Daniel J. "Dan" Callahan - Lawyer in Santa Ana, CA

Daniel Callahan has distinguished himself as one of the top trial attorneys in California, and has repeatedly been recognized by his peers for his incredible accomplishments. Mr. Callahan was the winner of the prestigious OCTLA Trial Lawyer of the Year Award three times, in 2000, 2004, and 2012. He has been named one of the Top 10 Attorneys in the United States by the National Law Journal. He was voted California Business Trial Lawyer of the Year by California Lawyer Magazine. In addition, Mr. Callahan has been named one of the Top 100 trial lawyers by the American Trial Association, featured in the Best Lawyers in America for thirteen years straight, 2005 through 2019 and listed by Super Lawyers as one of The Top 10 Lawyers in Southern California for 2013.

The reason for the accolades is simple: preparation and results. Since founding Callahan Blaine, Mr. Callahan has won many jury trials and obtained scores of seven and eight figure settlements on behalf of his clients.

Notable verdicts include a $934,000,000 jury verdict obtained in 2003, after a three month jury trial in a complex business dispute entitled Beckman Coulter vs. Flextronics. This unanimous verdict was the largest in California in 2003 and remains the largest in Orange County history. Mr. Callahan went on to obtain a $50,000,000 settlement in a road design case against the City of Dana Point. Exclusive of large class actions, this is one of the largest personal injury settlement in United States history. Most recently, after a two month jury trial, Mr. Callahan obtained a $38 Million settlement on behalf of a class of newspaper delivery drivers against The Orange County Register. This is the highest employment settlement in Orange County's history. Mr. Callahan is equally skilled in representing defendants. He has secured many total defense verdicts against some of the most respected plaintiff attorneys in the county.

Mr. Callahan grew up in Chicago, Illinois where he went on to receive his BA, magna cum laude, from Western Illinois University in 1976, and graduated with honors from the University of California School of Law at Davis in 1979, while serving as Editor of the Law Review. He began his career in Hawaii before relocating to Southern California and starting his own firm by opening the doors on St. Patrick's Day, 1984.

Mr. Callahan has given nationwide seminars on litigation and published multiple articles on litigation strategy and practice. He has been a speaker at multiple continuing education seminars and regularly speaks at the State Bar of California's annual convention on topics ranging from advanced trial skills to the use of technology in the courtroom. For the past several years, he also has given seminars on jury selection and opening statement at local, state and national conferences.

Additional Information

Won the Largest Jury Verdict in Orange County History — $934 Million

Obtained one of the Highest Personal Injury Settlement in United States History — $50 Million

Obtained the highest Insurance Bad Faith Judgment in Orange County History — $58 Million

Obtained the Largest Employment Settlement in Orange County History — $38 Million

Named One of the Top 10 Attorneys in the United States by National Law Journal

Voted California Business Trial Lawyer of the Year by California Lawyer Magazine

Named One of Top 10 Lawyers in Southern California by Super Lawyers

Featured in Best Lawyers in America for 14 Consecutive Years (2005 through 2019)

Areas of Practice

Complex Civil and Business Litigation

Traumatic Brain and Spine Injury

Personal Injury Litigation

Insurance Coverage and Insurance Bad Faith

Litigation Percentage

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Education

University of California at Davis School of Law, Davis, California

J.D. — 1979

Honors: With Honors

Law Review: University of California Law Review, Editor

Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) — 1976

Representative Cases

Beckman Coulter vs. Flextronics ($934 Million), Neria v. City of Dana Point ($50 Million), Surgin Surgical v. Farmers ($57 Million), Gonzalez v. Freedom Communications ($38 Million)