Gerald A. Klein

Gerald A. Klein

Klein & Wilson LLP
  • Business Law, Intellectual Property, Legal Malpractice ...
  • California
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Claimed Lawyer ProfileSocial Media
Biography

Gerald A. Klein has tried more than 40 cases to verdict. 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.
Mr. Klein represents both plaintiffs and defendants in business litigation, legal malpractice, real estate, trade secrets, unfair competition, and insurance bad faith. He has also served as an expert witness in legal malpractice matters.
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 the 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. In 2014, 2015, and 2019, he was listed in the Super Lawyers® Top 50 Orange County list. Mr. Klein was also listed in the Super Lawyers® Top 100 Southern California List in 2019. 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.

Practice Areas
    Business Law
    Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
    Intellectual Property
    Legal Malpractice
    Real Estate Law
    Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
    Appeals & Appellate
    Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
    Trademarks
    Trademark Litigation, Trademark Registration
Additional Practice Areas
  • Breach of Contract
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Partnership, Shareholder, LLC and LLP Disputes
  • Fraud
  • Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets
  • Copyright
  • Insurance Bad Faith
  • Commercial Unlawful Detainer
  • Commercial Landlord Tenant
  • Mediation
Fees
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Klein & Wilson works on an hourly fee basis. On a very limited basis, Klein & Wilson will consider accepting cases on a contingency fee basis (i.e., where the damages exceed $10 million, and the client advances all costs).
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
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9th Circuit
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U.S. District Court Central District of California
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U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
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U.S. District Court Northern District of California
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U.S. District Court Southern District of California
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U.S. Supreme Court
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Professional Experience
Of Counsel
Klein & Wilson
Current
Education
SUNY
Undergraduate Degree
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UCLA School of Law
Law Degree
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Awards
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Top 50 Orange County California Attorneys
Super Lawyers
Top 100 Southern California Attorneys
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Top 50 Orange County Attorneys
Super Lawyers
Top 100 Southern California Attorneys
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Top 50 Orange County List
Super Lawyers
Top 100 Southern California List
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Best Law Firms
U.S. News & World Report
Since 2016, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Klein & Wilson in its annual edition of "Best Law Firms." Klein & Wilson achieved a "Tier One" ranking in Orange County, California in the category of Commercial Litigation.
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For more than three decades, Best Lawyers lists have earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public, as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere.
AV
Martindale-Hubbell
Martindale-Hubbell awarded Mr. Klein Wilson, as well as the firm, its highest rating of "AV." The "A" represents the highest rating a lawyer can receive for professional skills, as ranked by other lawyers and judges. The "V" is the highest rating an attorney can receive for ethical standards. Accordingly, when clients hire Klein & Wilson, they can be assured they will be represented by attorneys judged by their peers to have the highest professional standards and ethics.
10.0 Superb
Avvo
AVVO's mission is to assist the public in making the best decisions for their important legal needs by providing an unmatched level of transparency and unbiased profiles for individual attorneys. AVVO profiles contain helpful information including the attorney's trial history, experience, background, disciplinary history, and reviews from clients and peers.
Top 5% in Orange and Los Angeles Counties
Super Lawyers
The attorneys named in Super Lawyers® Magazine are the top attorneys in their respective practice areas, selected by their peers. The Super Lawyers® Magazine selection process begins with a survey conducted by Los Angeles Magazine, sent to more than 65,000 attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Attorneys were asked to vote for the best lawyers they had personally observed in action. Each lawyer was given a score based on the number of votes received and the source of those votes (votes of lawyers from other firms carry more weight than those from lawyers in the same firm). Only the top five percent of attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange Counties make it to the list.
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
America's Top 100 Attorneys
America's Top 100 Attorneys
Membership in America’s Top 100 Attorneys is meant to identify and highlight the accomplishments of the nation’s most esteemed and skilled attorneys in all areas of practice. Only 100 attorneys in each state received this honor.
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Best Lawyers
U.S. News & World Report
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Top 50 in Orange County
Super Lawyers
Each year, Super Lawyers® recognizes the top lawyers in Southern California via a patented multiphase selection process involving peer nomination, independent research, and peer evaluation. The Southern California lawyers who receive the highest point totals during this selection process are further recognized in Southern California Super Lawyers Top Lists.
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Top 50 Orange County List
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
OC's Top Attorneys - Raising the Bar and Setting New Precedents
OC Metro
