Find a Lawyer California San Luis Obispo Personal Injury
James McKiernan

PRO

James McKiernan

also known as James McKiernan Lawyers, Accident Law Center

4.9
79 reviews
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
Rating: 8.3

Licensed for 52 years

Personal injury Lawyer at San Luis Obispo, CA
Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Car Accidents, Wrongful Death, Estate Planning

21 Santa Rosa St Ste 300, San Luis Obispo, CA

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1998
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Overview Reviews Experience Activity
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About James

Biography

$315,000,000 WON for CLIENTS - Free Consultations - Call For Help

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Car Accident 40%

40%
Personal Injury 40%

40%
Estate Planning 10%

10%
Wrongful Death 10%

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 60 minutes

Contingency

33%-33%

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2024 2020 2015
Platinum Client Champion

Avvo Client's Choice Awards

Client's Choice

The Avvo Client's Choice Award Badge is granted to attorneys with a significant number of 4+ star reviews in a given year.

Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2024
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2020
Client's Choice
Client's Choice 2015

Platinum Client Champion

Platinum Client Champion

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service.

This attorney has received at least 10 client reviews, and has an average review score of 4.5 or higher.

Licenses

Licensed in New York for 45 years

State: New York

Acquired: 1981

Currently Registered

Licensed in California for 52 years

State: California

Acquired: 1973

Active

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 1998

Location

James McKiernan Lawyers

(805) 544-8329

Fax

21 Santa Rosa St Ste 300, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93405

jamesmckiernanlawyers.com/
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James McKiernan's Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (46) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 46
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas
Lawsuits & Disputes (22) Personal Injury (19) Car Accidents (10) Insurance (6) Slip and Fall Accident (3) Elder Law (1) Health Care (1) Landlord & Tenant (1) Military Law (1) Motorcycle Accident (1) Real Estate (1) Trusts (1) Wrongful Death (1)
What Clients Mention
Case Results (32) Advocacy (23) Recommendation (22) Practice Area Knowledge (14) Responsiveness (11) Staff & Support (11) Compassion (9) Character & Conduct (7) Communication Style (7) Professionalism (7) General Knowledge (5) Trustworthiness (5) Cost of Services (1) Punctuality (1)

Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews | Trustworthiness

Posted by Gregory Thompson | July 16, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

Zero to settlement...within days.

Was involved in a pedestrian vs auto incident...broke my neck and fractured ribs. Awake with pain and discomfort i called his office at 4am from hospital bed and left msg...he returned my call within hours and was at my hospital bed by 8:30, when hospital opens for visitors. Impressive, to say the le...ast. his attention to my needs and unforeseen issues associated hospitals, accomodations, essential daily needs and pre-existing financial assets and obligations....he was able to lay my anxiety to rest. In my opinion, attentive, direct, sincere and effective time efficient staff and assistants. From the back of the house, to the front of the house, this firm worked for my best interest and my best outcome.

Posted by Diane | July 10, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

So glad I landed at this firm.

After a lot of frustrations dealing with insurance & delayed police reports due to it being a dui & me being a victim , someone suggested this firm. All I wanted was to get some information & the process to my recovery moving. Immediately when I walked into Robert Bell’s office, I knew I was in good ...hands. Nobody wants to be in an accident & Robert took over everything & handled it for me. From start to finish, it was a smooth process. Much smoother if I’d tried to handle everything on my own! The staff is friendly & helpful the offices are beautiful & the process was painless. If you are looking at reviews like I do (before I decide on anything anymore!) I sincerely recommend this group. Look no more! They will take care of you. Even through the pandemic they kept working on my behalf!

Posted by Jack | October 15, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

A very nice ending to a not so nice beginning

renting a home in Santa Barbara. I fell partly thru the back wooden deck. What a run around the mgmt company and the owner gave me until I hired the Mckiernan Law firm. I suffered serious injuries. However the law firm saw to it that my treatment was taken care of. In fact, that was the first thi...ng they did for me. Wow what a change from the mgmt co attitude. Once I was over my injuries, the case settled for more than their attorney thought it would ever be. If you ever want an attorney who will be on your side all the way, it’s Mckiernan Law. Thanks for all your help again.

