FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Press Release) – Los Angeles, California, February 22, 2010
Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter J. Polos, 45, will join prominent plaintiff’s firm Panish Shea & Boyle LLP in an “Of Counsel” role following his retirement from the bench on February 19, 2010, the firm said Monday. “The firm is thrilled that Judge Polos will be joining us,” Brian Panish said in a statement. “The Judge’s background as a very successful plaintiff’s lawyer and his years of experience handling complex cases on the bench will make him a tremendous asset to the firm. We could not be happier. Plus, despite all of his experience he still has a long career ahead of him,” Panish said. Panish added, “Judge Polos brings a unique perspective to our firm. He knows the personal injury landscape as an experienced trial lawyer and understands how judges and juries want to see cases presented. He will help maximize the effectiveness of our firm’s trial litigation approach and ensure that the unique strengths of every lawyer in our office are used optimally to benefit our clients.”
Judge Polos will be the firm’s Director of Litigation and will assist in overseeing the firm’s entire litigation practice including mass tort cases, personal injury cases, business litigation and product liability cases. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Polos was a member of the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee of the Coordinated Fen/Phen Litigation; he was on the Executive Committee for the Coordinated Ford/Firestone Litigation; and was the Co-Lead Counsel for Southern California for the Coordinated Sulzer Hip Litigation. As Panish Shea & Boyle’s Director of Litigation, Polos will evaluate the viability of new cases and captain the firm’s pre-litigation investigation and forensic evaluative efforts. When in litigation, Polos will assist with assigning attorneys to various aspects of cases as dictated by their areas of strength and concentration. He will also work with experts to develop understandable courtroom graphics and teaching tools, and will direct and coordinate pre-trial focus group inquiries.
Judge Polos said that although he has greatly enjoyed his service on the bench over the last eight years the opportunity to work with one of the best plaintiff’s firms in the country was something he could not pass up. He cited the firm’s excellent reputation and his longtime respect for what the firm has done to represent consumers.
Polos was appointed to the Superior Court on December 24, 2000 by Governor Gray Davis and was sworn in on February 8, 2001. He spent most of his time on the bench on the court’s General Civil panel handling complex civil cases. He also handled felony and misdemeanor criminal trials.
He began his legal career working as an associate with the late David M. Harney who was nationally recognized as one of the country’s best personal injury trial attorneys and was a founding member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) founded in Los Angeles in 1958. Polos himself is a longtime member of ABOTA. At the Harney office, Polos tried medical malpractice, personal injury and product liability cases.
After eight years at the Harney firm, Polos served as a partner with the Orange County firm of Lopez, Hodes, Restaino, Milman, Skikos & Polos in Newport Beach until he was appointed to the bench in December 2001. During this time he also consulted with nationally recognized plaintiff’s firm Robinson, Calcagnie & Robinson on complex mass tort cases.
Judge Polos received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and is a graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He and his wife Kristie have two children, Jonathan and Mary.
Contact:
Brian Panish or Jessie Kohler
Panish Shea & Boyle LLP
310-477-1700
panish@psandb.com
kohler@psblaw.com
http://www.psandb.com/
