Gilbert Purcell
Born in Texas, raised in Oklahoma, Gil Purcell relocated to California in 1971 when Chevron closed its Midwest offices and his family moved to San Francisco. He attended Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, California where he was Valedictorian of his 1976 class. In 1979 Mr. Purcell attended Pembroke College at Cambridge University, studying International Economics and Courts before returning to UCLA to complete his B.A. in Economics. He studied law at Pepperdine University Law School, clerking for prominent plaintiff firms in Los Angeles and was a founding member of a mid-sized plaintiffs firm with trial lawyers Federico Sayre (former founding partner with legendary trial lawyer Melvin Belli) and Raymond Boucher. He tried his first asbestos case in 1986 before California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George. After achieving a sizeable verdict, and one of the first verdicts against the John Crane Packing Company, he was asked to return to the Bay Area and try asbestos cases for Steve Kazan, founding and senior partner of Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, PLC in Oakland.
It was through this trial work that he met current partner, Alan Brayton. Before relocating to the Bay Area, Mr. Purcell tried to verdict the first successful asbestos property damage action in California against W.R. Grace & Co., manufacturer of asbestos–containing spray–applied fireproofing, obtaining the first of several multimillion-dollar verdicts. In that case, Mr. Purcell represented the owners of a 32–story condominium building in downtown Los Angeles and had many current and former Superior Court Judges and prominent attorneys as clients.
Widely regarded as the premiere asbestos trial lawyer – Mr. Purcell has tried, and been more successful in obtaining verdicts for victims of asbestos disease, than any other attorney. His trials span the western United States (Washington, Oregon and Utah) and throughout California (Alameda, Los Angeles, Solano, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Orange, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and Contra Costa counties). In addition to numerous mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis trials, Mr. Purcell tried the very first asbestos-related non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases in Washington and Oregon, as well as asbestos-related colorectal cancer case in California.
Education
Pepperdine University School of Law
- J.D. - 1983
- Law Review: Pepperdine University Law Review
University of California, Los Angeles
- B.A. - 1980
- Honors: Alumni Scholar
- Major: Economics
Pembroke College at Cambridge University
- Major: International Economics and Courts
Published Works
- “Rostker v. Goldberg: A Step Backward in Equal Protection, or a Justifiable Affirmation of Congressional Power?”, Pepperdine Law Review, Vol.9, No. 2, p. 441
Certified Legal Specialties
- Certified Civil Trial Attorney, National Board of Trail Advocacy
- Certified in Civil Practice Advocacy, National Board of Trial
Professional Associations
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Diplomat, 2008 to 2008
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Board of Directors
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Board of Governors
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Member
- Public Justice, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (SFTLA), Member
- The Bar Association of San Francisco, Member, Present
- Marin County Bar Association, Member, Present
Bar Admission
- California - 1984
- District of Columbia - 1985
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Honors
- Rated AV – Preeminent; Highest Possible Rating by Martindale–Hubbell
- Trial Lawyer of the Year Award – Marin Trial Lawyers Association , – 2024
- Northern California Super Lawyer, 2004 – 2022
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California – The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2007 – 2015
- Top 25 Plaintiffs Attorneys, Daily Journal 2015
- Trial Lawyer of the Year Award – San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, – 2015
- Trial Lawyer of the Year Award – Marin Trial Lawyers Association , – 2014
- Commencement Address – Graduation Ceremonies – Pepperdine University School of Law, – 2013
- Distinguished Alumnus Award – Pepperdine University School of Law, – 2013
- Attorney of the Year – The Recorder, – 2011
Classes & Seminars
- Speaker, Try Asbestos
- Lecturer, Substantial Factor Causation in Asbestos Litigation
- American Lung Association Meetings
- Lecturer, Trial Practice
- Featured Speaker, Southern California Trial Lawyers Conference
- Pepperdine University, 01/29/2016 to 01/29/2016
Current Employment Position
- Senior Trial Partner