Paul Bigley is a Partner of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP’s Downtown Los Angeles office. Mr. Bigley is a trial lawyer and a member of the firm’s national On Call Trial team. He is an Associate Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”). He has 39 years of experience defending high exposure cases in California's state and federal courts involving: catastrophic injuries in the transportation, products and premises liability arenas; insurance bad faith claims; professional liability; directors' and officers' liability, sexual abuse, and entertainment litigation. Mr. Bigley represents a wide array of clients from individuals to Global 100 companies and has an extensive record of successful jury verdicts (over a dozen in the last few years alone).
As a member of the Allied Health National Practice Team, Mr. Bigley has represented healthcare professionals and provider networks in complex commercial litigation and business disputes.
Mr. Bigley has also successfully handled hundreds of arbitrations and mediations on behalf of his clients. Mr. Bigley dedicated three years to prosecuting a civil RICO suit on behalf of the insurance industry, has prosecuted cable piracy actions on behalf of the cable and television industry against international business organizations, and has defended a number of production companies in the reality show genre. He holds Martindale-Hubbell's Preeminent AV® rating (highest rating possible) and was featured in Forbes magazine.
In addition to Mr. Bigley's courtroom experience, he is the past Chairman of the Methodist Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. He has also spoken at national conferences and written extensively on a variety of litigation matters, including co-authorship of the California legislation governing expedited jury trials.
In his spare time, Paul enjoys gardening, golfing, hiking, running (over 50 half marathons and seven full marathons), woodworking, cooking, and supporting a number of charitable organizations including USC Arcadia Hospital (formerly Methodist Hospital of Arcadia). Paul enjoys spending time with his family, two sons, five brothers and sisters, 24 nieces and nephews, and dogs, Winston and Maui. Paul is considered by many to make the finest spaghetti Bolognese on the planet.
Mr. Bigley has tried dozens of cases to verdict in virtually all venues throughout the state of California with substantial trial practice in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. The following is a sampling of his recent verdicts:
2022: Bough v. J-Squared, BCV-20-101708-BCB, Bakersfield, Judge Ralph Wyatt; Catastrophic Injury/Wrongful Death with Survival Claim; Demand: $56 million; Jury Verdict: $11 million (within primary limit).
2020: Carlin v. Boroomand, BC682439, Los Angeles, Judge Mark Boronstein; Catastrophic Injury/Wrongful Death; Demand: $5.7 million; Jury Verdict: $192,000 (verdict reduced for costs per CCP 998 offer).
2019: Ravichandran v. Yokomizo, BC630280, Los Angeles (Alhambra), Judge Thomas Dillon; Catastrophic Injury/Wrongful Death; Demand: $7 million; Jury Verdict: Defense (costs awarded per CCP 998 offer).
2018: Pink v. City of Arcadia, BC608696, Los Angeles (Simi Valley), Judge Graciela Freixes; Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $2.8 million; Jury Verdict: Defense (costs awarded per CCP 998 offer).
2018: Newton v. Comcast, 34-2015-00184103, Sacramento, Judge Kevin Culhane; Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $1.3 million; Jury Verdict: $1,065,177.63.
2017: Gutierrez v. Yepremian, BC585510, Los Angeles (Santa Monica), Judge Chester Horn; Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $3.5 million; Jury Verdict: $81,734.81 (costs awarded per CCP 998 offer).
2018: Ramos v. Bosco Oil, CGC-16-553608, San Francisco, Judge Newton Lam; Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $500,000; Jury Verdict: Defense.
2017: Smith v. Lane, CIV1504382, Marin, Judge Paul Haakenson; Auto v. Pedestrian/Admitted Liability/TBI; Demand: $500,000; Jury Verdict: $159,000.
2017: Gorovitz v. Kurktchi, 114CV264399, Santa Clara, Judge James Stoelker; Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $450,000; Jury Verdict: $59,003.85 (costs awarded per CCP 998 offer).
2015: Hall v. Aurora Loan, C10-00053, Contra Costa, Judge Jill Fannin; Non-Surgical Fracture; Demand: $800,000; Jury Verdict: $521,000.
2015: Kniffen v. Braganza, BC522530, Los Angeles, Judge John Kralik; Auto v. Pedestrian/Catastrophic Injury/Surgical; Demand: $18.9 million; Jury Verdict: Defense (costs awarded per CCP 998 offer, upheld on appeal).
