Adam Joseph Hepburn

Adam Hepburn is the Managing Partner of HHJ Trial Attorneys’ Personal Injury Division and one of San Diego County’s most trusted advocates for victims of catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death. As a top-rated San Diego personal injury lawyer, Adam is known for taking on the most complex and high-value cases—including car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck accidents, and serious injury claims valued at over $1 million.

Just two years after launching HHJ Trial Attorneys, Adam earned the coveted Super Lawyers distinction—an honor reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys nationwide. Since founding the firm in 2018, Adam has successfully recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for his clients. Under his leadership, HHJ Trial Attorneys was voted “Best Litigation Firm” by their peers in the San Diego Union-Tribune, cementing their reputation as one of the premier trial firms in Southern California.

Education & Early Legal Career

Adam’s passion for the law began at UC Berkeley, the #1 public university in the world. While there, he worked in the California State Senate, assisting with public policy initiatives and legislative outreach—an experience that sparked his interest in advocacy and justice. Adam later worked at the court in Oakland, California, before earning a full-tuition merit scholarship to law school in San Diego.
During law school, Adam ranked among the top 5% of his class and frequently earned the highest grades in challenging courses. He contributed to the school’s Law Review, competed on the nationally recognized Trial Advocacy Team, and won numerous trial competitions. Adam’s trial skills earned him a rare invitation to work with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps in San Diego, where he defended service members facing serious criminal charges. He also gained extensive courtroom experience with the San Diego Public Defender’s Office, successfully litigating jury trials even before being admitted to the State Bar.

Trial Skills & Advanced Training
Early in his career, Adam distinguished himself with one of the highest acquittal and dismissal rates in an office of over 200 attorneys. Seeking to further perfect his craft, Adam was selected to attend the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming—one of the most prestigious trial training programs in the world. There, he spent over a month learning advanced trial strategies from some of the nation’s most accomplished trial lawyers.

It was during this training that Adam committed himself to fighting for victims and families against powerful insurance companies. Today, Adam focuses on representing clients with catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and spine injuries caused by car accidents, motorcycle collisions, and other serious incidents throughout North County San Diego. He works out of HHJ Trial Attorneys’ Carlsbad office, serving clients across San Diego County.

Community Involvement & Mentorship
Adam is passionate about giving back to the San Diego community. He served on the Board of Directors for The San Diego Freedom Ranch, a non-profit residential treatment center that has supported individuals in recovery for over 40 years. In addition, Adam mentors future trial lawyers as a trial advocacy coach at California Western School of Law, teaching students courtroom skills and trial techniques.

Whether in the courtroom fighting for justice or volunteering his time to teach and serve, Adam Hepburn is committed to protecting the rights of injury victims and giving a voice to those who have been wronged.