Christopher B. Dolan

A Champion of Justice

Recognized as one of the top plaintiff's lawyers in California and Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyer for the past 11 consecutive years, Chris Dolan spearheads many of the most significant and challenging lawsuits in California against insurance companies, Fortune 500 companies, cities, school districts, public agencies, and product manufacturers. Under his leadership, the Dolan Law Firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients.

One of California's premier plaintiffs' firms representing the injured and employees who were harassed, discriminated against or wrongfully terminated, Chris and the Dolan Law Firm represent clients across California in a wide range of cases including:

• Personal Injury
  • Car Accidents
  • Truck Accidents
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Bicycle Accidents
  • Product Liability
  • Premises Liability
    
  • Uber/Lyft Car Accidents
• Employment Law
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Discrimination
  • Wrongful Termination
  • Wage & Hour Law

Extraordinary Results and Record Verdicts

Possessing a "history of winning multi-million judgments for his clients," as noted by the San Francisco Business Times, Chris has successfully tried over 45 cases and settled hundreds of lawsuits on favorable terms for his clients.

Chris supervises all cases litigated by the Dolan Law Firm.  He has obtained jury verdicts or settlements of more than $1 million in an additional 20 cases. His unparalleled success in civil litigation includes the largest verdict - $61 million - ever in U.S. history for individuals subjected to racial and ethnic discrimination and harassment in violation of their civil rights. 

Demonstrating his passion for justice and commitment to his clients no matter the prejudice in society, Chris took the case after 10 other law firms, the NAACP, and ACLU all had rejected it.  For his outstanding success in the case, California Lawyer magazine awarded Chris its prestigious California Lawyer of the Year Award.

In 2016, he and co-counsel obtained the largest verdict, $20 million, in an individual employment case in California.

A Leader Among Trial Lawyers

Chris has been recognized by numerous California and national publications as one of the foremost trial lawyers and skilled negotiators in California.  The Daily Journal, the leading legal newspaper in California, has repeated selected Chris as one of California's Top Plaintiffs' Lawyers.   

Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers have ranked Chris as a premier personal injury and product liability attorney in Northern California.  He has received a rating of AV Preeminent from Martindale Hubbell for very high ethical standards and professional excellence as evaluated by his peers in the legal community.

In 2010, Chris served as President of the Consumer Attorneys of California ("CAOC"), the largest statewide association of trial lawyers in the U.S.  In 2013, the CAOC honored Chris with an award for his "many years of dedication, outstanding efforts, and effectiveness" in advancing the rights of the injured and consumers in California.  In 2016, Chris served as President of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association ("SFTLA").  Both the CAOC and SFTLA have honored him with their trial lawyer of the year awards, including by the SFTLA in 2006 and 2017.

Chris speaks at multiple California and national legal conferences each year educating lawyers on best practices in the courtroom and emerging trends in the law.  Chris is often called upon as a legal expert for national and local television and radio programs including CNN, Fox News, Dateline NBC, and NPR.  He also writes a weekly column for the San Francisco Examiner in which he answers reader questions on new legislation and legal issues in the news.

Promoting Safety, Ending Discrimination, And Safeguarding Our Constitutional Rights

While obtaining the maximum financial recovery allowed under the law for his clients remains a constant focus of Chris' practice, he knows that justice means more than money.  Working closely with his clients, Chris has forced cities and counties to fix dangerous streets and intersections and manufacturers to produce safer products. 

For over 20 years, Chris has worked tirelessly on behalf of his clients to stop discrimination embedded in workplace polices and practices that caused them deep emotional pain and prevented their career advancement.  In 2016, The Advocate has selected Chris as one of the top 25 Attorneys Fighting For Trans Rights, helping transgender persons secure their equal rights.

In the words of the CAOC, Chris puts "his heart and soul" into preserving access to the courthouse for all Californians and "has worked unrelentingly to change" unjust laws.  He frequently testifies before California legislative committees in support of legislation advancing consumer rights. 

In 2014, Chris played an instrumental role in convincing the Legislature to adopt a statute requiring ride share companies Uber and Lyft to provide $1 million in insurance coverage so that anyone injured due to the fault of a ride share driver would obtain just compensation for his or her injuries.