Gerald A. Klein

Practice areas

Business Litigation, Professional Liability: Plaintiff, Appellate, Insurance Coverage, Intellectual Property, Real Estate: Business

Focus areas

Bad Faith Insurance, Copyrights, Legal Malpractice, Trademarks

Mr. Klein has an extensive track record of handling over 40 cases in both jury trials and bench trials. His courtroom accomplishments are further emphasized by the numerous awards and honors he has garnered during his career. These accolades include being named “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association in 2003 and again in 2009, an honor bestowed upon him by his peers.

His unwavering determination within the courtroom led to a substantial $26 million recovery, which encompassed punitive damages, in a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit against a major media corporation. In addition, Mr. Klein secured a $10 million settlement in a legal malpractice case involving one of California’s largest law firms and obtained a $12 million settlement in a breach of contract case that was resolved on the first day of trial. Further details about Klein & Wilson’s notable outcomes can be found.

Mr. Klein adeptly represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a range of legal matters including business litigation, legal malpractice, real estate disputes, trade secrets, unfair competition, and insurance bad faith claims. He has also lent his expertise as an expert witness in cases involving legal malpractice.

In 2017, Mr. Klein earned induction into the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers, an exclusive fellowship comprising the finest trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is granted based on a thorough evaluation of nominees, with selection criteria encompassing superior standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.

Consistently recognized for his legal prowess, Mr. Klein has been featured on the Southern California Super Lawyers® list since 2005. Notably, he secured spots on the Super Lawyers® Top 50 Orange County list in 2014, 2015, and 2019-2021, as well as the Super Lawyers® Top 100 Southern California List in 2019-2021. Mr. Klein’s reputation as a distinguished trial attorney in Orange County has also been acknowledged by OC Register Metro magazine. His peers have bestowed upon him an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, denoting the highest level of professional excellence. Since 2015, he has been consistently listed in Best Lawyers, the legal profession’s oldest and most respected peer-review publication.

Mr. Klein embarked on his legal career as a prosecutor in the challenging Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, where he honed his trial skills and gained extensive experience in jury trials. He is a proud member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a prestigious national organization comprising accomplished trial lawyers with a significant number of jury trials under their belts.

In 2001, Mr. Klein assumed the role of Chairman of the Business Litigation section of the Orange County Bar Association (“OCBA”), the largest section within OCBA. Additionally, he served two consecutive terms on the Board of Governors for the Orange County Association of Business Trial Lawyers in 2005.

Mr. Klein earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1982, and he graduated magna cum laude from a flagship state university in New York. During his law school tenure, he was awarded the Russell P. Serber Memorial Scholarship.

Beyond his active role as a trial lawyer, Mr. Klein has also ventured into teaching, instructing college-level law courses at both the University of California and California State University Long Beach. In the fall of 2014, he taught trial practice at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. He has also conducted numerous seminars on multimedia trial presentations for some of the nation’s largest law firms. Mr. Klein’s exceptional skills in trial-based presentations have been widely acknowledged, leading to his involvement as faculty in the Association of Business Trial Lawyers’ annual Art of Story Telling seminar. Alongside his speaking engagements, Mr. Klein has authored numerous articles featured in prominent legal publications, including an article accepted by the California State Bar for continuing legal education.

Mr. Klein attributes his courtroom success to his background as a champion high school wrestler, highlighting the lessons he learned from his wrestling experience. These lessons underscore the importance of thorough preparation and determination leading up to any event, with victory hinging not solely on physical strength but rather on meticulous readiness and resolute commitment to triumph. Above all, he emphasizes his aversion to defeat.

Mr. Klein’s commitment to legal education and advocacy is evidenced by his role as a mock trial coach for Corona Del Mar High School, as well as his participation as a judge in the finals of Regional Law School Mock Trial Competitions.