Practice areas: Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in California since: 1994
Education: Western State University College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2010 - 2027 As a founding partner of Kubota & Craig in Irvine, Yoshiaki "Yoshi" Kubota represents people who have suffered serious injuries throughout Orange County, California. His practice covers motor vehicle and trucking accidents, premises liability, product defects, governmental tort liability, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Personal injury litigation can be complex, and Mr. Kubota guides severely injured clients through every stage of the process. He has tried more than 45 cases to verdict and is fully prepared to take any case to trial to protect the rights of his clients.
Mr. Kubota is a recognized leader of the California trial bar. He served as President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA) in 2011 and as President of the Orange County Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) from 2023 to 2024, and he currently serves on the board of CAL-ABOTA and as a Trustee of the ABOTA Foundation, which educates the public about the civil jury system. The Consumer Attorneys of California honored him with its Presidential Award of Merit, and OCTLA presented him with its President's Award for his leadership and dedication to the organization.
His peers have recognized him in The Best Lawyers in America® (2025–2027) in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs, and he holds the AV Preeminent* peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell. The United States Congress recognized Mr. Kubota with a certificate of congressional recognition, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Western State College of Law. He is a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, the Orange County Bar Foundation's Society of Fellows, the Orange County Asian American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the American Association of Justice, and he serves as a guest lecturer at Western State College of Law and Chapman University Fowler School of Law.
With a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of California, Riverside, Mr. Kubota obtained his Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law in 1994. He is admitted to practice in California state courts and before the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 100% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1994, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.kubotacraig.com/yoshi-kubota/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Admitted, State Bar of California (Bar No. 175555), December 13, 1994., 1994
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2027
- Robert A. Banyard American Inn of Court - Master Bencher; Member, Board of Directors., 2001
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association - Board of Directors since 2002; served as First Vice President prior to his presidency., 2002
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member since 2006., 2006
- National Officer (Appointee), American Board of Trial Advocates., 2026
- Treasurer, ABOTA Foundation - officer of the national foundation dedicated to public education about the civil jury system and the Seventh Amendment., 2023
- Board of Directors, CAL-ABOTA (the statewide organization of California's ABOTA chapters) - Member-at-Large, term through 2027; Chair, Foundation Membership Committee; Co-Chair, Membership/Diversity Committee., 2024
- President, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA), 2011., 2011
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Board, 2002 - Present
- President, Orange County Chapter, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), 2023-2024; now Past President. Previously served as chapter Parliamentarian and Member-at-Large., 2023
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Board of Governor, 2006 - 2012
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- American Association of Justice, Member
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- Orange County Asian American Bar Association, Member
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, First Vice President, 2002 - Present
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- Orange County Bar Association, Member
Pro bono / Community Service
- Orange County Bar Foundation Society of Fellows
- Amateur Entomologist
- Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
Educational Background
- University of California, Riverside, B.A., Major: Political Science, 1989
- San Bernardino Valley College, Associates of Arts - 1986
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Western State College of Law, Guest Lecturer
- Chapman University College of Law, Guest Lecturer
- National Business Institute, Lecturer
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, Lecturer
- Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Lecturer
- Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire, Lecturer
- Sacramento Trial Lawyers Association, Lecturer
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Lecturer
Honors
- "AV" Rating, Martindale Hubbell, 2011
- Top Attorneys, Orange Coast Magazine, 2010 - 2013
- Consumer Attorneys of California Presidential Award of Merit, 2008 - 2011
- Southern California Super Lawyer, since 2010
- Certificate of Congressional Recognition for Commitment to Consumer Advocacy, United States Congress
- Top Attorney in Southern California, Los Angeles Magazine, 2010 - 2013
- Top Attorneys in Southern California, 2010 - 2013
- Inducted into the Western State College of Law Hall of Fame, 2012
Awards
Avvo Client's Choice Award: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2010 - 2027
