A Trial Lawyer With a Track Record of Success

For some Attorneys, winning the case is the only thing that matters. For Michael Molland, the only successful outcome is one that serves justice and restores his client’s peace of mind. Below are numerous examples of successful outcomes that Michael has obtained for his clients.

Trial Law – Why you need a trial lawyer

I am a trial lawyer who has spent years of my working life trying cases to judges and juries. If you are looking for a lawyer, or have one, you know that most lawyers are not trial lawyers. Most have spent only a few months, if that, at trial. Why should that matter? Why hire a trial lawyer, especially if you just want to settle your case and don’t want to go to trial at all? The answer is that once you file a lawsuit, what happens next depends almost entirely on its likely result at trial. The defendants will evaluate it for settlement based on what they think will happen if the case gets to trial. They look at the witnesses and evaluate who will be believable, credible, or sympathetic when they take the stand. The other side looks at their documents and wonders what I will plant the seed of dishonesty or unfairness a jury’s mind. Most importantly, they look at your lawyer and consider how he or she will match up against theirs in the juries mind. You should, too.
Trial is the test of your case, and your case must pass it even if it settles. That’s why the trial of your case will end up resolving your lawsuit, even if you never have one.

Trial Results: Here is a summary of some of Michael’s trials

Clients: Thorpe Insulation Settlement Trust, JT Thorpe Settlement Trust and Western Asbestos Settlement Trust. January 7- January 20, 2013. United States District Court, Los Angeles: Represented Trustees of three Trusts at trial in bankruptcy court in litigation arising from millions of dollars in settled claims. Result: Stipulated judgment in favor of Trustees.

Hale v. Hale: Judge Mary Morgan, San Francisco Superior Court: Represented Trustees of Prentis Cobb Hale trust against $40 million breach of contract claim brought by Mr. Hale’s children against the trustees. October 1 through October 30, 1998. Result: Trial verdict for client.

Arrendondo v. Crane, et al: August 5-August 21, 2008. Represented defendant Tyco subsidiary Yarway as lead defense lawyer in seven defendant trial before Judge Victor Chavez in Los Angeles Superior Court. Result: favorable settlement after completion of plaintiff’s case in-chief.

O’Neil v. Buffalo Pumps, et al.: January 20-February 19, 2008. Represented Tyco subsidiary Yarway as lead defense lawyer in four defendant jury trial before Judge Elihu M. Berle in Los Angeles Superior Court. Result: Verdict for client.

Boyer v. Yarway: October 1-October 15, 2006. Represented Tyco subsidiary Yarway as lead lawyer in product liability jury trial in Massachusetts State Court in Chatham, Massachusetts. Result: favorable settlement for client after presentation of evidence.

Racik v. Yarway, Inc.: October-November 2007. Five week Product Liability jury trial before Judge Ruth Kwan in Los Angeles Superior Court. Result: Split jury verdict.

Flores v. Foster Wheeler, Inc.: February-March 2007. Six week multi-defendant Product Liability Jury Trial before Judge Torres in Los Angeles Superior Court for defendant Yarway. Result: Jury verdict for client.

Baxter v. Garlock: July-August 2006. Four week product liability jury trial for Yarway before Judge Wheeler in Massachusetts State Court in Boston. Result: Favorable settlement for client after completion of case.

In re Western MacArthur: November 2003-January 2004: One of the lead lawyers in five week bench trial in insurance coverage matter in Federal District Court, Oakland, California on behalf of client Western MacArthur against Hartford Insurance Company. Result: After six week trial, settlement in favor of client Western MacArthur for over one billion dollars.

Robertson v. Yarway: March 2006. Three week multi-defendant product liability jury trial before Judge Chalfant in Los Angeles Superior Court. Result: Favorable jury verdict.

Henry v. Yarway: December 2005. Three week jury trial before Judge Chalfant in Los Angeles Superior Court. Represented Yarway as lead trial lawyer in multi-defendant personal injury trial involving asbestos. Result: Favorable jury verdict.

Shields v. Odwalla: King County Superior Court, Seattle, Washington. Represented Odwalla in October, 2000 in the first and only trial of Odwalla’s many cases relating to the E-coli 0L157 epidemic in apple juice distributed by Odwalla in the Western United States. Case settled favorably for Odwalla prior to jury verdict.

Southern Pacific Transportation Company v. Santa Fe Pacific Pipelines, Inc.: February through March 1997. Represented plaintiff Southern Pacific Railroad in economic phase of trial for damages for lease for its 1,000 mile gas line pipeline corridor in California and the Southwestern United States. Result: Award of 5 million dollars a year through term of lease for client.

