Ron Goldman began practicing law more than 40 years ago, and has been a private pilot since 1980. He is the firm's senior trial attorney. Based on his experience, Mr. Goldman developed courses in Aviation Accident Law and worked as an adjunct professor of Aviation Accident Law & Torts at Pepperdine School of Law for 21 years. He has been handling aviation cases since the late 60s.
Born:
- New York, New York, November 21, 1937
Education:
- University of Southern California (B.S.L., 1960)
- University of Southern California (J.D., 1962)
- Private Pilot License, USA (1980)
Admissions:
- California, 1963
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1963
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 1970
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1971
- United Kingdom, Court of Inquiry, 1972 (Investigating crash of
British European Airways Trident jet in June 1972, London, England) - U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1973
- United States Court of Federal Claims, 1974
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1977
- District of Columbia, 1979
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1982
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1983
Certified:
- Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
as a Certified Civil Trial Advocate (recognized by American Bar Association)
Member:
- State Bar of California
- District of Columbia Bar
- American Bar Association, The Forum on Air and Space Law, Litigation Section and Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Aviation Law Section, STEP-Toxic, Environmental and Pharmaceutical Torts Section
- Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
- World Jurist Association
- Lawyers Professional Liability Bar Association
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- National Board of Trial Advocacy
- Life Member, Ostriches Anonymous Association (OAA), Promoting Aviation Safety and Risk Awareness
- Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee, September 11, 2001 Tort Litigation
- Member, Lead Trial Counsel, Plaintiffs' Steering Committee, MDL-1574, Paxil Products Liability Litigation
Legal Teaching Position:
- Adjunct Professor of Law, Pepperdine University School of Law, 1968 to 1989
Courses:
- Aviation Accident Law
- Torts and Insurance
- Legal Writing and Analysis
Judge Pro Tem/Arbitrator and Mediator:
- Orange County Superior Court (1975)
- Beverly Hills Municipal Court
- Los Angeles Municipal Court
- Arbitrator/Mediator--Los Angeles Superior Court
- Arbitrator--American Arbitration Association (to 1994)
- Mediator--42 hours training at Pepperdine University’s Institute for Dispute Resolution
Lecturer and Delegate:
World Peace Through Law Conferences: New York, Manila, Madrid. Special Guest Lecturer: Christchurch Polytechnic, School of Broadcasting, Christchurch, New Zealand; Shanghai School of Social Science, Shanghai, P.R.C.; Belli Seminars Lecturer; Town Hall Lecturer.
Topics Include:
- Aviation Law
- Product Liability
- Personal Injury
- Tort Law
- Legal Malpractice
- Right of Privacy
- Medical Malpractice
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
Honors:
- Listed, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
- Published in Million Dollar Verdicts by the Masters
- Southern California Super Lawyer 2005
- Southern California Super Lawyer 2006
Pro Bono & Civic Activities:
- Served as Chairman of the Board, and was a founder of the Family Assistance Program, a charitable, public benefit, corporation, organized to assist homeless families (originally known as the Family Assistance Program of Hollywood.)
- A founder of, and general counsel for, The Women’s Clinic, a free clinic providing health care needs to needy women in Los Angeles.
Published Cases:
- U.S.A. vs. Moore
427 F.2d 1020 (10th Cir.--1970)
[Administrative Law; equitable relief, injunctions] - People vs. Powell
14 C.A.3d 693, 92 C.R. 501 (1971)
[Felony murder rule] - Cacciaguidi v. Elliott
39 Cal.App.3d 261, 114 Cal.Rptr. 93, 39 Cal. Comp. Cases 963, Cal.App. 2 Dist. (1974) - Drenzek vs. Inmont Corp.
57 C.A.3d 878, 129 C.R. 429 (1976)
[Assumption of Risk] - Dassin vs. Darlene Knitwear
387 F.Supp. 958 (USDC, D.Puerto Rico--1974)
[In personam jurisdiction] - Baxter vs. Superior Court
19 C.3d 461, 138 C.R. 315 (1977)
[Loss of consortium] - Benjamins vs. British European Airways
572 F.2d 913 (2nd Cir. 1978)
[Warsaw Convention] - Cable vs. Sahara Tahoe Corp.
93 C.A.3d 1025, 155 C.R. 770 (1979)
[Conflict of laws] - La Pietra vs. Freed
87 C.A.3d 384, 151 C.R. 554 (1979)
[Arbitration] - Flashman v. Superior Court (Pacific Southwest Airlines)
107 Cal.App.3d 117, 165 Cal.Rptr. 680, Cal.App. 4 Dist. (1980)
[Coordination and venue] - Sevilla vs. Stearns-Roger, Inc.
101 C.A.3d 608, 161 C.R. 700 (1980)
[Product Liability] - Harris Corp. vs. Comair
712 F.2d 1069 (6th Cir. 1983)
[Right of employer to collect for death of employee; Avi. Accid. Law; Conflict of laws, Negligence] - Gradus vs. Hanson Aviation
158 C.A.3d 1038, 205 C.R. 211 (1984)
[Duty of common carrier (see BAJI 6.51); Fed. Avi. Regs., Part 135, Res Ipsa Loquitur, Negligence]
[Closing argument published by Million Dollar Verdicts by Western Masters] - In Re Aircrash Disaster Near Cerritos,
DiCosta vs. Aeronaves de Mexico, SA
973 F.2d 1490 (9th Cir. 1992)
[Emotional Distress] - Brooks vs. St. Mary's Hospital
57 C.A.4th 241, 66 C.R.2d 820 (1997)
[Preemption Doctrine/Constitutional Law]
[Case settled pending re-hearing; depublished] - McCoy v. Southwest Airlines Co., Inc.
211 F.R.D. 381 (C.D.Cal., 2002) - McCoy v. Southwest Airlines Co., Inc.
208 F.R.D. 617 (C.D.Cal. 2002)
Practice Areas:
- Airline Crash Litigation
- Aviation Accidents
- Aviation Product Liability
- Bus Accidents
- Catastrophic Injury
- Complex and Multi-District Litigation
- Helicopter Crash Litigation
- Personal Injury Law
- Pharmaceutical Product Liability
- Product Liability
- Wrongful Death Law
PILOT EXPERIENCE
- Private Pilot License, USA (1980)