Overview
Gary A. Praglin is a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, where he handles complex personal injury cases, including mass tort actions involving environmental contamination of air, water and soil. These cases often involve thousands of injured victims at a time, like Gary’s PG&E case, which became the subject of the hit movie Erin Brockovich.
Over his career, Gary has helped recover for his clients nearly one billion dollars in jury verdicts and settlements.
Gary has also served in leadership on Steering Committees, past and present. Notable Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees have been the Yamaha Rhino Litigation and the SoCalGas Aliso Canyon Litigation, which arises out of the largest release of methane into the environment in history.
Gary also handles pro bono litigation to improve the lives of others. Notable pro bono cases have been: an adoption; re-admission of a med student into med school, allowing him to become a doctor; and helping a young couple prevail against a slumlord on a mold issue. Gary is currently representing multiple parties against online puppy traffickers who have harmed defenseless animals and devastated innocent families.
Gary received his Bachelor of Arts from UCLA. He received his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.
Gary is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles and American Board of Trial Advocates.
He is an active supporter and fund raiser for the following worldwide charities: Wildlife NOW--dedicated to preserving endangered species in Africa www.wildlifeNOW.com; and Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind--dedicated to breeding, training and placing guide dogs around the world www.israelguidedog.org.
Experience
Representative Matters
Representative Verdicts and Settlements:
- $333 Million / Groundwater contamination trial and settlement
- $300 Million / Groundwater contamination settlement
- $80 Million / Air contamination settlement
- $25 Million / Groundwater contamination settlement
- $25 Million / Groundwater contamination settlement
- $15 Million / Groundwater contamination jury verdict
- $13 Million / Groundwater contamination confidential settlement
- $9 Million / Groundwater contamination settlement
- $3 Million / Tobacco Wrongful Death Jury Verdict
- $2 Million / Securities arbitration award
- $2 Million / Product Liability/Personal injury settlement
- $1.5 Million / Securities arbitration award
- $1.1 Million / Trucking Accident settlement
- $1 Million / Groundwater contamination confidential settlement
- $900K / Burn Victim Jury Verdict
- $400K / Securities arbitration award
- $342K / Air Contamination confidential settlement
- $250K / Medical Malpractice settlement
- $250K / Medical Malpractice settlement
- Numerous six figure cases settled over the past 39 years
Honors & Awards
Honors & Recognitions
Nominee for Trial Lawyer of the Year by Trial Lawyers for Public Justice for work on the PG&E litigation (1997)
Honored as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” 2007, 2010, 2018 and 2019
Publications
Publications
In the News
Blog Posts
Blog Posts
Affiliations
Civic
Invited speaker on environmental issues before the California State Legislature, LA City Schools and various continuing education programs
California Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Consumer Attorneys of California
Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles
American Board of Trial Advocates
Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles Mentor
Professional
- California State Bar, 1981
- United States District Court, Central District of California
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles
- Admitted pro hac vice in Florida, 2015-2017
- ABOTA
Practices
Education
Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, J.D. 1981
University of California at Los Angeles, B.A. English Literature 1978
Admissions
- California
- United States District Court of California
- Florida, Pro Hac Vice
