Brian S. Kabateck

Brian Kabateck Attorney KBK Lawyers
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As a nationally recognized and respected consumer attorney, Brian Kabateck is a preeminent leader in the fight to ensure access to the justice system. He’s a powerful advocate in the courtroom and at the California State Capitol for consumers’ rights and protections.

Mr. Kabateck’s vigorous litigation on behalf of his clients has netted more than a billion dollars in recoveries. He has won many multi-million dollar verdicts, judgments and settlements in the areas of personal injury, insurance bad faith, pharmaceutical litigation, wrongful death, class action, mass torts and disaster litigation. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Kabateck is leading the effort to help struggling restaurant owners across the state file class-action lawsuits against local and state agencies in an effort to recoup operational fees. He’s currently fighting for consumers as the class counsel representing ratepayers suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for a disastrous overbilling scandal.

Mr. Kabateck has secured a confidential settlement on behalf of more than a dozen families whose loved ones were killed in the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet off the coast of Indonesia. He also negotiated a global settlement of more than $57 million for 350 mobile home park residents considered the largest settlement of its kind involving a mobile home habitability lawsuit.

He has also recently secured a $975,000 settlement on behalf of their client against a car manufacturer after her airbag failed to deploy during a collision. In addition, Brian also helped secure a $750,000 settlement on behalf of a bankruptcy debtor seeking contribution from OOCL and OOCL Logistics on a partnership liability theory. 

Because of his deep knowledge of the law and dynamic speaking style, Mr. Kabateck is a frequent analyst for national, local and legal media outlets. He makes regular appearances on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and CW stations. In addition to his television exposure, Mr. Kabateck often speaks at seminars, law schools and industry events. 

 

During his tenure as president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Brian spearheaded a significant turnaround for one of the nation’s largest bar associations.  As Loyola Law School’s Chairman of the Board and a trustee of Loyola Marymount University (LMU), Brian is actively working to place new graduates in the legal field many of whom have been left without jobs post COVID-19. 

As the former President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), Mr. Kabateck drew on his strong leadership abilities to bring change to some of the state’s most contentious problems. Under his direction, he brokered a consensus on issues including protecting patient safety and court funding. He has worked tirelessly with the California Legislature and California Department of Insurance to draft many laws for some of the state’s largest industries.

Mr. Kabateck’s ability to straddle the legal and political world has made him a strategic and outspoken advocate for consumer and patient rights. In November, voters will decide whether to overturn the decades old MICRA law which caps non-economic damages at $250,000. Mr. Kabateck is a leader in the fight to lift this outdated and misguided law that deprives the state’s most vulnerable victims from getting the compensation they deserve in medical malpractice cases.

