Kaplan Law Corporation

KAPLAN LAW CORPORATION ATTORNEYS

JAY A. KAPLAN - was born in Los Angeles, California into a family with a tradition of being lawyers. He attended college at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where he graduated in 1973 with the highest academic honors, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Jay earned his law degree at U.S.C. and Whittier Law Schools.

While attending school, Jay clerked for the Magana Law Firm, which had represented injured railroad workers under the FELA since the early 1950's. Following his graduation from law school, Jay went into solo practice until 1981 when he helped found the law firm of Kaplan, Zorigian & Kaplan. In 1991, he founded the present Law Firm of Kaplan Law Corporation.

During the course of his twenty+ year-legal career of representing injured unionized workers, Jay has been designated by the United Transportations Union, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalman, Transportation Communications Union which includes the Brotherhood of Railway Carman as well as the former Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship, Clerks, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Ironship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers and the International Brotherhood of Fireman and Oilers. In addition to being designated by the aforementioned rail unions, Jay and Kaplan Law Corporation are also designated Legal Counsel for the Inlandboatman's Union of the Pacific, a division of the International Longshoreman and Harbor Worker's Union, the United Association of Plumbing, Pipefitting, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Industry and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Los Angeless, San Gabriel and San Bernardino. Recent representations of injured members of these unions have resulted in three separate verdicts each of which was significantly over a million dollars as well as several in the very high six figure range. Additionally, Jay recently settled a case against one of the major railroads, involving a 53-year-old shop craft worker for a present value settlement in excess of three million dollars.

Jay is licensed to practice in all of the Courts of California including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals where he has successfully won cases. He is a longstanding member of the Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys as well as the Consumer Attorneys of California and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He has an AV Martindale Hubbell rating which is the highest rating conferred by this highly respected directory and rating system of lawyers and law firms in the United States. Jay is also fluent in Spanish.

VICTOR E. KAPLAN - was born in Washington D.C.. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated in 1935. He earned his Juris Doctor law degree at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1938. Shortly after graduation, Victor joined a prominent labor law firm and continued to practice there until he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

Following WWII, Victor resumed practicing labor law and handled cases for various unions before the National Labor Relations Board involving discharges, Taft-Hartly issues, etc. During that period he personally walked several picket lines in support of organized labor and represented union members free of charge when charged with criminal violations for exercising their constitutional rights. Additionally, over the years, he has obtained extensive experience in representing several unions in arbitration matters.

In the late 1950's, Victor went to work for the Magana law Firm whose principal, Raoul Magana, had worked for one the pioneer firm's in FELA litigation. Subsequently in 1981, Victor left the firm he had been practicing with and went to work with his son, Jay. Currently, Victor continues to work primarily on the type of cases which are his first love, labor law and pension right matters. Additionally, he serves as an arbitrator appointed by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

Victor is licensed to practice in all of the Courts of the State of California as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of virtually all of the California Bar Associations including the Consumer Attorneys of California. He also possesses an AV Martindale Hubbell rating.

KAPLAN LAW CORPORATION
INVESTIGATORS/FIELD REPRESENTATIVES

Our law firm also employs nine investigators/field representatives, essentially all of whom have extensive backgrounds and experience involving FELA personal injury matters. In fact, all but one of our investigators/field representatives have worked for one of the railroads, in one capacity or another, prior to going to work for Kaplan Law Corporation, and therefore have a hands on and intricate knowledge and understanding of the workings of the various railroads and their structures

JEFFREY BRADARICH - Lead Investigator - Prior to working for our law firm, Jeff spent approximately fifteen years as a Fireman and Oiler in the Southern Pacific shops in Roseville, California. During that time, he was also the Local Chairman and the Vice General Chairman of the System Council of the IBFO. Jeff first learned his skills as a potential investigator by preparing and investigating cases for company ordered investigations while representing his men as well as by learning from his father who was and still is General Chairman for one of the other crafts. Since joining our firm, Jeff has investigated many FELA cases involving Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, AMTRAK as well as various shortline railroads. Jeff primarily works out of Roseville, Sacramento and the Bay Area as well as working on cases all over Southern California and can be reached at (800)989-8116

ROBERT GONZALES - Robert comes from a family with a long history of BMWE employes including a past Vice General Chairman of the Pacific Federation his father, Lloyd Gonzales. Additionally, Robert worked as a Fireman and Oiler, Carman and Car Supervisor for several years for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, primarily in Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Robert has worked as an Investigator since 1993 and during that time has added invaluable insight and expertise into working up Maintenance of Way cases for trial. Robert resides in Bakersfield, California and can be reached at 1-866-381-1444

MARK McLAUGHLIN - Although he comes from a family with a long line of locomotive engineers, including one of the past International Presidents of the organization, Mark first started working for the railroad in the Maintenance of Way Department for the old Milwaukee Railroad in Iowa and acquired hands-on experience that has proven invaluable in investigating FELA cases. Since coming to work for our firm, Mark has investigated various FELA cases involving all crafts. Mark works out of Phoenix office and has worked on cases in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California. Mark can be reached at (800)552-7526.

MICHAEL "MICKEY" MERRIMS - Mickey comes from a railroading family with almost seventy-five years of experience with the ATSF and BNSF railroads. He started his career in Barstow, California as a switchman there as well as in San Bernardino, Los Angeles and San Diego where he concluded his railroad career. Mickey also worked for three years on the road as a brakeman. Additionally, he gained valuable experience working as a Union Representative for about twelve years serving the Brotherhood in various positions. Mickey also served in the Army during the Vietnam war. In addition, to the significant experience he gained in working in the operating department for thirty-eight years as well as within the union, Mickey also attended San Bernardino Valley College and took various courses in transportation, all of which served to make him a tremendous asset in investigating FELA cases for Kaplan Law Corporation. Mickey resides in Victorville, California and can be reached at 800-552-7526 or 760-243-4428.

HECTOR ORTIZ - Hector worked for The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company in the Maintenance of Way Department for almost 25 years in the Los Angeles area and San Bernardino area. For many of those years Hector worked as a Foreman. As a result, Hector has extensive knowledge and understanding of the Maintenance of Way, its tracks and structures. He has taken many of the bilingual statements in our Maintenance of Way and shopcraft cases and helped with the preparation of several of those cases for trail involving AMTRAK, BNSF, SPTCO and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. He resides in the Los Angeles area and can be reached at (800)295-3442

JOHN SCANDALIOS - John is the only investigator who is associated with our law firm who has never worked for a railroad, however, his unparalleled qualifications and expertise more than make up for it. John has been a professional investigator since 1968 and a California licensed private investigator since 1975. John has a degree in Criminology, a law school background and is the former Regional Director of the National Association of Legal Investigators and a past member of the Executive Council. Prior to that, John worked for the United States Government, Department of Justice and is a member of the California Peace Officers Association. Over the past 15 years, John has applied his exceptional investigating tools to working on several large and high profile FELA accident cases, as well as on cases involving defective products, work place injuries and maritime accidents. John resides in San Diego, California.