Posted by Stephanie M | December 08, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Personal Injury

I was almost killed by a drunk driver!

James McKiernan Lawyers was there when nobody else was on my side! I was lying in a hospital bed after being almost killed by a drunk driver with no insurance and nowhere to turn. I honestly thought I was to get stuck with thousand dollars’ worth of bills. But James McKiernan Lawyers fought for m...e. They were constantly giving me updates and when they said they were going to do something they meant it. They gave me a 110% of their time. My case took two years to be finished, but they constantly fought and got me the best end result that I could have asked for. They did not just look at me as a person that could make them money, but instead a 21 year old in a terrible situation who felt down on her luck. They sympathized with me as if I were one of their own children. James McKiernan Lawyers gives you their all, and I would recommend them to anyone in a legal situation that needs honest help. Thank you again for everything you did for me!

Posted by anonymous | April 30, 2015 | Personal Injury

The Working Man's Lawyer & The Gentleman's Lawyer All In One!

My wife and I were seriously injured in a multi-vehicle accident (we were broadsided and pushed into another car). Right away, our insurance company and the other parties insurance companies were overwhelming to deal with. We were getting phone calls, letters, emails, documents to sign. My wife and I... both work full time and simply did not know what to do. We were referred to the McKiernan Law Firm through our church. At our first meeting with James and his staff, we knew we were in good hands. Although we had been referred by a close friend, we did some preliminary research on the Internet. The lawyer search can be as overwhelming as being injured and dealing with insurance companies. Every lawyer has a promise of the best representation...well as it turn out, the McKiernan Law Firm delivers on that promise and then some. We were treated like family, they were available 24/7 for questions or issues as they came up. We were told up front that our only "job" was to get better and resume our daily lives. Our car was replaced (after long negotiations and the other insurance company trying to give us a very low value) we were assisted each step of the way with the many doctors/specialists that me and my wife needed. Throughout our case, I had several occasions to sit down with James personally as questions came up and I was highly impressed with his overall knowledge of the law in general and as it pertained to my case specifically. With several cars involved in the accident, it was very complicated. As I mentioned earlier, all of these lawyer ads make endless promises. James has specialized in personal injury for many years and that shines through in every detail. Would I recommend the McKiernan Law Firm? That would be a resounding yes. I don't normally write reviews however, I felt that as a person that went through a serious accident and knowing what its like to have your world turned upside down that I would share my experience. As a follow up, we still receive calls from James now that our case is settled checking on how we are doing. We have recently referred a friend who's teenage daughter was hit by a drunk driver. As we pray for her full recovery, we know that she is in good hands. Rich & Stacy B Shell Beach, CA

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James McKiernan's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse James
Caleb Joseph Anthony headshot
Caleb Anthony

Personal injury lawyer | Aug 23

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Mr. McKiernan is the most skilled and creative legal mind of his generation. His range of experience in unmatched: attorney, judge, and even law school Dean. He sees angles in his advocacy for clients that no one else does...and that makes all the difference! When you put your trust in James McKiernan, you put your trust in the best."

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John Edward Hayes headshot
John Hayes

Personal injury lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.3 (Excellent)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1998.

Discipline with Actual Suspension issued in CA, 1998

updated on 01/20/2016

This sanction means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.

Honors

2021

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2021

Multi-Million Dollar Advocate, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum

2020

Top 10, American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys

2019

Top 10, American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys

2018

Top 10, American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys

2016

Million Dollar Advocate, Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Work Experience

1983 - Present

Principal, James McKiernan Lawyers

1975 - 1983

Judge, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court

1974 - 1975

Attorney, Girardi & Keese

1973 - 1974

Clerk, Central District Superior Court - Los Angeles

Education

2003

Regent University School of Law

LL.M - Master of Laws

1972

Loyola Law School

JD - Juris Doctor

1968

Fordham Univ

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

Italian

Spanish

Activity

2

Legal Answers

Legal Answers

Q&A

Wrongful death and fraud paperwork?

07 Apr 2021
Q&A

Can I get a lawyer to fight for my son who is murdered so we get Justice?

10 Apr 2021
Avvo Rating

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  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
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  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1998
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
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