Aiello v. Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc.: April 15 through May 28, 1995, Contra Costa County Superior Court, Judge Ignazio Ruvolo. Lead trial lawyer for Browning-Ferris in a five-week, consolidated environmental jury trial brought by property owners living adjacent to a landfill. Tens of witnesses and experts testified in the five-week trial. Result: Jury verdict for client.

Ahearn v. Fibreboard: December 1994/January 1995, Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Tyler, Texas, Judge William Parker. Represented Fibreboard Corporation in contested two-week trial of the fairness of $1.5 billion class action settlement between class representatives, insurance company and Fibreboard Corporation resulting from asbestos personal injury claims. Prepared all Fibreboard’s trial experts at the Fairness Hearing, conducted their direct examination at trial and cross-examined opposing experts. Result: Decision for client.

Mays v. Owens-Illinois Corporation: April-May 1991, California Superior Court for the County of Solano. Lead attorney in liability phase of seven week consolidated trial involving $2.8 million claim. Result: Jury verdict for client.
Smith v. Pittsburgh-Corning: June-July, 1990, Superior Court, State of Illinois. Lead attorney for Pittsburgh-Corning in six week consolidated asbestos personal injury trial of 220 claims in Madison County, Illinois before Judge May. Result: Favorable settlement during jury deliberations.

Larson v. Pittsburg-Corning: March-April, 1990, California Superior Court for the City and County of Los Angeles, Judge R. Masterson. Lead trial lawyer in multi-defendant toxic tort personal injury jury trial. Result: Verdict for client.
Mills v. Fibreboard: August-October, 1989, Judge Peter Allan Smith, California Superior Court for the County of Marin. Lead counsel for Fibreboard in 10-week toxic tort personal injury jury trial. Result: Verdict for client.

Vincent v. Owens-Corning: May 1989, Superior Court for the City and County of San Francisco, Judge Philip Kaye. Lead trial counsel in four-week personal toxic tort, personal injury jury trial. Result: Jury verdict for client.

McKinney v. Owens-Corning: July 1989, Judge Danduran, Superior Court for the City and County of San Francisco. Lead trial counsel in three week asbestos personal injury jury trial. Result: Split jury verdict.

Hincke v. Fibreboard, et al.: September-October, 1988, Superior Court, City and County of San Francisco, Judge Morton Colvin. Lead counsel for three defendants in five week personal injury product liability jury trial. Result: Verdict for all clients.

Soriano v. Fibreboard, et al.: April-May 1988, Superior Court City and County of San Francisco, Judge Morton Colvin. Lead defense counsel for seven defendants in four week personal injury trial. Result: Split jury verdict.
Isaacs v. AC&S, et al.: March 1988, Superior Court City and County of San Francisco, Judge William Stein. Lead defense counsel for eighteen defendants in personal injury trial involving cancer. Result: Decision for client after opening statement.

Webber v. Fibreboard, et al.: January 1988, Superior Court County of Alameda, Judge John S. Cooper. Lead trial counsel in three week personal injury trial. Result: favorable settlement at conclusion of case.

Willis v. AC&S, et al.: May 1987, Superior Court City and County of San Francisco, Judge Morton Colvin. Lead attorney for nine defendants in three week personal injury asbestos trial. Result: Split jury verdict.

Lutz v. Fibreboard, et al.: January-March 1987, Superior Court County of Alameda, Judge Myron Martin. Lead attorney for sixteen defendants in fourteen week personal injury trial involving cancer. Result: Verdict for clients.

Cases Against Insurance Companies

Michael has spent much of his career suing America’s biggest insurers for failure to pay or defend personal injury or environmental claims. Here is a summary of his largest insurance cases:

In re Western MacArthur: A member of the trial team for client Western MacArthur in litigation against insurer Hartford Insurance company in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Oakland, California, resulting in client’s one billion dollar recovery from Insurer. Result: After trial resolution with Hartford for $1.15 billion.

Ahern v. Fibreboard: Member of trial team from several law firms who tried economic issues pertaining to adequacy of a precedent setting $1.5 billion mass tort class action in Federal Court in Tyler, Texas. Result: Judicial Approval of Resolution.

Pepsi Bottling Company vs. One Beacon and Century Insurance: Litigation arising from insurer’s refusal to adequately insure mass tort suits arising from water contamination in Willits, California. Favorable settlement for client on eve of trial.

Santa Fe vs. Lloyds of London et al: Litigation arising from multiple insurers’ failure to pay claims caused by water contamination in Louisiana. Favorable settlement for client on eve of trial.

Thorpe Insulation vs CNA: Litigation arising from insurer’s failure to pay mass tort claims under its policies of insurance caused by asbestos exposure in California. Multiple million dollar settlement for client prior to trial.