Zachary D. Rutman

Zachary D. Rutman is a tireless advocate for his clients, whether he's litigating for Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes personal injury cases or advising mom-and-pop businesses on compliance under California’s labor laws.

Leveraging his dogged research skills and persuasive writing, Zachary uses every means possible to secure the best outcomes possible for the firm's clientele. 

Zachary specializes in defending businesses and individuals in complex, personal injury cases nationwide. These high-exposure, wrongful death and negligence lawsuits concern accidents with company-owned motor vehicles, commercial trucks, construction sites and residential care facilities. Oftentimes, he steps in during the last, pivotal phases of multimillion dollar cases as trial counsel for excess insurers.

He is also often retained to defend national and local youth-serving organizations facing sexual abuse claims. Zachary has had immense success extricating his clients from sexual abuse lawsuits with motions to dismiss the lawsuits on novel and creative theories, saving his clients millions of dollars. 

A lifelong Californian, Zachary lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, daughter, and their two rescue pugs. During his downtime, he enjoys surfing, supporting dog rescues, playing golf, and traveling to lesser-known corners of the world.

Negligence Litigation

• Defended an assisted living facility for the elderly in a wrongful-death lawsuit after a resident eloped through a second-story window and died in the hospital days later. After a three-week trial, the jury awarded plaintiffs a small fraction of their request.
• Recovered millions of dollars in subrogation actions for Fortune 500 insurers.
• Defended a produce distribution company in a lawsuit following a death at its loading dock. Excess insurer paid nothing to resolve this claim.
• Defended scrap metal company in wrongful-death action after one of its semi-tractor trailer driver was hit by a driver in front of the company’s Los Angeles loading facility. Company denied liability and excess insurer paid nothing to resolve claim.  
• Represent international youth organizations and its directors in high-profile cases nationwide stemming from sexual assault and abuse allegations.

Insurance Subrogation Litigation

• Represented Fortune 500 insurance company in $15 million subrogation action to enforce its insured’s express indemnity right.
• Represented insurance company in subrogation action following massive fire that consumed several structures in Carson, California.

Premises Liability

• Defended an electrical contractor that was sued after a pedestrian misstepped outside of its construction zone at a private university in Los Angeles. Zachary served as third chair in the ensuing trial in which the initial demand exceeded $30 million.  
• Represented a national food chain after a patron allegedly suffered a traumatic brain injury slipping in the bathroom. Excess insurer paid nothing to settle this claim.
• Defended the owner of a popular San Diego chain restaurant in premises-liability action after contractor fell from the second story and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Plaintiffs dismissed the restaurant-owner defendant immediately after our team filed a motion to dismiss the claim.

Business Litigation

• Represented a wholesale medical distribution company in employment dispute and breach-of-contract action. Client recovered substantial damages from former employee and we successfully protected company trade secrets.
• Represented investment company in action against seller of multi-million dollar strip mall for misrepresenting income in pre-purchase disclosures. The case resulted in a favorable settlement.

• San Diego Defense Lawyers Association

• USC Alumni Association
• Syracuse University College of Law Alumni Association