CAALA HALL OF FAME
Since the early 1950s when the Consumer Attorneys Association was founded as the Lawyer's Roundtable, thousands of plaintiffs’ attorneys have been members of the organization. A select few of those members have been recognized as “Best of The Best” and inducted into the Consumer Attorneys Hall of Fame. The inaugural group of inductees in 2005 included Ned Good, Browne Greene, Raoul Magaña, Charles O’Reilly, Robert Steinberg, and Sam Shore. Each subsequent group of inductees continues to include only those who have achieved “legendary” status in the pantheon of the most distinguished members of Southern California’s plaintiffs’ bar.
“Those selected exhibit the highest integrity and standards in the legal profession. They have had distinguished legal careers, made significant contributions to the law and to society and have given back to the community and the legal profession.”
- Ray Boucher, CAALA Past President
2023 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
GARY A. DORDICK, Dordick Law Corporation
Gary A. Dordick is a trial attorney in Beverly Hills specializing in plaintiff jury trials and has over 100 trials in his career. He is an Emeritus member of the CAALA Board of Governors. He won CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2001. He has been nominated for CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year an unprecedented eleven times. He was named CAOC’s (Consumer Attorneys of California) 2009 Trial Attorney of the Year. He was announced one of the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2017, as well as one of the Daily Journal’s Top 30 Plaintiff Lawyers in California for 2016. Mr. Dordick was named Jury Verdicts Trial Lawyer of the Year. In 2016, he was awarded the Loyola Law School Champion of Justice Award for his career achievements representing Plaintiffs. In 2015, he received the Civil Advocate Award from the ASCDC (Association of Southern California Defense Counsel). In 2003, Mr. Dordick received the University of West Los Angeles’s highest honor – The Bernard Jefferson Award.
Gary A. Dordick is a trial attorney in Beverly Hills specializing in plaintiff jury trials and has over 100 trials in his career. He is an Emeritus member of the CAALA Board of Governors. He won CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2001. He has been nominated for CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year an unprecedented eleven times. He was named CAOC’s (Consumer Attorneys of California) 2009 Trial Attorney of the Year. He was announced one of the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California in 2017, as well as one of the Daily Journal’s Top 30 Plaintiff Lawyers in California for 2016. Mr. Dordick was named Jury Verdicts Trial Lawyer of the Year. In 2016, he was awarded the Loyola Law School Champion of Justice Award for his career achievements representing Plaintiffs. In 2015, he received the Civil Advocate Award from the ASCDC (Association of Southern California Defense Counsel). In 2003, Mr. Dordick received the University of West Los Angeles’s highest honor – The Bernard Jefferson Award.
CARL E. DOUGLAS, Douglas Hicks Law APC
Carl E. Douglas is the founding partner at Douglas/Hicks Law. He was named CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2006, and also received the Loren Miller Lawyer of The Year award in 1994 and 1999 from the John M. Langston Bar Association. Mr. Douglas is the former Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. where he represented clients in a wide array of personal injury, civil rights, and criminal law matters. Mr. Douglas represented the lead plaintiff in a product liability trial that yielded what was then the largest personal injury verdict ever awarded in United States history. His firm currently represent dozens of families across the country in wrongful death and civil rights maters whose lives have been impacted by the wrongful conduct of law enforcement officers. He is a frequent lecturer and motivational speaker at community based and legal seminars across the country and has served as a legal commentator on various radio and television programs.
Carl E. Douglas is the founding partner at Douglas/Hicks Law. He was named CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2006, and also received the Loren Miller Lawyer of The Year award in 1994 and 1999 from the John M. Langston Bar Association. Mr. Douglas is the former Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. where he represented clients in a wide array of personal injury, civil rights, and criminal law matters. Mr. Douglas represented the lead plaintiff in a product liability trial that yielded what was then the largest personal injury verdict ever awarded in United States history. His firm currently represent dozens of families across the country in wrongful death and civil rights maters whose lives have been impacted by the wrongful conduct of law enforcement officers. He is a frequent lecturer and motivational speaker at community based and legal seminars across the country and has served as a legal commentator on various radio and television programs.
