Michael Bradley and Douglas DeGrave Selected as CAL-ABOTA's 2016 Trial Lawyers of the Year

SAN FRANCISCO - March 18, 2016 - PRLog -- Michael Bradley, a founding shareholder of San Francisco-based Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney, and Douglas DeGrave, a founding partner of Laguna Hills-based Poliquin & DeGrave LLP, have been selected as the 2016 Trial Lawyers of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates for the state of California (CAL-ABOTA). This award is widely regarded as the most prestigious honor for a trial lawyer in California.

The CAL-ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year distinction is awarded annually to a recipient exhibiting the best traits of a trial lawyer - excellence in advocacy, a distinguished career and a reputation for civility, ethics and fair play. Each of the eight CAL-ABOTA chapters is entitled to nominate a candidate to the board, followed by selection of the award recipient by majority vote. This year's vote resulted in a tie, giving both Bradley and DeGrave the honor.

Bradley has a diverse trial practice that focuses on civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on defending lawyers sued for malpractice. He has tried more than 40 cases to jury verdict and has been recognized by the State Bar of California as a Certified Specialist in legal malpractice law. Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating, Bradley is regularly called on to represent some of the best lawyers and law firms in California.

Active in the legal community throughout his career, Bradley is the current president of CAL-ABOTA and served as president of the San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA in 2011. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a past member and vice-chair of the California State Bar Committee on Professional Liability Insurance.  Bradley received his J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1976) and his B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of New Hampshire (1973).

For more than 35 years, DeGrave has specialized in the defense of personal and catastrophic injury cases, wrongful death, truck and bus accidents, insurance litigation, and insurance bad faith involving first and third party claims. He has tried more than 75 cases to verdict in state and federal courts and is one of approximately 100 attorneys recognized by the State Bar of California as a Certified Civil Trial Advocate. DeGrave has also held an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 1995.

DeGrave has been an active member of ABOTA, serving as president of CAL-ABOTA in 2013 and as president of the Orange County Chapter of ABOTA in 2008. In 2014, he was presented with the CAL-ABOTA President's Award for his work in changing the attorney's oath to include a pledge of civility. He is also a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers. DeGrave earned an undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Hawaii while serving in the Army (1976), a B.A. in Political Science with high honors from California State University, Long Beach (1978) and his J.D. with honors from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles (1981).

For more than 35 years, Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney has been dedicated to legal counseling and litigation that creates positive results for professionals, individuals, businesses and organizations in a variety of industries. With offices in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, the firm is focused in the areas of business litigation; white collar defense; professional liability; real estate and construction; employment; intellectual property; product and premises liability; insurance; and corporate, banking, tax and business transactions.

Poliquin & DeGrave LLP was formed in 2005 with an emphasis on results oriented legal services in the defense of medical and dental malpractice claims, transportation litigation, personal injury, business, real estate, construction, and insurance bad faith cases. Although based in Laguna Hills, the firm handles cases throughout California.