Gerry A. Klein, Esq

Mr. Klein has taken over 40 cases to verdict in jury trials and bench trials. His success in the courtroom is underscored by the numerous accolades and recognitions he has achieved throughout his career, including selection by his peers as "Trial Lawyer of the Year" by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association in 2003 and again in 2009.

His tenacity in the courtroom led to a $26 million recovery, including punitive damages, in a breach of contract/fraud case against a major media company. Mr. Klein recovered $10 million in a legal malpractice case against one of California's largest law firms and $12 million in a breach of contract case that settled on the first day of trial. Read more about Klein & Wilson's significant results.

In 2017, Mr. Klein was inducted to the American College of Trial Lawyers, the most prestigious invitation only fellowship of trial lawyers in the United States. The College thoroughly investigates each nominee for admission and selects only those who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.

Mr. Klein has been selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers® list since 2005, and in 2015 he was listed in the Super Lawyers® Top 50 Orange County list. Mr. Klein is also recognized as one of the elite trial attorneys in Orange County by OC Register Metro magazine. He achieved an "AV" rating from Martindale-Hubbell denoting the highest level of professional excellence from his peers. Since 2015, Mr. Klein has been listed in Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.

Mr. Klein is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national organization whose membership includes top trial lawyers who have handled a certain number of jury trials. In 2001, Mr. Klein was elected as Chairman of the Orange County Bar Association's ("OCBA") Business Litigation section, the largest section in the OCBA. In 2005, Mr. Klein served on the Board of Governors for the Orange County Association of Business Trial Lawyers for two consecutive terms.

In addition to being a full time trial lawyer, Mr. Klein also has taught college level courses on the law for the University of California and California State University Long Beach. Mr. Klein taught trial practice at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, in the fall of 2014. He has also given dozens of seminars to the largest law firms in the country on multimedia trial presentations. Mr. Klein's trial based presentation skills are so widely recognized that the Association of Business Trial Lawyers asked Mr. Klein to serve as one of the faculty in its annual seminar on the Art of Story Telling. In addition to speaking on legal subjects, Mr. Klein has also written numerous articles which have appeared in prominent legal publications, including an article accepted by the California State Bar for the continuing education of the bar.

Areas of Practice    

Published Works

• The Art of Direct Examination: Creating a Masterpiece, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association “The Gavel” (Winter 2017)

• Training for Tomorrow: Teaching the Expert Who is Leader of the Band, Business Law Today (March 2014)

• Making Your Partnership a Success, The Recorder (October 2013)

• Telling a Winning Story at Trial, ABTL Report (Fall 2013)

• Proving Evidence of Financial Condition in Punitive Damage Cases, OCTLA Gavel (Winter 2013)

• The Art of Cross-Examination, OCTLA Gavel (Fall 2010)

• Legal Malpractice, Klein & Wilson Website (June 2010)

• Creating a Masterpiece: The Art of Direct Examination, OCTLA Gavel (Spring 2010)

• Multi-Media Presentations at Mediation, Advocate (January 2006)

• The CEO as Witness: Super Hero or Arch Villain, ABTL Report (Summer 2005)

• Taking Care of Business on a Contingency Fee, OCTLA Gavel (April 2003)

• Animations – Star Wars Technology in the Courtroom, Forum (December 1998)

• Litigation: Using Mock Trials Effectively, California Lawyer (May 1998)

• Multimedia Trial Presentations Increase Chances of Defense Verdicts at Trial, Claims People (June 1996)

• Prop. 51 and the House that Tech-Built, California Lawyer (November 1986)

Bar Admissions

• California, 1982

• U.S. Supreme Court, 1986

• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1986

• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2017

• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1984

• U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1999

• U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2010

Education

• University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California

• J.D. – 1982

• Honors:

• Russell P. Serber Memorial Scholar

• State University of New York, Albany, New York

• B.A. – 1978

• Honors: magna cum laude

• Honors:

• New York State Regents Scholar

• Honors:

• Phi Alpha Theta Award for History and Classics

• Major:

• Greek and Roman Classics and History

Classes / Seminars

• Lecturer, Learning to try cases and training the next generation of trial lawyers, Orange County Bar Association Business Litigation Section, 2019

• Lecturer, Ethical Issues that Should Keep You Awake at Night, Orange County Bar Association Last Dash, 2019

• Lecture, Avoid Crippling Lawsuits and How to Win Them, Small Business Expo Los Angeles, 2018

• Lecture, Building Your Law Firm, Orange County Bar Association, 2018

• Lecture, Ethical issues that should keep you awake at night, Orange County Bar Association, 2018

• Lecturer, Legal Malpractice, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash, 2018

• Lecture, ABOTA Masters in Trial, Orange County Bar Association, 2018

• Lecture, Legal Ethics for Large Firms, Large Law Firm, 2017

• Lecturer, Mini Opening Statements and Voir Dire, Orange County Bar Association, 2016

• Lecturer, Everyday Ethical Problems that Should Keep You Awake at Night, Orange County Bar Association, 2015

• Instructor, Telling The Story at Trial, University of California Irvine School of Law, 2014

• Lecturer, Representing Financial Institutions: Ethics, Etiquette, and Crisis Management, Orange County Bar Association Banking and Lending Section, 2014

• Lecturer, Taking Apart an Expert, American Bar Association Business Law Section, 2013

• Lecturer, Conflicts, The Silent Killer, Orange County Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section, 2013

• Lecturer, Telling a Winning Story at Trial, American Bar Association, 2013

• Instructor, Modern Trial Tactics, Law Firms and Government Agencies

• Instructor, Modern Trial Tactics, University of California

• Instructor, Construction Law, California State University

• Panelist, Continuing Education of the Bar

• Panelist, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association

• Panelist, Orange County Bar Association

Honors & Awards

• America’s Top 100 Attorneys

• AVVO Rating 10.0 Superb

• Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers

• Super Lawyers®, Top 50 Orange County List, 2014 – 2015, 2020

• Super Lawyers®, Top 100 Southern California List, 2020

• Super Lawyers®, 2005 to present

• Best Lawyers, 2015 to present

• OC’s Top Attorneys – Raising the Bar and Setting New Precedents, OC Metro (2013)

• OC’s Most Notable Lawyers, OC Metro (August 2012)

• The Dean’s List – OC’s Top Attorneys, OC Metro (August 2011)

• The Legal Eagles – OC’s Top Attorneys, OC Metro (August 2010)

• Trial Lawyer of the Year, Professional Negligence, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, 2009

• Trial Lawyer of the Year, Business Litigation, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, 2003

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Orange County Bar Association, Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Section, Chairman, 2018

• American College of Trial Lawyers from 2017 – Present

• American Board of Trial Advocates, Associate, 2009 – Present

• Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 2002 – 2006

• Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 2007 – Present

• Orange County Bar Association, Business Litigation Section, Chairman, 2001

• Association of Business Trial Lawyers – Orange County, Board of Governors, 2004 – 2010

• Association of Business Trial Lawyers – Orange County, Program Chair, 2007

• Association of Business Trial Lawyers – Orange County, Annual Event Chair, 2008 – 2009

• College of Trial Advocacy, Chairman, 2002

• Orange County Bar Association, Member, 1991 – Present