GRETCHEN M. NELSON, Nelson & Fraenkel LLP
Gretchen M. Nelson served a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of California and became that organization’s first Treasurer (2012-2013). She is an emeritus member of CAALA’s Board of Governors, a past President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Chair of LACBA’s Litigation Section. Ms. Nelson graduated from Georgetown University Law School in 1983 and was admitted to the State Bar of California in January of 1984, thereafter becoming an associate at the Los Angeles offices of Morgan, Wenzel & McNicholas. In 1988 Ms. Nelson joined the firm of Corinblit and Seltzer, and when the firm disbanded ten years later she continued practicing on her own until the New York firm of Kreindler & Kreindler chose her and Stuart Fraenkel to open their new Los Angeles office. In 2015, Ms. Nelson and Mr. Fraenkel opened the firm of Nelson & Frankel LLP. Here she continues to practice in the area of complex class action litigation, while handling business tort claims.
Gretchen M. Nelson served a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of California and became that organization’s first Treasurer (2012-2013). She is an emeritus member of CAALA’s Board of Governors, a past President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Chair of LACBA’s Litigation Section. Ms. Nelson graduated from Georgetown University Law School in 1983 and was admitted to the State Bar of California in January of 1984, thereafter becoming an associate at the Los Angeles offices of Morgan, Wenzel & McNicholas. In 1988 Ms. Nelson joined the firm of Corinblit and Seltzer, and when the firm disbanded ten years later she continued practicing on her own until the New York firm of Kreindler & Kreindler chose her and Stuart Fraenkel to open their new Los Angeles office. In 2015, Ms. Nelson and Mr. Fraenkel opened the firm of Nelson & Frankel LLP. Here she continues to practice in the area of complex class action litigation, while handling business tort claims.
BRIAN PANISH, Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP
Brian Panish is a past president of the Inner Circle of Advocates and the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA. He is an emeritus member of the ABA Litigation Section Board, CAALA’s Board of Governors, and the CAOC Board of Governors. He also serves on the Best Lawyers Board of Advisors. Some of his many accolades include: 1999 CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010 Loyola Law School Champions of Justice Award, 2010 ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2014 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year, 2015 CAOC Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award, 2016 Southwestern Law School Outstanding Litigator, 2017 ASCDC Civil Advocate Award, and 2018 Irish American Bar Association Daniel O’Connell Award. Mr. Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in US history on behalf of plaintiffs and consistently serves as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in some of the largest personal injury cases in the country. Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive committees in numerous high-profile mass torts and major disaster cases.
Brian Panish is a past president of the Inner Circle of Advocates and the Los Angeles Chapter of ABOTA. He is an emeritus member of the ABA Litigation Section Board, CAALA’s Board of Governors, and the CAOC Board of Governors. He also serves on the Best Lawyers Board of Advisors. Some of his many accolades include: 1999 CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010 Loyola Law School Champions of Justice Award, 2010 ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2014 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year, 2015 CAOC Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award, 2016 Southwestern Law School Outstanding Litigator, 2017 ASCDC Civil Advocate Award, and 2018 Irish American Bar Association Daniel O’Connell Award. Mr. Panish has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in US history on behalf of plaintiffs and consistently serves as Lead Counsel or Co-Lead Counsel in some of the largest personal injury cases in the country. Mr. Panish has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive committees in numerous high-profile mass torts and major disaster cases.
2018 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
BRUCE BRUSAVICH, Abir Cohen Treyzon Salo LLP
Bruce Brusavich has represented thousands of individuals and businesses in a variety of areas, including personal injury, insurance bad faith, business litigation, elder abuse, professional malpractice, product liability and wrongful death. With more than 100 jury trials, clients rely on Mr. Brusavich for sound legal counsel and to protect their rights through every phase of litigation. Due to his extensive knowledge of the law and litigation, he often teaches other attorneys at Continuing Legal Education programs, testifies before the state legislature, and serves as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases. Mr. Brusavich is the Past President of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Consumer Attorneys of California, where he helped lead efforts to reform the summary judgment statute, create a two-year statute of limitations, improve the administration of justice, and maintain trial court funding, among other initiatives.
