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Founding Partner
Wylie Aitken is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and founding partner of Aitken*Aitken*Cohn in Santa Ana, California. He was the youngest president in the history of the State Trial Bar and is continually recognized by publications such as the Los Angeles Daily Journal and the Orange County Business Journal as one of the top lawyers in California. Mr. Aitken served as president of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA) in 1972, and, five years later, became the youngest president in the history of the State Bar of California (CAOC). He has secured landmark multi-million dollar verdicts, including a record-breaking $54 million award against the U.S. Government.
free consultationWylie Aitken is an inductee of the Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for the nation’s most elite legal professionals. For over 20 years, he has maintained a continuous listing in The Best Lawyers in America© and is a perennial Southern California Super Lawyer in the field of Plaintiff Personal Injury.
As lead trial counsel, Mr. Aitken has secured record-setting results across diverse litigation sectors, including:
His appellate work has fundamentally shaped California insurance law. He served as counsel in several landmark decisions frequently cited in California courts:
A dedicated advocate for consumer rights, Wylie is an active member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) Amicus Curiae Committee. In this role, he has authored briefs and delivered oral arguments before the Supreme Court of California, influencing the state’s most significant tort and consumer protection rulings.
A dedicated advocate for consumer rights, Wylie is an active member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) Amicus Curiae Committee. In this role, he has authored briefs and delivered oral arguments before the Supreme Court of California, influencing the state’s most significant tort and consumer protection rulings.
As a consumer advocate, Mr. Aitken has also developed bilingual consumer protection brochures and pamphlets on lawyer selection.
As an author, his articles have appeared in numerous law reviews and legal publications, and he serves on the Jefferson’s California Evidence Benchbook Editorial Board. He has also been a frequent guest on radio and television programs such as Larry King Live, Inside Edition, Michael Jackson Show, Inside OC with Rick Reiff, KABC Ronn Owens, OCN Prime Time, and KOCE Real Orange, among others.
Mr. Aitken is a graduate of Marquette University Law School (1965), where he was a St. Thomas More scholar and Associate Editor of the Marquette Law Review, and sits on the Marquette Law School Advisory Board. His undergraduate work was in the “OC” at Santa Ana College and Cal State Fullerton.
Wylie received the highest honors from each of the academic institutions he attended, including an Honorary Doctorate from Chapman University, its most prestigious recognition.
Contact Wylie @ wylie@aitkenlaw.com
Beyond the courtroom, Wylie Aitken is a pillar of the Southern California civic and educational community, holding several high-level leadership positions:
Philanthropy & Humanitarian Impact
As a passionate philanthropist and lifelong champion of the arts, Wylie made history last year as the first trial lawyer elected to the prestigious Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute (AFI), joining industry luminaries such as Steven Spielberg. He also serves on the AFI Conservatory committee, working closely with the nation’s top-ranked film school. His selection reflects not only his deep commitment to the arts but also his celebrated reputation as a master storyteller, rooted in both his Irish heritage and distinguished career as a trial lawyer.
Cases
$54,000,000 verdict- Awarded to a 9-year-old girl (recognized as the highest individual injury award as against the Federal Government) following a trial against the U.S. government as a result of an auto collision that occurred when a federal employee ran a red light and broadsided the car in which she was riding.
$23,500,000 verdict- Awarded to an “exceptional” 13-year-old boy by an Orange County, California jury, for significant brain injuries as a result of an automobile collision. The trial of this matter involved complex and groundbreaking legal theories regarding the accountability of an employer for actions of its employee (during the course and scope of employment).
$17,000,000 verdict- Fire insurance bad faith case, including $15,000,000 in punitive damages, awarded to protect insurance consumers in the future (involved principles outlined in Neal vs. Farmers, infra, a California Supreme Court case holding that affirmed a punitive damage award on behalf of an auto consumer).
$5,000,000 verdict- Medical malpractice awarded to a young man who sustained a hypoxic brain injury during ankle surgery, which resulted in permanent blindness and brain damage, and established methods of payment to protect health care victims.
$2,500,000 verdict- Suit against the County of Orange arising from a Mountain lion attack on a 5-year-old girl, who was permanently damaged by a mauling. The case sparked a national debate regarding the safety of parks and triggered the implementation of safety measures at county and state parks.
$1,300,000 settlement- Dangerous condition of public property.
Areas of Practice
Professional Associations & Memberships
Awards
Speaking Engagements
Conference Name: Palm Springs Virtual Seminar
Title: Taking Risks: Why “Every Wrong Deserves a Remedy” Matters! (Masters Roundtable: Top Tips from the Legends)
Year: 2021
Conference Name: CAOC Annual Convention – 2020
Title: What the CAOC Means to Me: Tales from the “President’s Club”
Year: 2020
Conference Name: HBA Costa Rica
Title: Techniques to Help You Be an Academy Award Nominee for Best Trial Presentation
Year: 2019
Conference Name: CAOC/COIE Palm Springs Seminar
Title: Techniques to Help You Be an Academy Award Nominee for Best Trial Presentation
Year: 2019
Seminar Name: The Civil Trial Advocacy Series: Closing Arguments
Organization: Orange County Bar Association
Title: Techniques and Inspiration for Closing Argument
Year: 2016
Conference Name: CAOC/COIE Palm Springs Seminar
Title: The 5 Things You Need to Know About Presenting Damages: It’s the Amount that Counts! (Setting Aside the “Reptile Mind”)
Year: 2016
Conference Name: CAOC/COIE Palm Springs Seminar
Title: Developing Challenges In Tort Law Practice In the 21st Century
Year: 2015
Articles
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