Jacobs & Dodds
Orange County Insurance Defense Lawyers with over 40 years of experience. Specializing in construction defect, truck accidents, premises liability, pharmacy negligence, and products liability defense (ski accidents and firearm accidents) claims and litigation.
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16755 Von Karman Avenue, Ste. 200
Irvine, California 92606
Tel: (949) 645-7300
Free initial Consultation
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PRACTICE
AREA
INSURANCE DEFENSE
The law firm of Jacobs & Dodds defends the interests of insureds and insurance companies. Our firm develops accurate budgets for all claims and cases we handle so there are no surprises. We have four decades of experience handling general liability matters, construction defect litigation, trucking accidents, premises liability and products liability cases that involve everything from large property damage claims to serious personal injuries and wrongful death cases. The firm also handles the defense of pharmacy prescription error matters and products liability cases such as ski accidents and firearm cases.
OUR VISION
The insurance defense law firm of Jacobs & Dodds is an aggressive and experienced law firm located in the heart of Orange County. Each partner in the law firm has over 40 years of experience representing insurance companies and their insureds in state as well as federal court.
Jacobs & Dodds has a tradition of providing high quality litigation services. The firm specializes in defending insureds and insurance companies. At a time when litigation costs are rising, Jacobs & Dodds is sensitive to the need for cost-effective representation. Each client's goals and budget are factored into the litigation strategy. The attorneys at Jacobs & Dodds work closely with their clients to develop budgets designed to avoid run-away legal costs. Initial consultations are always free of charge.
OUR ATTORNEYS
PAUL JACOBS
PARTNER
BACKGROUND
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1980 – 1983 Hill & Associates, Tustin, California
Associate Attorney for business law firm.
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1983 – 1990 Thrifty Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Assistant Vice-President, Legal Affairs
Responsible for all claims and litigation involving Thrifty Drug Stores,
Big 5 Sporting Goods, Gart Sporting Goods, Newman Importing, Crown
Books, Trak Auto and Payless Drug. Supervised the defense of over 1,500
ongoing litigated personal injury cases handled by 30 outside law firms in
11 states. Handled defense of high exposure cases, included premises
liability, trucking, pharmacy malpractice, skiing accidents and gun
accidents where indemnity reserve for each case exceeded $1,000,000.
Responsible for overseeing all legal issues for pharmacy operations for
Thrifty Drug Store chain. Supervised three in-house litigation attorneys
and claims department with four claims examiners.
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1990 – 1996 Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, Orange County, California
Senior Trial Counsel
Responsible for defending high exposure personal injury cases for Aetna
Insurance, Maryland Casualty, Lloyd’s of London and Fireman’s Fund.
Cases included auto cases, trucking cases, premises liability cases,
maritime cases, products liability cases (firearms and ski equipment) and
construction defect cases. Defended personal injury cases for Carl’s Jr.,
Caterpillar, Leviton Manufacturing, Grainger and IBM. Represented State
of California and government of South Korea in personal injury and
business cases. Captive counsel to IBM for three years defending personal
injury cases throughout California.
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1996 – Present Jacobs & Dodds, Irvine, California
Partner in insurance defense/business law firm. Firm handles construction
defect claims/cases, trucking accident claims/cases and premises liability
cases. Firm also handles the defense of bad faith claims for carriers.
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Represented insureds for National Contractors Insurance Company, CPA
(railroad personnel claims) and currently represents insureds for United
Specialty Insurance Company.
Firm also represents companies throughout California in cases involving
breach of contract, unfair competition, shareholder/partner disputes,
defense of wrongful termination cases and defense of class action wage
and hour claims.
Handled cases as outside panel counsel for County Counsel’s Office,
County of Orange. Representative cases include County of Orange v. CVS
and County of Orange v. Catalina Express.
Education: University of San Diego School of Law - Juris Doctor, June 1980
California State University, Los Angeles
B.S. Business Administration, June 1977
DEBRA DODDS
PARTNER
BACKGROUND
Litigation attorney with 41 years of litigation experience in Southern California representing insurance carriers as well as small and large companies.
Ms. Dodds has extensive
experience in defending business professionals and insureds alike.
She served as a senior litigator
for the Los Angeles based law firm of Booth, Mitchel, Strange & Smith (now Booth, Mitchel & Strange) as well as the national law firm of Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold.
Ms. Dodds is experienced not only in trial work, but appellate work as well. Ms. Dodds has a B.A. degree in
International Relations, graduating with Honors in International Relations and English.
Ms. Dodds obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego where she was a
member of the Moot Court Board and the National Moot Court Team, winning First Place and
Best Brief in the National Moot Court Competition Far West Region. She was also a member of
the original group which staffed the Center for Public Interest Law. The Center serves as a public
monitor of the regulatory agencies of the State of California and disseminates the "Regulatory
Law Reporter.”
She received the American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence in
Advocacy and the Order of the Barristers.
CONTACT
JACOBS & DODDS
OUR ADDRESS
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