Bruce Brusavich has represented thousands of individuals and businesses in a variety of areas, including personal injury, insurance bad faith, business litigation, elder abuse, professional malpractice, product liability and wrongful death. With more than 100 jury trials, clients rely on Mr. Brusavich for sound legal counsel and to protect their rights through every phase of litigation. Due to his extensive knowledge of the law and litigation, he often teaches other attorneys at Continuing Legal Education programs, testifies before the state legislature, and serves as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases. Mr. Brusavich is the Past President of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Consumer Attorneys of California, where he helped lead efforts to reform the summary judgment statute, create a two-year statute of limitations, improve the administration of justice, and maintain trial court funding, among other initiatives.
JOHN F. "JACK" DENOVE, Jacoby & Meyers Injury Lawyers
John F. “Jack” Denove is a Managing Trial Attorney at Jacoby & Meyers. Mr. Denove has been practicing as an attorney in California for over 40 years, and has tried more than 150 civil cases before a jury. Mr. Denove is a frequent lecturer at numerous events to both attorneys and physicians alike on topics ranging from trial practice, medical malpractice, and insurance bad faith to products liability and premises liability. He was selected by CAALA as a member of the Plaintiff Trial Academy (PTA) faculty to teach trial practice to other attorneys. He holds several awards for his work as a trial attorney. He is a past president of CAALA, ABOTA, the Italian American Lawyers Association, and the Cowboy Lawyers Association. He holds the designation of Diplomate, the highest rank of the American Board of Trial Advocates. The Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association voted him as Trial Lawyer of the Year.
John F. “Jack” Denove is a Managing Trial Attorney at Jacoby & Meyers. Mr. Denove has been practicing as an attorney in California for over 40 years, and has tried more than 150 civil cases before a jury. Mr. Denove is a frequent lecturer at numerous events to both attorneys and physicians alike on topics ranging from trial practice, medical malpractice, and insurance bad faith to products liability and premises liability. He was selected by CAALA as a member of the Plaintiff Trial Academy (PTA) faculty to teach trial practice to other attorneys. He holds several awards for his work as a trial attorney. He is a past president of CAALA, ABOTA, the Italian American Lawyers Association, and the Cowboy Lawyers Association. He holds the designation of Diplomate, the highest rank of the American Board of Trial Advocates. The Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association voted him as Trial Lawyer of the Year.
CHRISTINE D. SPAGNOLI, Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP
Christine D. Spagnoli is a partner of Greene, Broillet & Wheeler in El Segundo, specializing in representing plaintiffs in product liability, personal injury and legal malpractice actions. She is a past president of both CAALA and CAOC, as well as the Attorneys Information Exchange Group. Her many accolades and honors include: 2017 Consumer Watchdog Rage for Justice Lifetime Legal Achievement Award, 2017 AAJ Harry M. Philo Award, 2014 CAOC Robert E. Cartwright Award, 2012 CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010 CAOC Marvin E. Lewis Award, 2005 CAALA Ted Horn Memorial Award, 2013 Loyola Law School Champions of Justice, 2001 AAJ New Lawyers Division Most Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer (F. Scott Baldwin Award), 2001 Loyola Law School Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. Christine is a member of the Board of Overseers for the Rand Institute for Civil Justice and Loyola Law School, as well as the Los Angeles Judicial Selection Advisory Committees (JSACs). She is also a frequent lecturer and an author.
Christine D. Spagnoli is a partner of Greene, Broillet & Wheeler in El Segundo, specializing in representing plaintiffs in product liability, personal injury and legal malpractice actions. She is a past president of both CAALA and CAOC, as well as the Attorneys Information Exchange Group. Her many accolades and honors include: 2017 Consumer Watchdog Rage for Justice Lifetime Legal Achievement Award, 2017 AAJ Harry M. Philo Award, 2014 CAOC Robert E. Cartwright Award, 2012 CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year, 2010 CAOC Marvin E. Lewis Award, 2005 CAALA Ted Horn Memorial Award, 2013 Loyola Law School Champions of Justice, 2001 AAJ New Lawyers Division Most Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer (F. Scott Baldwin Award), 2001 Loyola Law School Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. Christine is a member of the Board of Overseers for the Rand Institute for Civil Justice and Loyola Law School, as well as the Los Angeles Judicial Selection Advisory Committees (JSACs). She is also a frequent lecturer and an author.
