Super Lawyers

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars:
2022-2024

Monique Alarcon is a partner at Wisner Baum’s Los Angeles office. She focuses on medical device cases, pharmaceutical drug liability, civil rights cases and consumer fraud litigation. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, contributing her expertise to the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) Moot Court Team. She handles complex pharmaceutical personal injury and wrongful death cases involving the Gardasil HPV vaccine and the ECT medical device. She has also handled several lawsuits involving First Amendment rights violations against the LAPD and Burbank Police Department.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2020-2023

William Crawford Appleby is a senior associate at Wisner Baum. A personal injury attorney, Crawford focuses on complex law and motion matters, in-depth legal research and writing, and case strategy as it relates to transportation accidents.. He earned his Rising Stars designation in the practice area of Personal Injury. Crawford was selected for this honor after undergoing an evaluation that included peer review and professional achievement. Prior to joining Wisner Baum, Crawford served as a Law Clerk at the Los Angeles Superior Court where he acquired a broad range of experience in all aspects of civil litigation.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2005, 2012 – 2024

Michael L, Baum was first chosen to the Southern California Super Lawyers list in 2005. He is listed as a Top Rated Class Action & Mass Torts Attorney in Los Angeles and was selected to the Top 100: 2019 Southern California Super Lawyers List.

A senior partner at Wisner Baum in Los Angeles, Michael served as the managing partner of the predecessor firm Baum Hedlund for 29 years until he handed over leadership to R. Brent Wisner in 2023. Under Michael’s guidance, the firm evolved from a small boutique to a prominent plaintiffs’ litigation firm, renowned for its innovative legal work. During Michael's tenure, the firm's success in challenging cases and establishing legal precedents significantly influenced laws related to commercial transportation accidents, dangerous pharmaceuticals, and consumer products.

Michael’s relentless advocacy in pharmaceutical and consumer fraud litigation garnered international attention and praise for the firm. The sophisticated legal team, under his leadership, has uncovered harmful practices in the drug industry, exposed chemical manufacturer misconduct, and revealed deceptive marketing schemes. Their efforts have led to groundbreaking verdicts, significant consumer safety advocacy, and improved drug warning labels.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2017 – 2024
Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2009 – 2016

Super Lawyers lists Bijan Esfandiari as one of the Top Rated Products Liability Attorney in Los Angeles. As a pharmaceutical product liability litigation attorney and senior partner at Wisner Baum, Bijan has successfully represented clients in courts across the country at both the trial and appellate level in wrongful death and personal injury cases. He currently co-leads the federal Gardasil HPV vaccine injury litigation against Merck.

Throughout his career, Bijan has participated in cases that have shaped and developed the law for the benefit of injured victims and consumers of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Bijan is also listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers and The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2020-2024

Pedram Esfandiary is a partner at Wisner Baum, where he concentrates his practice on toxic tort injuries, pharmaceutical drug liability, class actions, and consumer fraud litigation. He is leading the firm’s toxic baby food litigation against several major baby food manufacturers. He represents thousands of clients who allege consumption of heavy metals in baby food caused their children to have autism or ADHD.

He worked  on the very first Roundup cancer trial against Monsanto in 2018, which resulted in a landmark $289M verdict. He went on to work on the next two trials against Monsanto in 2019 which, with the first verdict, culminated in more than $2.42 billion in jury verdicts.

Pedram was honored in 2024 with recognition in Up-and-Coming 100: 2024 Southern California Rising Stars Top List. He is also selected to Best Lawyers - Ones to Watch list and is a winner on Law360’s Rising Stars Top 40 Under 40 list. The National Law Journal awarded him and other attorneys of the trial teams 2019 Elite Trial Lawyers winners, and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 awarded them with 2019 Trial Team of the Year.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2020-2024

Adam M. Foster is an attorney at Wisner Baum where he concentrates on commercial transportation cases involving big-rig truck accidents. During his first seven years at the firm he worked on mass tort pharmaceutical product liability cases. He worked on a diverse range of cases, including notable instances such as Zantac and Actos, among others. His exceptional contributions have garnered recognition from esteemed organizations, with Super Lawyers®, the National Trial Lawyers, and Best Lawyers® all commending his efforts. He has been honored with titles such as Rising Star, Top 40 Under 40 attorney, and Best Lawyers One to Watch, reflecting his outstanding legal acumen.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2023 – 2024

Matthew P. French is a personal injury attorney at Wisner Baum’s Los Angeles office. He focuses his practice on commercial transportation accident cases as well as California wildfire claims. Led by a strong desire to help people when they need it most, Matthew’s clients appreciate his empathetic approach to litigating cases.

