California Attorney J. Gary Gwilliam Elected 2003-2004 President of The TLPJ Foundation

Activist trial lawyer J. Gary Gwilliam of Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer in Oakland, California, was elected President of The TLPJ Foundation on July 20 at the organization’s 21^st annual membership meeting in San Francisco. The TLPJ Foundation is the nonprofit parent of Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (TLPJ), the national public interest law firm dedicated to using trial lawyers’ skills and resources to advance the public good.

"If you know Gary, you know that he is extremely energetic and passionate about TLPJ," said outgoing TLPJ Foundation President Paul L. Stritmatter of Stritmatter Kessler Whelan Withey Coluccio in Hoquiam, Washington. "We are thrilled to have him as The TLPJ Foundation’s next President."

An accomplished trial lawyer, Mr. Gwilliam has tried 150 jury cases and is considered among the best consumer trial attorneys in California. In 2001, Mr. Gwilliam received the California Lawyer of the Year Award for his work in employment law. He has handled major cases in every area of consumer law, including serious automobile and construction accidents, products liability, medical malpractice, bad faith insurance, civil rights (including police misconduct), wrongful termination, and employment discrimination. Mr. Gwilliam’s commitment to service in the trial bar extends over four decades. He received his LL.B. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California in 1962. He has been a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly the California Trial Lawyers Association) since 1966, and served as its President in 1988.

Mr. Gwilliam has been an enthusiastic supporter of Trial Lawyers for Public Justice for over 15 years, and a TLPJ Foundation Board member since 1966. He has twice been named a finalist for the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, in 1995 and again in 1996, for his outstanding public interest achievements in holding insurers and government accountable.

Three other California attorneys have served as Presidents of The TLPJ Foundation:

• the late Robert E. Cartwright, Sr.;
• Joseph W. Cotchett of Cotchett, Pitre & Simon; and
• Salvador A. Liccardo of The Liccardo Law Firm.

Also at the July 20 annual meeting, four other attorneys were elected as new TLPJ Foundation officers:

• President-Elect Jeffrey M. Goldberg of Jeffrey M. Goldberg & Associates in Chicago;
• Vice President Thomas M. Dempsey of The Law Offices of Thomas M. Dempsey in Los Angeles;
• Treasurer Alan R. Brayton of Brayton ˜ Purcell in Novato, California; and
• Secretary Sandra H. Robinson of Jack Olender & Associates in Washington, D.C.

Attorney Harry G. Deitzler of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler in Charleston, West Virginia was newly elected to the Executive Committee of The TLPJ Foundation. Mona Lisa Wallace of Wallace & Graham, P.A. in Salisbury, North Carolina, and Gerson Smoger of Smoger & Associates, P.C. of Dallas, Texas and Oakland, California, were re-elected to the Executive Committee.

Six other attorneys were also elected as new TLPJ Foundation Board members:

• Althea Kippes of Mortimer Lawyers & Counselors in San Francisco;
• Barry J. Nace of Paulson & Nace in Washington, D.C.;
• Ernie Teitell of Silver, Golub & Teitell in Stamford, Connecticut;
• Brent Rosenthal of Baron & Budd, P.C. in Dallas; and
• Christine Spagnoli of Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler in Santa Monica, California.