2010 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
BRUCE BROILLET, Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP
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DAVID GLICKMAN (1932-2020)
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THOMAS STOLPMAN, Stolpman Law Group
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EDWARD POLLOCK (1910-1982)
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2008 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
LAWRENCE GRASSINI, Grassini & Wrinkle
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GARY PAUL, Waters Kraus & Paul
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ELMER LOW (1907-2000)
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2006 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
IAN "BUDDY" HERZOG, Herzog Yuhas Ehrlich & Ardell
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STANLEY K. JACOBS, Jacobs & Jacobs Lawyers LLP
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WILLIAM M. SHERNOFF, Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP
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DANIEL FOGEL (1924-1991)
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2005 CAALA Hall of Fame Inductees:
NED GOOD (1928-2020)
Ned Good was born in Chicago, but went to college in Los Angeles, graduating from the University of Southern California where he earned his BS and LLB. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1952, beginning a career as an active trial lawyer that spans five decades. Mr. Good earned international recognition as a specialist and pioneer in the Aviation Accident practice area. He and his firm handled numerous major aviation cases, setting records for the largest settlements and verdicts in many cases and establishing one of the most important principles of liability law in aviation cases in California. Mr. Good was one of the few highly qualified and high time active aviation lawyer pilots in the United States. He was a frequent lecturer, teaching aviation subjects to trial lawyers, law schools and pilot associations. Active in both the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association (now CAALA) and the California Trial Lawyers Association (now CAOC), Mr. Good served as president of both organizations.
Ned Good was born in Chicago, but went to college in Los Angeles, graduating from the University of Southern California where he earned his BS and LLB. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1952, beginning a career as an active trial lawyer that spans five decades. Mr. Good earned international recognition as a specialist and pioneer in the Aviation Accident practice area. He and his firm handled numerous major aviation cases, setting records for the largest settlements and verdicts in many cases and establishing one of the most important principles of liability law in aviation cases in California. Mr. Good was one of the few highly qualified and high time active aviation lawyer pilots in the United States. He was a frequent lecturer, teaching aviation subjects to trial lawyers, law schools and pilot associations. Active in both the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association (now CAALA) and the California Trial Lawyers Association (now CAOC), Mr. Good served as president of both organizations.
BROWNE GREENE, Greene Broillet & Wheeler LLP
As a preeminent leader in the Southern California legal community, Browne Greene’s accomplishments have set new standards in the practice of plaintiffs’ law and furthered the cause of consumers nationwide. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and graduated from George Washington University (BA and LLB). In his career he has won more million and multiple million dollar jury verdicts than any other attorney in the history of California. For more than 20 years he has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors from local, state and national legal and consumer advocacy organizations, recognizing his legal prowess and unequalled record representing and standing up for the rights of injured clients. Mr. Greene was a pioneer in the area of arbitration and a force behind the first arbitration plan implemented by the Courts. He is a past president and active member of both Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Consumer Attorneys of California.
As a preeminent leader in the Southern California legal community, Browne Greene’s accomplishments have set new standards in the practice of plaintiffs’ law and furthered the cause of consumers nationwide. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and graduated from George Washington University (BA and LLB). In his career he has won more million and multiple million dollar jury verdicts than any other attorney in the history of California. For more than 20 years he has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors from local, state and national legal and consumer advocacy organizations, recognizing his legal prowess and unequalled record representing and standing up for the rights of injured clients. Mr. Greene was a pioneer in the area of arbitration and a force behind the first arbitration plan implemented by the Courts. He is a past president and active member of both Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Consumer Attorneys of California.
ROBERT STEINBERG (1928-2021)
Steinberg earned his undergraduate degree and LLB from UCLA. After serving in the US Army, he briefly practiced as a solo attorney before joining Rose, Klein and Marias, his “home” for more than 44 years. He began trying civil jury cases in the late 1950s. Mr. Steinberg tried scores of cases and achieved many significant verdicts in construction accident and defective machine cases, frequently establishing new law in those areas. For more than 25 years, his practice became one of near-total immersion in asbestos exposure litigation. He successfully handled the first asbestos jury trial in Southern California. Mr. Steinberg represented asbestos-diseased plaintiffs not only locally, but also nationally through his leadership on a number of creditors’ committees, corporate boards, and as Select Counsel for the Beneficiaries of the Manville Trust.