Mr. Kabateck has extensive experience in all judicial forums throughout California. He has argued cases before the California State Supreme Court, California Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. At the State Capitol, Brian frequently works with lawmakers to write bills designed to protect California consumers.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
  • Daily Journal Top 100 Lawyers: 2022
  • Daily Journal Top Plaintiff Lawyers: 2022
  • Finalist, Elite Trial Lawyers Personal Injury Law Firm of the Year, National Trial Lawyers: 2020
  • Daily Journal Top 30 Plaintiff Lawyers: 2019
  • 2018 Persons of the Year Award, Metropolitan News-Enterprise
  • Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award 2018; Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
  • Daily Journal Top 100 Lawyer in California: 2009-2017, 2019-2022
  • Daily Journal Top 30 Plaintiff Lawyer in California: 2016-2018
  • Daily Journal Top 25 Plaintiff Lawyer in California: 2015-2016
  • National Law Journal Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazers: 2018
  • Finalist, Trial Lawyer of the Year, Consumer Attorneys of California: 2005, 2010, 2012, 2014
  • Winner, Marvin E. Lewis Award, Consumer Attorneys of California: 2014
  • 50 Inspirational Alumni, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles: 2014
  • Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: 2013
  • Southern California SuperLawyer, Top 100 in Southern California: 2012, 2013
  • Finalist, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Trial Lawyer of the Year:  2012
  • National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 in California: 2010 to present
  • Top 100 Influential Trial Lawyers in the United States: 2011 to present
  • NAACP’s ‘Champions of Justice in Civil Rights’: 2010
  • Loyola Law School 2008 Board of Governors Recognition Service Award
  • California Attorney of the Year, Litigation – California Lawyer Magazine: 2006
  • Finalist, Law Dragon 500
ATTORNEY ARTICLES
  • Advocate Magazine, Impactful use of trial and pre-trial technology (September 2020) 
  • The Recorder, Cyber Security Challenges for Remote Law Firms (June 2020)
  • Advocate Magazine, California Damages: An Update (June 14, 2019)
  • Law 360, The Precarious State of Public Injunction Waivers in Calif. (May 17, 2019)
  • Daily Journal, Baseball is back, and so is concern for spectator safety (April 1, 2019)
  • Daily Journal, Presenting life care planner’s testimony while navigating Sanchez (March 12, 2019)
  • The Recorder, Timing is Everything When Suing a Dead Person (March 5, 2019)
  • The Recorder, How to Get Around the Dreaded Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy (February 8, 2019)
  • Daily Journal, AB 375: Cyber Privacy Rights for Consumers (January 9, 2019)
  • Daily Journal, Navigating the Difficult Waters of an Attorney-Client Breakup (January 2, 2019)
  • Law 360, Calif. Courts Say Schools Must Protect Students (August 9, 2018)
  • The Recorder, #MeToo Wave Has Employers (and Their Insurers) Running for Cover (March 26, 2018)
  • Daily Journal, Who Can Be Held Liable in the Age of Mass Shootings? (February 2, 2018)
  • The Recorder, Massive Data Breaches Boost Demand for Cyber Insurance (November 27, 2017)
  • Law 360, Calif. Leads the Way for Consumer Protection Laws (November 14, 2017)
  • Daily Journal, Secrets Protect the Powerful (November 3, 2017)
  • Daily Journal, Collective Bargaining Squares off Against Arbitration (September 18, 2017)
  • Daily Journal, Roadblocks to Mass Actions (September 11, 2017)
  • The Recorder, Claiming to Close the Gender Pay Gap, Google Opens Door to Potential Liability (May 24, 2017)
  • Law360, Navigating Pay Rules for Commissioned Calf. Employees (May 15, 2017)
  • Daily Journal, For sexual misconduct, a higher standard for law enforcement (May 12, 2017)
  • Daily Journal,  Are all employees equal in the state of California? (February 23, 2017)
  • The Recorder, Nightlife Violence: Who is Responsible for Keeping it at Bay? (February 22, 2017)
  • Daily Journal AB 2159: Immigration status in civil actions (January 18, 2017)
  • Law360, Amusement Park Injuries: Can State Gov’ts Be Held Liable? (October 3, 2016)
  • Daily Journal,  Jurors Imposing liability against employers:  a case study (September 29, 2016)
  • The Recorder,  Hello, College Football — and Bad Faith Insurance Suits (September 8, 2016)
