Partner
Darren Aitken is an Orange County native and has been a practicing attorney in California since 1989. He is a partner of the law firm Aitken Aitken Cohn and has practiced with the firm since 1992. Darren’s practice is limited to civil litigation, where he represents plaintiffs in major matters involving insurance bad faith, personal injury, product liability and commercial torts.
free consultationDarren has been recognized and awarded consistently throughout his career for his professional accomplishments and was named the Orange County Trial Lawyers “Top Gun–Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year” in 2008. He was named a “Super Lawyer” by his peers in a vote of lawyers conducted by Law & Politics, Inc. from 2005 through 2023.
Darren is further named one of the “Top 50” lawyers in Orange County by this organization based on the number of votes he received from his fellow lawyers. He is AV rated by the national Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, the highest rating that an organization bestow regarding legal ability and professional ethics. Furthermore, Darren has also received a 10/10 rating by the legal review website AVVO.com.
contact Darren @ darren@aitkenlaw.com.
Cases
Mr. Aitken has successfully litigated and tried numerous civil actions both in the state and federal courts, and he has obtained numerous seven and eight figure results for his clients. His notable achievements include a trial judgment on behalf of his clients in the amount of $55,180,000 in Gutierrez vs. The United States. The Gutierrez judgment is believed to be the largest amount ever awarded in an Orange County personal injury action to a single plaintiff, and the largest amount ever awarded in an injury action against the United States government. This judgment was subsequently upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In a separate matter, Mr. Aitken negotiated a settlement in the amount of $19,250,000 for his clients in a fiercely disputed action against a publicly traded international corporation. In 2009, Mr. Aitken obtained a jury verdict over $2,600,000 for his clients after a hotly contested four week trial against Ford Motor Co., based on a product defect in a Ford F350 truck. His appellate practice is reflected in published opinions such as Boicourt v. Amex Assurance Co., and Rothman v. Jackson.
Testimonials
“Darren & his assistant were great! I was updated frequently & guided through the whole process. I highly recommend this firm!”
– Taryn Briggs
“Darren Aitken helped me through a very difficult time. Everyone was professional and sensitive. Good legal minds and we got a good outcome.”
– Christopher Chester
“Darren Aitken provided exceptional service. He kept us informed throughout the process and he worked really hard to obtain a good settlement. Darren and his staff were always available and they responded quickly to any inquiry we had. The office is very unpretentious. I highly recommend Aitken Aitken and Cohn”
– Bruce Romano
“Darren Aitken and his assistant are a rockstar team. They are attentive, compassionate, accountable, knowledgeable, and efficient. As our family dealt with the worst day of our lives we were offered care and support.”
– Kristine Lindsey
“Aitken Aitken Cohn was friendly and comforting. Darren was very knowledgeable. I would consider Aitken Aitken Cohn a high quality firm and recommend other people to them.”
– Roberta Berger
“I really enjoyed working with Darren Aitken. He had great attention to detail, he was very strategic, and extremely honest. I am very happy with the process and how my case turned out.”
– Kimberly Caldwell
“Darren Aitken is a caring attorney who always left communication open. The firm was small and personable.”
– Benjamin Farris
Areas of Practice
Professional Associations & Memberships
Awards
Speaking Engagements
Conference Name: Palm Springs Virtual Seminar
Title: Don’t Be Afraid of the Bench (Is There MAGIC in the Binding Arbitration and Bench Trials in the Times of COVID? COVID Pros and Cons)
Year: 2021
Conference Name: OCBA Webinar
Title: The Minor’s Compromise Petition: Getting it Right the First Time
Year: 2020
Conference Name: CAOC Webinar
Title: Successful Minor’s Compromises: Petitions in a Post-COVID World
Year: July 2020
Conference Name: RCBA Webinar
Title: Minor Details: Tips for Successful Minor’s Comps, Petitions & Hearings
Year: February 2020
Conference Name: HBA Costa Rica
Title: Lawyers Civility: Why should we care?
Year: 2019
Conference Name: OCBA Scotland Travel Seminar
Title: Lawyers Civility: Why should we care?
Year: 2019
Conference Name: CAOC Annual Convention
Title: Making the MOST Out of Your Cases By Developing Punitive Damage Theories
Year: 2016
Articles
In The News