About
Attorney Andy Gillin is a founding partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys. Raised in Southern California, he moved north to attend U.C. Berkeley in the late 1960s. During his time at U.C. Berkeley, Andy studied under two distinguished legal scholars, Jacobus tenBroek and Al Bendich, whom he greatly admired. After Andy received his bachelor’s degree, he decided to attend the University of Chicago, where he received his Juris Doctor. Following graduation, he returned to the Bay Area and joined the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society.
Through this opportunity, he began his legal career as a public service attorney, primarily working for low-income families and individuals. A couple of years later, Andy received a call from one of his previous mentors asking whether he’d be interested in personal injury law. Over time, personal injury became a primary focus as an extension for the work Andy did for people in need, leading to the founding of GJEL in 1972.
During his career, Andy has written and lectured extensively on personal injury topics—including settlement strategies and trial practice—for several organizations. This includes the California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) as well as other professional groups. He even wrote a guide for young attorneys for the first hundred days of a major case published in the California Trial Lawyers Syllabus.
Andy also has experience practicing in both state and federal courts and is an active member of many legal organizations, such as the American Association for Justice, the State Bar of California, and the California Trial Lawyers Association. Due to his impressive track record and dedication to ethical standards, Andy holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been included in several top listings, including Super Lawyers and the Best Lawyers in America.
Since starting GJEL, Andy has helped hundreds of injured plaintiffs fight for their recovery. With several case settlements and verdicts exceeding $1,000,000, Andy understands how life-changing personal injuries can be.
One of his most notable cases, a Mass Tort Litigation against Tenet Healthcare Corporation, involved patients receiving unnecessary surgeries at Redding Medical Center in 2002. The lawsuit consisted of a total of 769 claims, 183 of which were brought by GJEL. Not only did GJEL clients receive $117 million in damages, but the lawsuit caused a major overhaul of Tenet’s corporate governance.
Through this litigation, Andy and the GJEL team were able to make a positive change to the operations and standards of Tenet, reducing the risk of similar injuries happening in the future.
As managing partner, Andy spends his day consulting on all the different cases accepted by the firm, discussing strategies and tactics with his fellow partners. He loves being deeply involved with cases and collaborating with other attorneys at the firm. When he’s not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and listening to classic rock music. You’ll likely find him walking around the neighborhood early in the morning listening to classics by Janis Joplin and The Youngbloods on his headphones.
Education
- J. D., University of Chicago Law School
- B. A., University of California at Berkeley
Achievements
Bar Admissions
- State of California, 1970
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1970
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1970
Published Works
- Handling the Major Case: The First 100 Days, California Trial Lawyers Syllabus
- California Government Tort Liability Practice (Co-Author), Continuing Education of the Bar
Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Lecturer, Civil Litigation, California Continuing Education of the Bar
- Lecturer, Civil Litigation, California State Bar Association Education Institute
- Lecturer, Civil Litigation, California Trial Lawyers Association
- Lecturer, Civil Litigation, Women Lawyers of Alameda County
- Lecturer, Civil Litigation, Alameda-Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers Association
- Lecturer, Litigation, Alameda County Bar Association
- Handling The Major Case: The First 100 Days, California Trial Lawyers Association
- Handling Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death Cases, Alameda County Bar Association Barristers Club
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers Settlement Judiciary Conference
- Settlement Strategies in Civil Litigation, Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- The Bar Association of San Francisco
- Alameda County Bar Association
- Contra Costa Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of California
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- California Trial Lawyers Association
Recent Awards
- 2023 Superlawyers
- 2024 Best Lawyers
- 2023 Top 1% Attorney
