Gary A. Dordick

Dordick said he gives 100 percent of his heart and soul to every client he represents. “For my clients I give up my birthdays, my weekends, my vacations and in some cases even my health,” Dordick said.

“Years ago when I was undergoing chemotherapy, sometimes I had to work on my way home from the hospital,” said Dordick. “Barely able to stand, I would have to show up in court to show the defense I was still alive and kicking and coming after them. I had to suck up the weakness and nausea and show them I was up for a fight. After that, the cases settled.”

“Now my health is excellent,” he added. “I try to spend as much time as I can with my family and friends, but everyone knows I put the clients and my obligations as a lawyer first.”

In a pending negligence suit against Uber Technologies Inc., Dordick is representing Keather Taylor, a woman who was raped by her Uber driver. Dordick alleges Uber has falsely concealed the number of sexual assaults by company drivers and is demanding public disclosure of the statistics and amounts of confidential settlements made by Uber. Taylor v. Uber Technologies Inc. et al., BC627067 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed July 21,2016).

Last year, the attorney secured what he said is the country’s largest drunk driving verdict. Dordick was representing Francisco Briones, a 21-year-old who was left paralyzed after being struck at 50mph by a vehicle driven by Christopher L. Zink. Zink, who had a blood alcohol level of 0.14 after the crash, is serving a seven-year prison sentence for felony driving under the influence causing injury. Additionally, Zink admitted to falling asleep at the wheel after going 24 hours with no sleep.

“Some people see big verdicts and settlements and only think about attorney fees. Those people have no understanding of what it means to represent seriously injured people,” said Dordick, who prides himself on winning cases ethically and professionally.

“My cases are about rebuilding catastrophically injured lives and paying for lifetime medical care costs. Anyone who does not understand this should do something else.”

Following the nine-day trial, Dordick persuaded the jury to award Briones $125 million in total damages. Briones v. Zink, 56-2013-00435440-CU-PA-VTA (Ventura Super. Ct., filed April 25, 2013).

— Skylar Dubelko