “Top 50 Trial Attorneys” – 1999.
New Times Los Angeles, “The Firm” – 1998.
The National Law Journal, Feature – 1998.
California Law Business, “The Top 100” – 1998.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “On a Roll” – 1998.
Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Technology Captured Star Role in Entertainment Law” – 1996.
California Law Business, “Dead Man Suing” – 1996.

Mr. Girardi has obtained more than 30 verdicts of $1 million or more and has handled more than 100 settlements of $1 million or more. He has tried more than 100 jury cases, winning the first California medical malpractice verdict of $1 million or more, back in the 1970s.

Settlement, $4.85 billion – with pharmaceutical giant Merck for personal injuries to consumers of the drug Vioxx.

In Re Vioxx Coordinated Cases, JCCP Case No. 4247

Settlement, $1.9 billion – for California consumers were defrauded by the manipulation of natural gas prices.

Natural Gas Antitrust Cases, JCCP Case Nos. 4221, 4224, 4226, 4228

Settlement, $1.7 billion – for California consumers were defrauded by the manipulation of natural gas prices.

State of California v. El Paso Gas

Verdict, $785 million – for Toxic Tort personal injuries suffered by employees in Lockheed’s Skunkworks facilities

Arnold v. Ashland Chemical Co. JCCP No. 2967

Settlement, $333 million – for 650 residents of Hinkley, California in the toxic tort case made famous by the film Erin Brockovich.

Anderson v. Pacific Gas & Electric, BCV00822.

Settlement, $300 million – for second group of toxic tort cases brought by the residents of Hinkley against PG&E.

Citizens of Hinkley v. Pacific Gas & Electric

Settlement, $200 million, bad faith insurance lawsuit against Farmers Insurance for homeowners whose property was damaged in the Northridge Earthquake

In Re Northridge Earthquake Cases

Settlement, $68 million, with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for personal injuries to consumers of the drug Rezulin.

In Re Rezulin Cases, LASC Case BC 304262

Verdict, $45.5 Million – against Ford Motor Company for defective seatbelt which caused 6 year old child to become paralyzed.

Karlsson v. Ford Motor Company, LASC Case PC 0019980

• “The baron of billions slams home record verdicts and settlements…” , Lawdragon Magazine, 2007
• “This Powerbroker Moves Legal Mountains . . .”, Lawdragon Magazine, October, 2006
• “No defendant can intimidate this hero of the plaintiffs’ bar . . .”, Lawdragon Magazine, March, 2006
• “The leading trial lawyer in America today . . .”, Lawdragon Magazine, 2005
• “Making Rain in the Golden State”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2005
• “Tom Girardi Named to Judicial Council”., Metropolitan News Enterprise, 2005
• “Two Attorneys Join State Judicial Council”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2005
• “Girardi Honored by his Peers”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2005
• “Girardi Gives $1 Million to Loyola High School” , Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2004
• “Top 100 Taking the Moment and Making it Matter”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2004
• “Top Verdicts of 2003”, The National Law Journal, 2004
• “State’s Most Influential Lawyers”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2003
• “Class Action Demands Ford Recalls”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2003
• “Jury Awards $45 Million to Boy Paralyzed in Minivan Accident”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2003
• “Paraplegic Boy Awarded $45 Million”, Los Angeles Daily News, 2003
• “$45 Million in Lap Belt Suit”, The National Law Journal, 2003
• “Winning Hall of Fame”, The National Law Journal, 2003
• “Top 100”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2002
• “See You in Dallas!”, Texas Bar Journal, 2002
• “The Top 100”, California Law Business, 1999
• “Payback”, California Law Business, 1999
• Verdicts, The National Law Journal, 1999
• “Top 50 Trial Attorneys”, Los Angeles Business Journal, 1999
• “The Firm”, New Times Los Angeles, 1998
• Feature, The National Law Journal, 1998
• “The Top 100”, California Law Business, 1998
• “On a Roll”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 1998
• “Technology Captured Star Role in Entertainment Law”, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 1996
• “Dead Man Suing”, California Law Business, 1996