  • Daily Journal, Employer expands responsibility for worker commutes   (August 31, 2016)
  • Daily Journal, The hidden costs of mass tort cases can sink your firm August 29, 2016
  • The Recorder,  Brian Kabateck and Natalie Pang Next Pokestop: The Courtroom? August 3, 2016
  • The Recorder Brian Kabateck and Shelly Gill How the Uber Settlement Hurts Workers, April 27, 2016
  • ABTL-Los Angeles Brian Kabaterck and Levi Plesset New Legislation Aimed At Unclogging California Courts, Spring 2016
  • The Recorder, Why Daily Fantasy Sports Sites Aren’t Gambling (March 23, 2016)
  • Daily Journal, Non-Delegable Duty of Logistics Broker Carriers in California (March 16, 2016)
  • Daily Journal, Brian Kabateck and Laura Kelly St. Martin Dangerous herbal supplements continue to go unregulated January 29, 2016
  • Advocate Journal,  The power-press exception to workers’ comp exclusive remedy   (November 17, 2015)
  • The Recorder, Tread Carefully with Litigation Crowdfunding  (November 3, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, It is imperative to engage the Judicial Council (November 4, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Privileged Rides are still common carriers (August 6, 2014)
  • California Lawyer, Are You Liable for Serving Alcohol to a Drunken Driver? (July 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Courts Wrangling with Contours of Social Host Liability (February 10, 2015)
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA) Magazine, Event Data Recorders in Civil Litigation  (January 06, 2016)
  • Brian Kabateck and Benjamin Hakimfar Brian Kabateck & Benjamin Hakimfar “Confronting Your Clients Expectations”  (December 22, 2015)
  • Brian S. Kabateck and Douglas Rochen The power-press exception to workers’ comp exclusive remedy (November 17, 2015)
  • Brian S. Kabateck and Shant A. Karnikian Use of Criminal Convictions in Subsequent Civil Trials  (October 28, 2015)
  • Law360, Ascertainability Relaxed: The New Wave Of Rulings (October 19, 2015)
  • Kabateck LLP KBK Attorneys Lead Seminars at Nation’s Largest Trial Lawyer Convention (September 02, 2015)
  • Law360, Is Withholding Insurance Benefits Bad Faith In Calif.?  (September 02, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Weighing the Pros and Cons of Multidistrict Litigation  (August 11, 2015)
  • The Recorder, When Social Media Marketing and Ethics Rules Collide  (August 04, 2015)
  • Law360, Cash That Class Action Check, No Matter How Small (July 21, 2015)
  • Daily Journal,  Claims That Courts Can’t Handle PAGA Don’t Pan Out  (July 02, 2015)
  • Law360, Filing Class Actions Against Wage-Dodging Trucking Cos.  (June 29, 2015)
  • Law360, Calif. Courts Aren’t Strict Enough On Medical ID Theft Law  (June 03, 2015)
  • The Recorder, Should You Crowdfund Your Case?  (June 02, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Who’s liable for ‘superbug’ outbreaks across the US?  (April 29, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, SB 1027: Protections against mugshot extortion  (January 06, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Little recourse for Sony employees  (January 02, 2015)
  • Daily Journal, Tougher restrictions on truck drivers needed (December 23, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, Prevent The Need For Massive Auto Recalls (December 12, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, Backlash may trigger civil forfeiture reform (November 26, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, NFL Debate: Employers Right to Terminate (September 23, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, The Naked Truth: little recourse for cloud based security breaches  (September 15, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, The Dim Realities of California Earthquake Insurance (September 05, 2014)
  • Daily Journal, State Laws fail to keep up with the billowing cloud  (June 17, 2014)
MEDIA MENTIONS
  • Brian Kabateck Spoke with Spectrum News 1 Regarding Lawsuit Filed Against Animo Venice Charter High School (November 29, 2019)
  • KABC7 Mobile Home Park Residents Reach $56.4 Million Settlement with Park Owners (November 20, 2019)
  • Brian Kabateck speaks out about mounting safety concerns with the Boeing 737 Max 8 on The Today Show (March 21, 2019)
  • The Recorder Brian Kabateck offers insight regarding Uber settlement. (June 27, 2017)