Steinberg earned his undergraduate degree and LLB from UCLA. After serving in the US Army, he briefly practiced as a solo attorney before joining Rose, Klein and Marias, his “home” for more than 44 years. He began trying civil jury cases in the late 1950s. Mr. Steinberg tried scores of cases and achieved many significant verdicts in construction accident and defective machine cases, frequently establishing new law in those areas. For more than 25 years, his practice became one of near-total immersion in asbestos exposure litigation. He successfully handled the first asbestos jury trial in Southern California. Mr. Steinberg represented asbestos-diseased plaintiffs not only locally, but also nationally through his leadership on a number of creditors’ committees, corporate boards, and as Select Counsel for the Beneficiaries of the Manville Trust.
RAOUL MAGAÑA (1912-2007)
Raoul Magaña graduated from the University of California’s Boalt Hall of Law in 1935. In 1946, he founded a practice protecting the legal rights of injured railroad workers at a time when most were not fairly compensated for their losses. He and his firm, Magaña, Cathcart & McCarthy, represented thousands of clients, securing substantial awards that caused corporations to consider the safety and protection of consumers in the design and manufacture of their products. Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Magaña was considered by his peers to be one of the greatest and most eloquent trial lawyers to ever grace a courtroom. In 1969, he became President of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Raoul Magaña graduated from the University of California’s Boalt Hall of Law in 1935. In 1946, he founded a practice protecting the legal rights of injured railroad workers at a time when most were not fairly compensated for their losses. He and his firm, Magaña, Cathcart & McCarthy, represented thousands of clients, securing substantial awards that caused corporations to consider the safety and protection of consumers in the design and manufacture of their products. Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Magaña was considered by his peers to be one of the greatest and most eloquent trial lawyers to ever grace a courtroom. In 1969, he became President of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
CHARLES O'REILLY (1940-2010)
In 1972, Charlie O’Reilly graduated as the top student in his class from the Evening Division of Loyola Law School. He was involved since that time in landmark cases that were among the most important civil cases of the past three decades. These were precedent-setting cases against entities such as the Church of Scientology, the Ford Explorer, the California Highway Patrol and local police departments. Mr. O’Reilly’s most famous case involved an epic 22-year battle with the Church of Scientology that received worldwide attention and included two appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and successful defenses of numerous countersuits. O’Reilly was twice recognized as the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year, one of only two CAALA members to receive the honor twice.
In 1972, Charlie O’Reilly graduated as the top student in his class from the Evening Division of Loyola Law School. He was involved since that time in landmark cases that were among the most important civil cases of the past three decades. These were precedent-setting cases against entities such as the Church of Scientology, the Ford Explorer, the California Highway Patrol and local police departments. Mr. O’Reilly’s most famous case involved an epic 22-year battle with the Church of Scientology that received worldwide attention and included two appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and successful defenses of numerous countersuits. O’Reilly was twice recognized as the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association’s Trial Lawyer of the Year, one of only two CAALA members to receive the honor twice.
SAM SHORE (1924-1996)
As one of the first MD/JD’s to practice in the Los Angeles area, Sam Shore was an innovator of Medical Malpractice when it was a new specialty in law. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Pennsylvania and was a highly regarded surgical specialist in Los Angeles for 15 years when he entered the University of Southern California, earning his law degree before he was forty. Mr. Shore taught Law & Medicine at numerous universities, and post-graduate courses at both of his professional alma maters. He was perhaps the only person who testified as an expert at State and Federal Courts on both medical and legal malpractice issues. He was in the “ice-breaking” group of specialists in Professional Negligence to achieve National Board Certification on behalf of the American Bar Association.
As one of the first MD/JD’s to practice in the Los Angeles area, Sam Shore was an innovator of Medical Malpractice when it was a new specialty in law. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Pennsylvania and was a highly regarded surgical specialist in Los Angeles for 15 years when he entered the University of Southern California, earning his law degree before he was forty. Mr. Shore taught Law & Medicine at numerous universities, and post-graduate courses at both of his professional alma maters. He was perhaps the only person who testified as an expert at State and Federal Courts on both medical and legal malpractice issues. He was in the “ice-breaking” group of specialists in Professional Negligence to achieve National Board Certification on behalf of the American Bar Association.
