Founder of Frantz Law Group
Recognised Among Top 10 Attorneys in California
for Personal Injury and Mass Tort Litigation
Record-Setting Recoveries
$13.5 billion settlement vs. PG&E (2020), representing 4,500 victims.
$18.5 million verdict against a dietary supplement company, leading to Congress permanently banning the unsafe product.
$1.8 billion settlement vs. SCE (2021) – representing 8,200 victims.
$800 million settlement for victims of the Route 91 Mandalay Bay shooting.
$585 million in collective recoveries for catastrophic injury and wrongful death clients.
$223 million jury verdict in a professional negligence case, among the largest in Southern California history.
$55.4 million verdict against a public utility for a helicopter crash that killed four U.S. Marine Corps officers.
Recognition & Professional Background
With a distinguished legal career, James has earned accolades for exceptional service. His commitment to justice and client advocacy is evident in every case he handles.
Education
University of California, Santa Barbara, California
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts cum laude – 1975
- Major: Political Science
Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California
- Juris Doctor – 1979
Honors & Recognition
- One of the largest Southern California jury verdicts for an individual client in a professional negligence claim ($223 million) * **
- Largest San Diego verdict against drug manufacturer ($18.5 million) * **
- Largest helicopter aviation jury verdict in U.S. history against a public utility ($55.4 million) * **
Daily Transcript’s Top 10 Attorneys
Outstanding California Trial Lawyer nomination, 2003
Super Lawyers, 2008 – 2024
Best Lawyers of America, 2010 – 2024
AV Preeminent* by Martindale Hubbell, 2012 – 2024
Top Lawyers in San Diego by San Diego Magazine, 2012 – 2024- Best California Trial Attorneys by Best Lawyers, 2012 – 2024
- Tier 1 ranking for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Plaintiffs by U.S. News
- Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” Tier One Rankings, 2010 – 2024
- Top Attorneys in San Diego by the New York Times & Los Angeles Magazine, 2013 – Present
- Top 100 Verdicts in the Nation for 2008
Bar Admissions, Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of California, 1979
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
- American Bar Association, (20-year member of the Tort, Trial & Insurance Sections)
- San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC)
- Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD)
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA)
- American Association for Justice (AAJ)
- Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America
- Master, William B. Enright Chapter of The American Inns of Court (EIOC)
- State Bar of California, Delegate
- State Bar of California, Special Master
- Superior Court, Arbitrator, 1982 – Present
James P. Frantz, is also a proud Board Member of Impact Teen Drivers. Since 2007, Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) has emerged as a leading non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the pervasive yet preventable crisis of distracted driving by minors (cell phone use). ITD’s mission is to change the driving habits of minors, thereby saving lives not only in this generation of drivers but in future generations as well. ITD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the driving culture to one that is distraction-free.
ITD accomplishes its goal through a nationwide educational program that confronts the dangers and consequences of reckless and distracted driving, as well as vaping while driving. Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) partners with schools, first responders, health care organizations, and state agencies to spread the message of safe, distraction-free driving and achieve real impact in communities throughout California. ITD works with family members of teens killed by reckless and distracted driving and uses real stories of teens who have lost their lives or caused the loss of life in preventable car crashes to connect emotionally and motivate young people toward attitude and behavior change.
Distracted and reckless driving is a multifaceted public health crisis that requires a multi-faceted response, so while Impact’s message remains the same—to end it—the formats and venues to spread it vary. Automobile crashes are the #1 killer of teens in America, and they are preventable. Impact has developed evidence-based curricula and guides for different professional fields, and for different target audiences. Impact Teen Drivers offers myriad free resources to educators, first responders, healthcare professionals, parents, community members, and teens and teen organizations.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Here’s what clients ask us most before filing a
claim.