  • FOX11 reports on how KBK is fighting for residents living in substandard conditions (November 28, 2016)
  • KNBC reports on KBK’s class action case against Toyota for defective vehicles (September 12, 2016)
  • ABC30 KBK is investigating consumer complaints about poor water quality in Fresno   (September 09, 2016)
  • Daily Journal Citing small PAGA payout, judge rejects Uber settlement   (August 19, 2016)
  • Wall Street Journal KBK’s new class action lawsuit against trucking companies profiled in the Wall Street Journal  (January 14, 2016)
  • KNBC Brian Kabateck on KNBC predicting biggest legal stories of 2016  (January 06, 2016)
  • KNBC Brian Kabateck discusses the Porter Ranch Gas Leak on KNBC  (December 22, 2015)
  • KCAL Brian Kabateck on KCAL after filing lawsuit against LA County for dangerous crosswalk 
  • (November 20, 2015)
  • KGO Brian Kabateck talks to KGO about wrongful death case involving bar shooting  (November 20, 2015)
  • KGO Brian Kabateck talks to KGO about dangers of open-air tour buses  (November 17, 2015)
  • Associated Press KBK Wins $3.5 M Verdict for Double Decker Bus Injury  (November 13, 2015)
  • KTLA Brian Kabateck talks to KTLA about Starline Bus Lawsuit  (October 30, 2015)
  • KGO ABC7 Brian Kabateck files lawsuit over dangerous railroad crossing  (September 30, 2015)
  • KCBS2 Los Angeles Patient Infected With Superbug At Local Hospital Speaks Of His Ordeal  (September 25, 2015)
  • Courthouse News Five Women Say Officer Molested Them  (September 11, 2015)
  • Fresno Bee Woman sues in Tulare County deputy sex assault case  (September 09, 2015)
  • Bloomberg BNA Contract Attorneys’ Fees, Objectors Are Hot Issues  (July 31, 2015)
  • KNBC Brian Kabateck on KNBC discussing cyber attack on AshleyMadison.com  (July 20, 2015)
  • MeTV Brian Kabateck talks with MeTV about Tulare Co. sex abuse cases  (July 15, 2015)
  • ABC30 Brian Kabateck talks to ABC30 about sexual abuse lawsuits against school district.  (July 15, 2015)
  • ABC30 4 Defenders Of Pedophile Teacher From Reedley Discover They Were Victims  (July 15, 2015)
  • Good Morning America Tired EMS Workers a Prescription for Danger on the Roads, Experts Say  (July 03, 2015)
  • Good Morning America Brian Kabateck on GMA talking about the dangers of paramedic fatigue  (July 03, 2015)
  • CBS2  Brian Kabateck talks to CBS2 about the dangers of drowsy drivers  (June 30, 2015)
  • Courthouse News Victim Sues Rampage Killer’s Parents  (June 26, 2015)
  • The Recorder Software Company Hit With Privacy Suits Over ‘Supercookies’  (June 22, 2015)
  • FOX11 News Brian Kabateck talks to FOX11 about data breach lawsuit  (April 28, 2015)
  • Law360 A judge dismissed hospital CEO’s defamation lawsuit in a “slam dunk” for plaintiff law firms  (April 16, 2015)
  • Los Angeles Times Class action lawsuit goes after hotels that fail to disclose resort fees  (March 23, 2015)
  • Brian Kabateck speaks out about mounting safety concerns with the Boeing 737 Max 8 on The Today Show (March 21, 2019)
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIP
Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • President – 2018
  • Trustee – 2000 to 2003, 2006 to 2007
American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Member – 2015
Consumer Attorneys of California
  • President – 2012 to 2013
  • President-Elect – 2011 to 2012
  • Vice President – 2007 to 2011
Loyola Law School
  • Chairman, Board of Directors – 2015 to present
  • Member, Board of Directors – 2008 to 2015
Century City Bar Association
  • President – 2005 to 2006
  • President-elect, Vice President, Treasurer – 2001 to 2005
Inner City Law Center
  • Board of Directors – 2009 to present
National Trial Lawyers Association
  • Executive Committee – 2011 to present
Neighborhood Legal Services
  • Board of Director – 2000 to present
State Bar of California
American Association for Justice
American Bar Association
  • Vice Chair, Torts Insurance Practices Section – 2007 to 2012
United Policyholders
American Association for Justice – 2013
United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles, Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties
  • Board Member
EDUCATION
Loyola Law School
  • J.D. – 1989
  • Honors: Cum Laude, Order of the Coif
  • Law Review
University of Southern California
  • B.A. Political Science – 1985

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