Daniel J. Callahan
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney 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 nine years straight, 2005 through 2014 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 Million jury verdict, 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 has also obtained a $50 Million settlement in a road design case against the City of Dana Point. Exclusive of large class actions, this is 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 has also obtained a $58 Million judgment, which is the largest insurance bad faith judgment in Orange County history
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.
- 30%Business Litigation
- 20%Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 20%Civil Litigation: Defense
- 10%Intellectual Property Litigation
- 10%Business/Corporate
- 10%Securities Litigation
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2004 - 2022
Top Lists
- Top 100: 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2021 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2020 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2019 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2019 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2018 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2017 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2017 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2016 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2016 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2015 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2015 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2014 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2014 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2013 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 10: 2013 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2013 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2012 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2012 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2011 Southern California Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2011 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2010 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2009 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2008 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2007 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2006 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2005 Orange County Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2004 Orange County Super Lawyers
Additional Sources of Information About Daniel J. Callahan
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About Daniel J. Callahan
First Admitted: 1980, California
Bar/Professional Activity
- Chair, Law Practice Management Section, Orange County Bar Association, 1993 - 1995
- Founding Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, a Trial Lawyer Honorary Society
- Chair, Business Litigation Section, Orange County Bar Association, 1996
- Member, Orange County Trial Lawyers
- Member, Robert A. Banyard Inns of Court
- Member, Orange County Bar Association
- Member, Consumer Attorneys of California
- Member, Celtic Bar Association
Pro bono/Community Service
- Phi Kappa Phi
- Pi Sigma Alpha
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Frequent Speaker, Trial Skills
Representative Clients
- Neria v. City of Dana Point, $50 Million
- Beckman Coulter vs. Flextronics, $934 Million
- Gonzalez v. Freedom Communications, $38 Million
- Surgin Surgical v. Farmers, $57 Million
Educational Background
- Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, 1976
- University of California at Davis School of Law, Davis, California, J.D., With Honors, Editor, University of California Law Review, 1979
Honors/Awards
- Named One of the Top 10 Attorneys in the United States by National Law Journal
- Visionary Award presented by Orange Coast College, 2010
- Best Lawyers in America, 2005 - 2012
- Named One of Top 500 Lawyers in America by LAWDRAGON
- Winner of the Prestigious OCTLA Trial Lawyer of the Year Award - Twice
- Outstanding Lawyers of America
- Presented Angelo Palmeri Award by the Robert A. Banyard Inns of Court, 2010
- California Business Trial Lawyer of the Year, California Lawyer Magazine
- Million Dollar Club
Verdicts/Settlements
- Obtained the Highest Personal Injury Settlement in United States History - $50 Million
- Obtained the highest Insurance Bad Faith Judgment in Orange County History - $58 Million
- Won the Largest Jury Verdict in Orange County History - $934 Million
- Obtained the Largest Employment Settlement in Orange County History - $38 Million
- Callahan & Blaine is proud to announce its recent jury trial victory in Orange County Superior Court. Attorney Jaso… https://t.co/8JhnCVWqpb
- Congratulations to Jeff Fontelera for being awarded Callahan & Blaine employee of the month! Jeff is a tried and ke… https://t.co/n5GxwQtzo5
- Callahan and Blaine’s founding partner, Dan Callahan, and Senior Trial Attorney, Drew Harbur, have been representin… https://t.co/vHZ08wrWjl
- @meghanncuniff Michael Avenatti consistently made poor decisions but deciding to represent himself takes the cake.… https://t.co/ICHV4bxAdj
- Have a safe and happy Memorial Day from all of us at Callahan & Blaine! https://t.co/TMZJqvFVcq
Last Updated: 5/15/2022