OC's Most Notable Lawyers
OC Metro
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
The Dean's List - OC's Top Attorneys
OC Metro
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
The Legal Eagles - OC's Top Attorneys
OC Metro
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Trial Lawyer of the Year for Legal Malpractic
Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
In 2009, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association selected Gerald A. Klein as Trial Lawyer of the Year for legal malpractice. While Mr. Klein was deeply flattered by the award, he recognizes the award truly belongs to the firm whose efforts led to consistently outstanding results for Klein & Wilson's clients. The Orange County Trial Lawyers Association is the leading Orange County bar association for lawyers primarily involved in trial work. Each year, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association recognizes a trial lawyer for outstanding achievement throughout his career.
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Southern California Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Trial Lawyer of the Year for Business Litigation
Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
In 2003, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association selected Gerald A. Klein as Trial Lawyer of the Year for business litigation. While Mr. Klein was deeply flattered by the award, he recognizes the award truly belongs to the firm whose efforts led to consistently outstanding results for Klein & Wilson's clients. The Orange County Trial Lawyers Association is the leading Orange County bar association for lawyers primarily involved in trial work. Each year, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association recognizes a trial lawyer for outstanding achievement throughout his career.
Professional Associations
American College of Trial Lawyers
Fellow
- Current
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American Board of Trial Advocates
Member
- Current
Activities: Gerald A. Klein was granted membership to the American Board of Trial Advocates on October 3, 2009. ABOTA is one of the most respected trial advocacy bar associations in the country and membership in ABOTA is by invitation only. Members must meet strict requirements of trial experience. ABOTA was founded in 1957 and is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. First and foremost, ABOTA works to uphold the jury system by educating the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury.
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Association of Business Trial Lawyers - Orange County
Board of Governors
- Current
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Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
Member
- Current
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Orange County Bar Association
Member
- Current
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California State Bar  # 107727
Member
- Current
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Orange County Bar Association
Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Section, Chairman
-
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Association of Business Trial Lawyers - Orange County
Annual Event Chair
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Association of Business Trial Lawyers - Orange County
Program Chair
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Orange County Bar Association
Education Chair
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Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
Board of Directors
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College of Trial Advocacy
Chairman
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Orange County Bar Association Business Litigation Section
Chairman
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Speaking Engagements
Legal Malpractice and Fiduciary Duty Claims: Ethical Considerations, Avoidance and Defense, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Everyday Ethical Problems That Can Lead to Disaster, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Preparing Experts for Deposition and Trial Testimony, Orange County Bar Association, Business Litigation Section
Orange County Bar Association
Everyday Ethical Problems That Should Keep You Awake at Night, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Legal Malpractice Claims: Elements, Avoidance, Prosecution, and Defense, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Legal Malpractice Claims: Elements, Avoidance, Prosecution, and Defense, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Learning to try cases and training the next generation of trial lawyers, Orange County Bar Association, Litigation Section
Orange County Bar Association
Ethical Issues that Should Keep You Awake at Night, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
Avoid Crippling Lawsuits and How to Win Them, Small Business Expo Los Angeles
Small Business Expo Los Angeles
Building Your Law Firm, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Ethical issues that should keep you awake at night, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Legal Malpractice, Orange County Bar Association, Last Dash
Orange County Bar Association
ABOTA Masters in Trial, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Legal Ethics for Large Firms, Large Law Firm
Mini Opening Statements and Voir Dire, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Everyday Ethical Problems that Should Keep You Awake at Night, Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association
Telling The Story at Trial, Instructor, University of California Irvine School of Law
University of California Irvine School of Law
Representing Financial Institutions: Ethics, Etiquette, and Crisis Management, Orange County Bar Association Banking and Lending Section
Orange County Bar Association
Taking Apart an Expert, American Bar Association Business Law Section
American Bar Association
Conflicts, The Silent Killer, Orange County Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section
Orange County Bar Association
Telling a Winning Story at Trial, American Bar Assocation
American Bar Assocation
Websites & Blogs
Website
Klein & Wilson
Blog
Klein & Wilson Blog
Contact & Map
4770 Von Karman Avenue
4770 Von Karman Avenue
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Toll-Free: (949) 478-0521
Telephone: (949) 631-3300
Fax: (949) 631-3703