ATTORNEYS
Our firm's principal, Scott P. Nealey, often in conjunction with co-counsel nationwide, has led and participated in major litigation on issues of nationwide impact, in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, product defect, consumer and insurance fraud, and securities and business fraud.
SCOTT P. NEALEY
Our practice is driven by clients’ interests and the experience and confidence to try their cases, if necessary, to obtain a fair result.
A Trial Strategist
Scott Nealey is a San Francisco-based plaintiffs' side trial lawyer with over 23 years of experience in complex class actions, catastrophic personal injury product defects, insurance claims practices, bad faith, and appellate law. Prior to founding Nealey Law in 2013, Mr. Nealey was a partner in the San Francisco office of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein (LCHB), LLP.
In the field of personal injury, Mr. Nealey has been lead or co-lead counsel in over 15 major trials in his career, personally preparing for trial, and then resolving, seven of the top ten personal injury case recoveries in the history of LCHB during his tenure. He was the co-lead counsel in Mraz v. DaimlerChrysler, a case involving the death of a Los Angeles dockworker killed by a park-to-reverse defect in a Dodge Dakota. A jury in Los Angeles Superior Court returned a verdict of $55.2 million, including $50 million in punitive damages, while on appeal the case was eventually resolved for $24 million. For his work in Mraz, Mr. Nealey received the 2007 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award and was named a Finalist for San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2008. California Lawyer called the Mraz victory against DaimlerChrysler, “one of the year’s largest personal injury verdicts,” and noted “this was the first park-to-reverse case against Chrysler in 25 years to make it to trial.”
Mr. Nealey was also the lead trial lawyer in a subsequent trial against Chrysler that resulted in a $7.2 million verdict in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, and has prepared for trial, and resolved, a number of additional automobile and other product defect matters.
As the lead trial counsel, Mr. Nealey also prepared for trial a major class action case against Farmers Insurance (Moeller v. Farmers, No. 99-2-07850-6 (Pierce Cty WA)). The case was resolved two weeks before trial for $48.5 million.
In addition to trial work, Mr. Nealey has an active appellate practice and has authored over 20 appellate and amicus briefs, and has successfully argued cases in appellate courts nationwide.
SCOTT P. NEALEY
Principal
Education and Experience
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Associate then Partner (1997-2013)
Law Clerk to Chief Justice Joseph R. Weisberger, Supreme Court of Rhode Island (1996-1997)
Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley (J.D., 1996)
University of California, Berkeley (B.A. History, Minor City and Regional Planning, 1988)
Honor and Awards
Northern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2016-2020, 2013 and 2012
The Best Lawyers in America, based on peer and blue ribbon panel review, selected for list of "San Francisco's Best Lawyers, 2012 - 2018
San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2008
California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award, 2007
Admission
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit California
Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California
STEPHEN M. HANSEN
We represent our clients with our experience, loyalty and a compassionate approach.
Principal of Law Offices of Stephen M. Hansen
Mr. Hansen has 29 years of legal experience focusing on litigation. His experience in a wide range of litigation and his commitment to the ethical practice of law has earned him a reputation throughout Washington State.
Mr. Hansen has both an individual practice, representing plaintiffs in vehicle injury, employment, and fraud cases, as well as an active class action practice in State and Federal courts. He has been Class Counsel in cases which have resulted in settlements totaling well over $100 million, resulting in substantial recoveries for tens of thousands of clients.
Mr. Hansen practices in State and Federal courts in Western Washington, and other jurisdictions in the United States. For a complete bio of Mr. Hansen, please visit www.stephenmhansenlaw.com.
Representative Cases
Busani v. USAA, Pierce County Superior Court Cause No. 99 2 08217 1. (Uninsured Motorist insurance coverage of automobile diminished value (i.e., resulting loss in value to vehicle wrecked in collision and subsequently repaired) claims).
Laughlin v. Allstate et al., Pierce County Superior Court Cause No. 02-2-10380-0. (Uninsured Motorist insurance coverage of automobile diminished value claims).
Shin v. Esurance, United States District Court, Western District of Washington, Case No. 08-CV-05626-RBL. (Uninsured Motorist insurance coverage of automobile diminished value claims).
STEPHEN M. HANSEN
National Affiliated Counsel
Education
J.D., University of Puget Sound School of Law, 1985
American Jurisprudence Book Award, Constitutional Law
B.A., University of Washington School of Business, 1982
Bar/Court Admissions
Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association
Washington State Bar Association
Washington State Courts
U.S. District Court
Honors, Awards, Recognition
“Mediator of the Year” by Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution