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Young Professionals Board, Western Disability Rights Legal Center

Involved in lobbying for mobilehome legislation that protects tenants rights in mobilehome communities 

Ivan Puchalt 

Santa Monica, California
p: 310-576-1200 | p: 866-576-1200 (Toll Free) | f: 310-576-1220
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Ivan Puchalt's trial practice focuses on products liability, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death and municipal liability. He handles high profile, complex cases and has helped clients to obtain multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements against Fortune 500 Corporations, as well as State and City governmental entities. Ivan is an active member of the Firm's litigation team, representing clients in a wide array of personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Formerly, Ivan worked as a litigation support expert on behalf of plaintiffs' lawyers. He specialized in using state-of-the art digital media as "tools of persuasion" to make legal arguments come alive at settlement conferences and trials. His work helped play a central role in the decisive moments of more than 20 high-profile trials that resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts; and, similarly, at more than 30 mediations. Ivan was proud to have assisted Firm partner Christine D. Spagnoli in preparing compelling visual materials used in the closing arguments of a 1999 case against General Motors which resulted in a $4.9 billion jury verdict.

Ivan's experience in working side-by-side with plaintiffs' law firms inspired him to become a lawyer. In 2002, he began the study of law at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles at nights and continued to work days in litigation support. Under his own shingle, Ivan directed, produced, filmed and edited "Day in the Life" videos depicting the daily struggles encountered by numerous victims of catastrophic injuries.

Ivan earned a B.A. degree in History magna cum laude from the University of California at Berkeley in 1998. He minored in Spanish and studied for a semester at the Universidad de Granada in Granada, Spain. As an undergraduate, he participated in an externship with the U.S. Agency for International Development, working in its Global Bureau on various environmental programs. In 2006, Ivan received his J.D. degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. While a student, Ivan interned for the Western Law Center for Disability Rights, helping to make Los Angeles Superior Courts accessible for persons with disabilities. He also assisted over 100 dialysis patients in obtaining handicapped parking spaces at the West Hills Medical Center, where the lack of these spaces had severely impacted these daily patients' quality of life.

Ivan is a member of the State Bar of California. He is also a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and the Consumer Attorneys of California. Ivan also serves on the Young Professionals Board of the Western Disability Rights Legal Center.

A United States citizen, Ivan was born in Brazil. He is fluent in Spanish. He enjoys traveling and has backpacked through Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and China. A talented pianist, Ivan has studied musical composition, and has worked as a recording artist and music engineer.

Ivan, his wife Ayana and two year old daughter reside in Los Angeles and are expecting their second child.

Areas of Practice:
Catastrophic Personal Injury
Wrongful Death
Products Liability
Municipal Liability
Bar Admissions:
California
U.S. District Court Central District of California
Education:
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, California, 2006
J.D.
Honors: Intern, Western Law Center for Disability Rights


University of California, Berkeley, California, 1998
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Major:  History


Honors and Awards:
Southern California Rising Stars, 2010 - 2011


Past Employment Positions:
U.S. Agency for International Development, Global Bureau, Extern


Pro Bono Activities:
Young Professionals Board, Western Disability Rights Legal Center
Birth Information:

[ Community Involvement ]

[ Associations ]

State Bar of California
Member


Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
Member


Consumer Attorneys of California
Member


Impact to Change

Much of our firm's work involves taking on large corporations, insurance companies and government agencies. By and large, these entities oppose change and will expend seemingly unlimited resources to preserve the status quo. At GB&W, we relish taking on this level of opposition. Through our many years of practice, our personal injury lawyers and staff have achieved unparalleled success in trial and other forums against these opponents. Taking on these companies serves a dual purpose. First, our efforts help our clients recover the compensation they need to move forward after a life-changing injury. Secondly, our work makes communities safer places to live. In this way, everyone can benefit from our work.

[ more » ]

  • Super Lawyers® American Association for Justice
  • 2011-2012 Best Law Firms / US. News / Best Lawyers
  • Bruce A. Broillet / Best Lawyers / Lawyer of the Year 2010 / Personal Injury Litigation / Los Angeles Area
  • The American Board of Trial Advocates
  • The Inner Circle of Advocates
  • American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Law Dragon

Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP Law Office | 100 Wilshire Boulevard, 21st Floor | Santa Monica, CA, 90401 | p: 310-573-8120 | tf: 866-738-0973 | f: 310-576-1220