Doug Easton has practiced law since 1971. After 20 years of practicing with various large litigation firms, he founded the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton in 1991 as a solo practitioner. In the years that followed, Doug’s sons Brian and Matt joined him in the practice and helped build the firm into a powerful force to help right the wrongs done to their clients. Much of their success over the years has stemmed from the dynamic created by the familial nature of the firm and how harmoniously they all work together, each of their individual strengths complementing and fortifying the group as a whole. Accordingly, the firm changed its name to Easton & Easton, LLP in 2014 to better reflect the true dynamic of the firm and Doug now serves as Managing Partner of Easton & Easton.
In his many years of experience, Doug has often been recognized by his colleagues and peers for his service and the skillful advocacy that he provides on behalf of his clients. Each year from 2007 through the present, Doug has been chosen anew as one of the Best Lawyers in America. The Best Lawyers in America is a preeminent referral guide for the legal profession in the United States. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have been nominated and voted on by their peers. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list. They must earn a spot through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. To remain on the list, they must remain at the top of their game, year after year.
In addition to Doug’s selection as a Best Lawyer in America, the firm Easton & Easton, LLP has been selected for the U.S. News “Best Law Firms in Southern California” List each year since 2014, thereby recognizing the impressive combined results of Doug and his sons, Brian and Matt.
Doug has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times Magazine from 2007 through the present as one of Southern California’s “Best Lawyers.” In 2009, Doug was proudly named as a Southern California Super Lawyer. Since then, Doug has been chosen as a Super Lawyer every year through the present. The only way a lawyer can be recognized in as a Super Lawyer is through a selection process involving a multi-step evaluation that incorporates peer recognition and professional achievement.
In 2015, Doug was selected as a Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in California by The American Society of Legal Advocates. In addition, Doug is listed in Strathmore’s Who’s Who, and in 2008 was named its “Professional of the Year” in Medical Malpractice.
For over 25 years, Doug has had an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious peer rating service. These ratings are the result of confidential questionnaires sent to other practicing attorneys and members of the judiciary. The “A” rating is “the highest legal ability rating,” while the “V” signifies “very high adherence to professional standards of conduct, ethics, reliability, and diligence.” Only about 5% of the attorneys in America have an “AV” rating.
Doug and the firm are also proudly listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers, a listing of the legal community’s most highly regarded professionals.
Over his career, Doug has represented thousands of people in personal injury claims who have sustained all manner of injuries in all types of accidents through the negligence or wrongdoing by other individuals, businesses, or governmental entities. During that time, Doug has obtained vast experience, wisdom, and judgment in settling and trying personal injury matters. Doug particularly enjoys handling and trying medical malpractice cases due to the increased difficulty and challenges these cases present.
Doug spent the first 6 years of his practice as an attorney working for insurance companies defending negligent persons and companies and learning how insurance companies defend, diminish, and defeat valid personal injury claims. If you know their tricks, stratagems, and defenses, you can usually defeat them with proper preparation. In over 42 years of experience on both sides of the personal injury practice, Doug has learned their tricks, stratagems, and defenses. For the past 32 years Doug has battled against the insurance industry to obtain fair and adequate compensation for people who have been injured through the negligence or fault of individuals, businesses, or governmental entities.
Doug received his B.A. degree cum laude from Brigham Young University in 1967 and his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) in 1970, which at the time was one of the top five rated law schools in the Nation. Doug has been admitted to practice law in California since January 1971.
In addition, Doug is admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals and the United States Federal District Courts for the Central, Northern, and the Southern districts of California. He has argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California Supreme Court, and various Appellate Courts of the state of California. Doug has tried cases in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, and Alameda counties in California. He has also represented clients in most other California counties.
Doug has served as an Orange County Superior Court Temporary Judge and as an arbitrator and settlement judge for the Orange County Superior Courts. Doug is a member of the California Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the J. Ruben Clark Law Society.
Doug belongs to numerous trial advocacy organizations including the Consumer Attorneys of California, the American Association for Justice, the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, and the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. Doug has served as a lecturer on trial advocacy skills on several occasions for California Continuing Education of the Bar.
Doug and his wife Rae have seven children. His sons Brian and Matt are both partners in the firm, and his youngest son Travis recently joined the firm as its newest attorney in 2014. In addition, Doug’s daughters, Dee and Kristy, each currently work for the firm and his wife Rae is currently the Office Manager. This familial nature within the firm gives common purpose and success to the firm. Doug is especially proud that all five of his sons are Eagle Scouts.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Auto & Motorcycle Accidents
- Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability (Slip, Trip & Fall)
- Public Entity Liability (City & State Liability)
- Products Liability
- Wrongful Death
- Medical Malpractice
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- California, 1971
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California
– J.D. – 1970 - Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
– B.A. cum laude – 1967
Classes/Seminars
- Lecturer on Trial Advocacy Skills , California Continuing Education of the Bar
Honors and Awards
- Super Lawyers, 2009 – 2026
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 for California
- “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell® for over 30 years
- Southern California’s “Best Lawyers”, 2007 – Present
- Best Lawyers in America, 2007 – Present
- Top Five Rated, University of California at Berkeley
**Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Orange County Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- The State Bar of California, Member
- Orange County Superior Court, Temporary Judge
- Orange County Superior Court, Arbitrator and Settlement Judge
- J. Ruben Clark Law Society, Member
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Member
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Member
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Member
DISCLAIMERS:
*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. The settlements, verdicts, and case results referenced above are not guarantees or predictions of the outcome of any other case.
**Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization and do not imply endorsement. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of California or any State Bar.
Easton & Easton has been recognized by TopVerdict.com Top 10 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement in Los Angeles for 2025, for the case Bicyclist v. Inattentive Driver — recognized more than 75 times by TopVerdict.com over the past 5 years — including fifty-eight #1 recognitions, and a recognition that arrives in the firm’s 35th anniversary year.
Easton & Easton holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau — the highest rating available. Trust is earned. We've earned it.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton was voted #1 in 2026 (People's Choice Award). This recognition means the most to us — because it comes from the community we serve. Voted #1 in 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026 — four #1 wins, including three years in a row
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton were selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 — an invitation-only organization recognizing the nation's premier trial attorneys. Selection is based on case results, leadership, and reputation. When you need attorneys who are ready for the courtroom, you want a team that's already proven they belong there.
All five partners of Easton & Easton — Doug, Brian, Matt, Travis, and Gabe — were selected to Best Lawyers in America® 2027. This is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. Selection is based entirely on peer review, representing the consensus opinion among leading lawyers in the community. When other attorneys are asked who they trust, they name us.
Our $4.5M settlement in Dump Truck Operator v. Equipment Rental Co. has been recognized as #1 in California for 2025 in two categories: • #1 Paraplegia Settlement in California — 2025 • #1 Rollover Accident Settlement in California — 2025
Our $4.5M settlement in Dump Truck Operator v. Equipment Rental Co. has been recognized as #1 in California for 2025 in two categories: • #1 Paraplegia Settlement in California — 2025 • #1 Rollover Accident Settlement in California — 2025
We were recently honored for our efforts in securing a $32,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as the #1 Bicycle Accident Settlement in California in 2024 by TopVerdict.com.
Easton & Easton was named a Tier 1 firm in Southern California by U.S. News & World Report — the highest ranking a law firm can achieve. Selection is based on client feedback, peer reputation, and professional excellence. When independent evaluators rank the best, we're at the top.
Gabe Mendoza, Alexandro Garza, Billy Seidlitz, and Aaron Sinfield were selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars — honoring the top 2.5% of attorneys 40 or younger in California. Three attorneys — John, Billy, and Aaron — were selected for the first time in 2026. The next generation of Easton & Easton is already among the best in the state.
Easton & Easton was voted "Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" by readers of the Los Angeles Times in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Three years in a row — chosen by the people we serve
Doug, Brian, Matt, Travis, and Saul were selected to Super Lawyers — a distinction earned by only 5% of California attorneys. Selection is based on peer nominations, independent research, and professional achievement. Doug Easton has been selected for 19 consecutive years. Matt Easton was also named to the Top 50 Orange County Super Lawyers for 2026. When you hire Easton & Easton, you're hiring attorneys in the top 5%.
Easton & Easton was recently honored for securing a $26,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as a Top 10 Personal Injury Settlement in California in 2023 by TopVerdict.com.
Easton & Easton received the "People Love Us On Yelp" award in 2016 due to exceptional client satisfaction reviews.Our clients don't just hire us — they recommend us.
Easton & Easton was recently honored for securing a $32,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as one of the Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in the entire United States in 2024 by TopVerdict.com.
Brian, Matt, and Travis Easton are lifetime members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — a distinction held by less than 1% of U.S. attorneys. Membership requires securing a verdict or settlement of $2 million or more. When you hire Easton & Easton, you're hiring proven results - because Results Matter.
Doug Easton has held the "AV Preeminent" Rating for over 30 years, and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The AV Preeminent rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, based on the legal profession's oldest peer review rating system — dating back to 1887. When your peers have trusted your ability and integrity for over three decades, that says everything.
We were recently honored for securing a $26,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as a the #1 Personal Injury Settlement in Los Angeles County in 2023 by TopVerdict.com.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a proven track record of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board. Membership isn't given — it's earned in the courtroom.
Travis Easton, Gabe Mendoza, and Brenda Kocaj were selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 — an invitation-only honor recognizing the nation's top young trial attorneys. At Easton & Easton, experience and ambition work side by side.
Easton & Easton was honored for securing a $20,000,000 settlement for our client, which was selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Settlements in the entire United States in 2019 by TopVerdict.com.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 — based on skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews. A perfect score. No room for higher.
Easton & Easton was honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018-2020 (each year the voting took place).
We were recently honored for our efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California in 2016 by TopVerdict.com.
20+ prestigious awards and recognitions. Exposed to the harshest scrutiny. Earning the highest honors. Recognized by every major legal organization — year after year.
Awards/recognitions noted are from organizations recognized within the legal profession as bona fide.
No purchase was required for selection. Selection methodologies available upon request.
*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What Our Clients Say
“Client testimonials reflect individual experiences; results vary. No guarantee of outcome.”
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