Lee J. DanforthShareholder
Practice Areas
- Appellate Practice
- Business Law & Litigation
- Insurance Law and Services
- Products Liability
- Real Property
Education
- California Lutheran University
A.B., 1971, with honors - University of the Pacific
McGeorge School of Law
J.D., 1976
Bar Admissions
- California
- Alaska
- United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court
Northern District of California
Eastern District of California
Professional Organizations
- American Bar Association
- Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada Defense Research Institute
Additional Information
- AV-rated
- Selected for inclusion
in 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
California Super Lawyers - Downloadable V-card
A skilled and successful trial lawyer with approximately 35 years of experience, Lee has tried dozens of cases to juries in courtrooms across Northern California. In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Lee was selected as a California Super Lawyer, an honor bestowed on only five percent of the lawyers in the state.
The cases Lee has tried have involved a broad range of issues. These include commercial, contractual and real estate disputes, insurance claims handling and bad faith controversies, and public nuisance, premises liability, personal injury and wrongful death cases.
In the area of products liability, Lee has tried to verdict many cases presenting complex technical and engineering issues. These cases have arisen from claims that a variety of products were defectively designed, manufactured or used. The sophisticated products at the center of the cases which Lee has defended include aircraft component parts, aircraft engines, high pressure compressed air valves and tubing and construction materials.
Lee has also represented clients in personal injury cases, particularly those involving major trucking or automobile accidents resulting in severe injury, disfigurement or death.
Lee has tried many cases involving various lines of liability insurance and claims for extra-contractual damages and bad faith. In addition to the insurance claims handling issues, these trials, many lasting weeks or months, have also involved technically or scientifically complex issues, including fire cause and origin and mold contamination.
Clients involved in commercial, business, contractual and real estate disputes have also turned to Lee for counseling and representation. Because Lee represents individuals and corporations in a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, electronics, fire protection, security, plumbing products, construction, and retail, the issues presented are equally diverse and often complex. By way of illustration, these disputes have involved damage allegedly caused by high voltage vacuum switches, a wood stove manufacturer's lost products claim, contract damages assert by an art gallery and nuisance and trespass claims arising from the operation of a sewage treatment plant. Lee has also represented clients in cases involving allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Lee received his California Real Estate Brokers license in 1982, and he represents both buyers and sellers of real property involved in real estate disputes.
Lee is also actively involved in the area of alternative dispute resolution. In addition to representing scores of clients in mediations and arbitrations, he himself has frequently served as a mediator and as an arbitrator.
His integrity and extensive litigation experience has earned him the respect of the legal community. Consequently, Lee is invited to speak on diverse legal topics, including courtroom evidence, insurance considerations, punitive damages, insurance good faith, and judicial arbitration.