Following devastating wildfires in Northern California, Matthew was on the front lines for clients discussing the lack of transparency in the California Fire Victims’ Trust. He appeared in print and television media advocating for his clients and other victims of fires caused by PG&E’s negligently maintained electrical equipment. He is very dedicated to the plaintiffs bar and serves as a member of Southwestern Law School’s Board of Trustees.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2016 – 2018

Ari S. Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at Wisner Baum since 2022, handles complex litigation, product liability, and personal injury cases arising from major transportation accidents and catastrophic injuries involving aviation, cars, bus, train and truck accidents. He also represents victims of wild fires in California and trees that fall and injure people. Ari celebrates a decade of success in securing substantial compensation and justice for clients across many practice areas.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2023 – 2024

Harrison E. James is an attorney at the Los Angeles office of Wisner Baum. With a primary focus on pharmaceutical drug liability, class actions, and consumer fraud litigation, Harrison has established himself as an invaluable asset to the firm. He is currently working on the firm’s Zantac cancer cases and the firm’s Actos RICO class action case, which is the first non-settlement national RICO class action lawsuit certified against a major pharmaceutical company. He is also litigating a RICO case against H&R Block, Meta and Google for allegedly illegally collecting and sharing sensitive tax data from consumers without consent to maximize profits through direct-to-consumer advertising. In early 2024, he was awarded Daily Journal's  Leading Commercial Litigators for 2024.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2015 – 2024
Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2011 – 2013

Timothy A. Loranger is a senior partner at Wisner Baum and listed as a Super Lawyers Top Rated Aviation & Aerospace Attorney in Los Angeles. A pilot and Marine Corps veteran, Tim oversees our firm's transportation product liability litigation, aviation, and commercial ground transportation accidents (including truck accidents, train crashes, and military vehicle accidents), and military accidents resulting in catastrophic personal injury or wrongful death.

During his time in the Marines, Tim served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His experience as a Marine prepared him for a career in the legal field where service, honor, compassion, perseverance, and dedication are essential traits. As the firm’s lead military accident attorney, Tim currently represents members of the military who have been harmed in various military accidents in claims, not against the Military, but against defective product manufacturers, such as airplane and helicopter aircraft manufacturers. Best Lawyers® has selected Tim as the 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation in Los Angeles.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2015 – 2024

Mayra Maturana, an attorney at Wisner Baum, focuses on toxic tort injuries and contributes to the firm's legal efforts in toxic baby food litigation. Her diverse legal background includes experience in family law, immigration, and personal injury prior to joining the firm. A graduate of Southwestern Law School, Mayra excelled as a brief writer finalist in the Moot Court Honors Program Intramural Competition during her first year. She clerked for various law clinics, assisting minors and indigent clients with asylum, U-Visa, and SIJS applications. Additionally, she gained practical experience at a prominent Los Angeles law firm, drafting legal documents and preparing clients for proceedings. With a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California, Mayra brings a well-rounded perspective to her legal practice.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2022 – 2024

Clay Robbins III is a third-generation California attorney and a partner at Wisner Baum. He concentrates his practice on transportation accident cases and mass disasters. In his four decades practicing law, Clay has championed the rights of victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits across a range of practice areas, including aviation accidents, bus accidents, truck accidents, Maritime law, and more.

In one of his major cases, Clay successfully represented his clients in an aviation insurance bad faith action resulting in the recovery of over $9 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Throughout his career, Clay has received numerous honors and awards, as well as the coveted peer review rating of A.V. Preeminent (the highest possible rating for preeminent legal ability and ethics) from Martindale Hubbell, the national directory of attorneys.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers: 2024
Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2005 - 2006

Stephanie B. Sherman, a trial lawyer and partner at Wisner Baum, boasts over 25 years of experience aiding thousands of clients across a spectrum of legal challenges, from personal injury to product liability. Recognized by Forbes Advisor among the top 10 Wrongful Death Accident Attorneys in Los Angeles in 2023, Stephanie’s expertise extends beyond mere legal prowess; her background in psychology offers a unique insight into the complexities of trauma, allowing her to guide clients through the legal labyrinth with empathy and precision. Passionate about championing social and environmental justice, she tackles cases that advocate for the nation's most vulnerable.

Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2022

Helen E. Tokar, a senior associate attorney at Wisner Baum in Los Angeles, specializes in Zantac cancer litigation and toxic baby food lawsuits. As an essential support to the managing partner, R. Brent Wisner, she handles client and case management for over 11,000 Zantac cases and 3,500 baby food cases, actively participating in all stages of litigation from depositions to trial preparation.

Recognizing her accomplishments, Authority Magazine featured Helen in their "Power Women" interview series, providing insights into her experiences navigating the challenges of work, love, and life as a powerful woman in the legal profession.

Selected to Northern California Super Lawyers: 2024
Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars: 2016 – 2023

2. Brent Wisner is Wisner Baum’s Managing Partner and the firm’s leading trial attorney. For eight years Super Lawyers Rising Stars recognized Brent as a Top Rated Class Action & Mass Torts Attorney in Greenbrae, where our Bay Area office is located. A Rising Stars candidate must be 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less, but by the age of 35, Brent had helped win the first three landmark Roundup cancer verdicts against Monsanto/Bayer, culminating in more than $2.42 billion in jury verdicts, and as a result, won numerous prestigious lawyer awards, including Civil Plaintiffs Trial Lawyer of the Year by the National Trial Lawyers, America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers, Law360 Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar, Top 40 Under 40 Attorneys in California, 2019 by the Daily Journal, and Trial Team of the Year, 2019 by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Since 2024, Brent is recognized in Super Lawyers.

Brent concentrates his practice on pharmaceutical class action litigation, toxic-tort injuries, whistleblower and qui tam claims, and consumer fraud litigation and is leading up the Zantac cancer litigation for plaintiffs across the US.

• Ronald L. M. Goldman, retired
• Paul J. Hedlund, retired
• J. Clark Aristei, retired
• John Greaves, consulting counsel