Stephen M. Garcia has specialized in civil trial practice since 1994, following nine years of focusing on criminal trial advocacy. He has served as lead counsel on behalf of disenfranchised consumers in cases including, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, elder abuse and products liability.

Mr. Garcia served as counsel in class actions brought on behalf of consumers against such major diverse corporations as Allstate Insurance Company, Tenet Healthcare, Pennzoil, Medtronics, Hewlett Packard, Countrywide Home Loans, Sun Healthcare Corporation, The County of Los Angeles, Sony, British Airways United Airlines, Motorola, State Farm Insurance Company and AT&T.

Mr. Garcia received his Bachelor’s degree in 1982 from Loyola Marymount University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola University in 1985. He is admitted to practice in all State Courts in California, Texas and Arizona as well as the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, Central and Eastern Districts of California as well as the United States District Court for Arizona.

Mr. Garcia has been honored to be named one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America” for the year 2008 by LawDragon Magazine. Mr. Garcia was one of only 100 Plaintiff’s lawyers throughout the nation named to the LawDragon list. Mr. Garcia was also honored to be named a recipient of the California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) award for elder law in 2009. Previous honors received by Mr. Garcia include Mr. Garcia being named one of the “500 leading Plaintiff’s Lawyers in America” by the national publication LawDragon Magazine for the year 2007, as well as one of 2500 nationwide “Fellows of The American Academy of Trial Counsel” (whose membership is by invitation only and limited to one half of one percent of America’s lawyers). Mr. Garcia is also a member of the prestigious “Million Dollar Advocates Forum” whose membership is limited to attorneys who have been awarded, and collected, verdicts in excess of a million dollars.

Mr. Garcia was the principal of the Law Offices of Stephen M. Garcia from 1987 through 2001 when the firm was purchased by the nationally recognized elder abuse litigation boutique of Wilkes & McHugh. Mr. Garcia was the managing attorney for the Western United States for the law firm of Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. for two years prior to returning to run his own practice in of April 2003.

Areas of Practice:

  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Elder Abuse
  • Class Actions
  • Products Liability
  • Litigation Percentage:
  • 98% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

  • California
  • Texas
  • Arizona
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court District of Arizona

Education:

  • Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California, 1985
  • J. D.
  • Loyola Marymount University, 1982
  • Bachelor’s Degree

Honors and Awards:

  • “500 leading Plaintiff’s Lawyers in America”, National Publication Law Dragon Magazine
  • “Fellows of The American Academy of Trial Counsel”
  • “Million Dollar Advocates Forum”
  • “Super Lawyers” of Southern California by Los Angeles Magazine
  • Member, “Billion Dollar Club” by the Los Angeles Daily Journal
  • Professional Associations and Memberships:
  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • Member, Board of Governors
  • Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
  • Member, Board of Governors
  • Mexican-American Bar Association
  • Member
  • South Bay Bar Association
  • Member
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Member
  • Fresno County Bar Association

Languages:

  • Spanish