Our Attorneys

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I became a lawyer because I enjoyed the courtroom and the litigation experience. I grew up participating in sports and always thought that competitive nature would be part of my life. I started working in real estate for a brief time and went to law school to continue that endeavor. When I got there and did some mock trials and courtroom work, it really lit a fire in me and got those competitive juices flowing again. There’s a good guy and a bad guy, and you’re fighting for somebody. I really enjoyed that and wanted to continue with it. I think a big part of finding success in the courtroom is really getting to know your client well. You want to know them personally. You want to know what their life was like before the accident—who they were, what was important to them—and then how all of that was impacted by the accident and their injuries. A big part of what you’re claiming for them is compensation for what’s been taken from them. That’s not just lost wages or medical bills; it’s the changes to their quality of life and how they’ve been impacted. You can’t really do that unless you get to know them well, and that’s one of the things we really take pride in here.

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The philosophy that guides me is a commitment to truth—advocating for my client, taking their message, and working hard to convey it to third parties, whether it’s the insurance company, the defense attorney, or ultimately the jury. Understanding and being able to fully advocate for them is critical to being successful in the courtroom. You really have to be prepared. The hallmark of a good trial lawyer is preparation—commitment to the time it takes to get yourself ready to confront the evidence that the other side is going to be throwing at you. You need to make sure your witnesses are prepared, your expert witnesses are prepared, you are prepared, you fully understand the issues in the case, and you can effectively communicate them.

At Padilla Law Group, LLP, our results speak for themselves. With over 70 years of combined experience and a proud legacy as a father-son law firm, we’ve successfully represented clients in a wide range of personal injury cases. Backed by a strong foundation from the University of San Diego School of Law and membership in the California State Bar Association, our team is committed to securing justice and meaningful compensation for those we serve. Explore some of our recent victories below to see how we’ve made a difference for our clients, and feel free to reach out with any questions.

Michael Padilla is widely recognized as one of Southern California’s top civil trial attorneys and the founder of Padilla Law Group, LLP. A graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law (1975), Michael began his legal career at the respected San Diego firm Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, specializing in civil litigation. By 1984, he transitioned to plaintiff’s personal injury law, becoming a partner at Thorsnes, Bartolotta, McGuire & Padilla, where he practiced until co-founding Padilla Law Group with Scott O’Mara in 1999.

Throughout his career, Michael has served as a board member and advisor to numerous professional, civic, and charitable organizations, including the President’s Council at California State University San Marcos, the 22nd Agricultural District (which oversees the Del Mar Fairgrounds), and the American Red Cross.

Michael has tried and won numerous high-stakes cases involving automobile accidents, construction site injuries, product liability, mass torts, railroad and aviation accidents, and other catastrophic injury and wrongful death matters.

Michael’s excellence in the courtroom has earned him the Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award from his peers in 1996, 2010, and in the present day. He is also prominently published in Brown v. MCI, a landmark Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision holding that certain billing practices outside FCC tariffs violated the Communications Act and were subject to federal class action litigation.

Michael lives in Rancho Santa Fe with his wife, Kelly, and their blended family of six children—including his son, Jeff, a fellow personal injury attorney. Outside of law, he enjoys golf, skiing, and fishing.

$5,000,000 settlement after job site accident for serious facial trauma suffered when worker was pinned between two large rolls of paper being loaded into container
$3,500,000 settlement for worker who stepped into an unmarked and unprotected hole on a job site, causing serious leg injury
$2,000,000 settlement for serious injury suffered by construction worker when concrete pump hose burst and struck him in the head
$1,100,000 settlement for lower leg injury when wall collapsed on worker at a job site
$63,000,000+ verdict for a child with facial trauma due to doctor’s delay in diagnosis and failure to order diagnostic tests
$3,700,000 for an individual injured in propane explosion (job site accident)
$4,700,000 verdict for a fractured pelvis/sacrum from a motor vehicle accident
$2,100,000 verdict for a herniated L5-S1 disc (product liability case)
$500,000 settlement for a fractured leg from when the client was riding his bike in La Jolla when struck by a vehicle that violated his right of way
$445,000 settlement for multiple hip fractures requiring surgical repair from when a client was riding his bike in Carmel Valley when struck by a vehicle, which failed to fully stop
Settled case for policy limits in a situation where a client received multiple rib fractures, a shoulder fracture, and thoracic transverse fractures when riding a road bike in Rancho Santa Fe when they were struck by a vehicle that ran a red light