Ed Diab

We focus on assisting public entities and government agencies work through the legal complexities of mass have over 30 years combined experience specializing in mass disaster litigation.

Ed Diab is a Founding Partner and leads the firm’s wildfire and mass disaster practice. His practice centers on the representation of public entities that sustained damages as a result of utility or third-party caused wildfires. Ed has recovered over $1.6 billion on behalf of his wildfire clients. In 2020, the Daily Journal awarded him the prestigious California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (“CLAY”) Award for the $360 million settlement recovered on behalf of 20 public entities represented by him that sustained damages in the 2017 Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. In 2021, the Dixie Fire burned nearly 1 million acres in Northern California become the largest wildfire in California history and the second-largest wildfire overall. Ed was retained by all five affected counties to litigate the matter against PG&E and assist them in recovering taxpayer losses.

Ed’s public entity wildfire settlements and recoveries include:

$28.5 million – 2015 Butte Fire
$415 million – 2017 North Bay Fires
$150 million – 2017 Thomas Fire & Montecito Mudslides
$582 million – 2018 Camp Fire
$210 million – 2018 Woolsey Fire
$31 million – 2019 Kincade Fire
$12.36 million – 2020 Zogg Fire
$24 million – 2021 Dixie Fire
$7.25 million – 2022 Mill Fire
In June 2019, Ed was part of the team that negotiated a historic $1 billion settlement on behalf of 14 public entities for taxpayer losses caused by the 2015 Butte Fire, 2017 North Bay Fires and 2018 Camp Fire. Representative clients included the County of Sonoma, County of Napa, County of Butte and the Town of Paradise that sustained severe damage as a result of fires alleged to have been caused by Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

Against Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”), Mr. Diab was co-lead counsel for the Town of Paradise, Butte County, Sonoma County, Napa County, Shasta County, Tehama County, and the City of Santa Rosa, to name a few. Against Southern California Edison, Ed was co-lead counsel for Los Angeles County, City of Malibu, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, City of Westlake Village, and the City of Calabasas, to name a few. He was also retained by over 1,500 individuals and families that sustained damages to their homes, personal property and personal injuries from these fires.

In November 2019, the same team negotiated a $360 million settlement on behalf of 23 public entities for taxpayer losses caused by the 2017 Thomas Fire/Mudslides and 2018 Woolsey Fire. Representative clients included the County of Los Angeles, County of Ventura, County of Santa Barbara, City of Malibu that sustained severe fire damage and losses from mudslides that they alleged were caused by Southern California Edison. The team also currently represents hundreds of families that sustained damages to their properties as well. Ed was actively involved in the widely publicized lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”) arising out of the 2010 San Bruno Gas Pipeline Explosion that leveled 38 homes, and unfortunately, killed 8 people. He represented numerous insurance carriers with property damage claims as a result of the 2013 Powerhouse Wildfire in Los Angeles that scorched more than 30,000 acres in Santa Clarita. He also represented over 100 individuals that sustained property damages in a lawsuit arising out of the Chariot Fire in 2013.

Ed also served on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee in the lawsuit against PG&E over the 2015 Butte Fire in Calaveras and Amador Counties that destroyed over 70,000 acres and hundreds of homes, outbuildings and other structures. He has extensive experience litigating gas explosion and wildfire claims in Montana, Washington and Texas. Because of the foregoing experience, Ed has had the honor of being personally appointed to several leadership positions including:

Public Entity Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel, Fairview Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5266 (2023) – Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. Carolyn B. Kuhl
Public Entity Plaintiffs Liaison Counsel, Mountain View Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5228 (2022) - Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. Kenneth R. Freeman
Public Entity Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel, Dixie Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5208 (2021) - San Francisco Superior Court, Hon. Curtis E.A. Karnow
Plaintiffs Executive Committee, Woolsey Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 5000 (2019) - Los Angeles Superior Court, Hon. William F. Highberger (2019)
Plaintiffs Co-Lead Counsel, Sharp Grossmont Hospital Hidden Camera Litigation - San Diego Superior Court, Hon. Ronald Styn (2019)
Plaintiffs Executive Committee, California North Bay Fire Cases, California JCCP No. 4955 (2017) - San Francisco Superior Court, Hon. Curtis E.A. Karnow
Plaintiffs Steering Committee, In re: Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2775 (2017) - United States District Court, District of Maryland, Hon. Catherine C. Blake
Plaintiffs Executive Committee, Butte Fire Cases, California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceeding ("JCCP") No. 4853 (2016) - Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Hon. Allen H. Sumner
Discovery Committee Member, In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2740 (2016) - United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Hon. Kurt D. Engelhardt
Plaintiffs Steering Committee, In re: Fluoroquinolone Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2642 (2016) - United States District Court, District of Minnesota, Hon. John R. Tunheim
Ed received his undergraduate degree in Economics from University of California Davis, and his law degree from California Western School of Law.