Berger Kahn

What Berger Kahn does

Berger Kahn is a California-based boutique law firm (legal entity: Berger Kahn, A Law Corporation) operating from offices in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and Ventura, serving clients statewide and nationwide. The firm's practice is concentrated in insurance litigation, with adjacent strengths in labor and employment, product liability, class actions, serious personal injury and wrongful death, subrogation (including wildfire and utility matters), bad faith defense, insurance coverage opinions, examinations under oath, alternative dispute resolution, and writs and appeals. Core work centers on trial advocacy in state and federal courts, with attorneys publishing thought leadership in Reuters and Westlaw Today and speaking at industry conferences such as the Wildland Fire Litigation Conference.

The firm serves three principal client segments: (1) insurance carriers and subrogation clients (bad faith defense, coverage counsel, wildfire/utility subrogation against Southern California Edison, PG&E, Pacific Power, and LADWP); (2) manufacturers, distributors, and retailers facing product liability and product recall exposure; and (3) businesses of all sizes defending class actions, alongside plaintiff-side representation of injury victims and families. Revenue is generated through professional services fees tied to case complexity, practice area, and attorney seniority, with no public pricing and no disclosed subscription, recurring, or alternative-fee structures.

Berger Kahn is a privately held professional corporation owned by its shareholder-attorneys, with no external private equity or venture capital ownership evidenced. The firm employs 51-100 staff, has built its practice over more than 40 years, and is currently navigating a leadership transition following the 2024 passing of longtime Managing Partner Craig S. Simon. Recent activity includes the January 2026 opening of a Ventura office, multiple partner promotions in 2025-2026, an active 2026 Summer Associate Class, and sustained recognition in Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and USA Today legal rankings.

Name

Berger Kahn

Legal name

Berger Kahn, A Law Corporation

Website

https://bergerkahn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Berger Kahn is a California-based boutique law firm specializing in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, product liability, class actions, employment law, and subrogation, serving insurance carriers, manufacturers, and businesses from offices in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and Ventura.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) (FSAJADAB), Claims Advocacy & Loss Recovery Services (FSAEADAH), Management Liability (D&O/EPL/Fiduciary) (FSAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Insurance coverage litigation
• Bad faith defense
• Product liability defense
• Class action litigation
• Subrogation recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Berger Kahn generates revenue through legal service fees for insurance litigation, personal injury, employment law, class actions, and other practice areas. Services are provided to individuals, businesses, and insurance companies seeking legal representation in complex litigation matters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Berger Kahn is a boutique law firm providing litigation and trial advocacy services across insurance coverage, insurance bad faith defense, product liability, class actions, serious personal injury and wrongful death, labor and employment, subrogation, examinations under oath, alternative dispute resolution/mediation, and writs and appeals. The firm serves insurance carriers, manufacturers, utilities, businesses, and individuals from offices throughout California.

Product overview

Berger Kahn is a full-service boutique law firm providing comprehensive legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm's core offerings include insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, labor and employment law, serious personal injury and wrongful death claims, product liability, class actions, alternative dispute resolution, subrogation, examinations under oath, and writs and appeals. The practice serves clients statewide from offices throughout California, with a concentrated focus on trial litigation and insurance-related matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Insurance Coverage Provides counsel on insurance coverage matters, policy interpretation, and coverage disputes for insurance companies and policyholders.
• Insurance Bad Faith Defends insurance carriers in all aspects of first-party and third-party bad faith litigation arising from homeowners, automobile, and commercial policies.
• Product Liability Handles product liability litigation for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, including cases involving motor vehicles, medical equipment, industrial trucks, power tools, and consumer products.
• Class Actions Represents clients in class action lawsuits, consumer class actions, business class actions, and wage and hour employment class actions.
• Serious Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Provides legal representation in serious personal injury cases including automobile accidents, aviation accidents, brain/spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death claims, seeking maximum compensation for victims and families.
• Labor and Employment Represents employers and employees in workplace disputes, discrimination claims, wrongful termination, and wage/hour matters.
• Subrogation Handles subrogation matters including wildfire cases, insurance reimbursement claims, and claims against utilities for property damage.
• Examinations Under Oath Assists clients with examinations under oath proceedings required by insurance companies during claims investigations.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Provides mediation and alternative dispute resolution services to help clients resolve conflicts outside of traditional litigation.
• Writs and Appeals Handles appellate matters, writs, and appeals from trial court decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of trials in state and federal courts
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Project Youth OCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026Long-standing community partnership. Berger Kahn is a proud sponsor of Project Youth OC, participating in OC Marathon fundraising events, Brewfest fundraisers, Game Day fundraisers, and Associate Board activities. Proceeds support at-risk youth education, counseling, mentoring, and family strengthening programs.
• Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ongoing recruiting partnership. Berger Kahn actively recruits Chapman alumni and students, participates in law school events, and hosts Chapman Law Dean visits. Named Top Employer by Chapman University in 2023 and 2024. Summer associate program includes Chapman students.
• Constitutional Rights Foundation Orange County (CRF-OC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Active volunteer partnership since 2014. Berger Kahn attorneys serve as attorney scorers for Mock Trial Tournaments, with over 30% of attorneys volunteering. Firm recognized as Law Firm of the Year by CRF-OC. Tournaments draw over 900 students from local high schools.
• UC Irvine (UCI) Mock Trial ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAttorneys volunteer as attorney judges and scorers for UCI undergraduate Mock Trial tournaments. Multiple participation events documented including Beach Party Tournament.
• UCI Pre-Law ProgramsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerger Kahn presents at UCI Pre-Law Fraternity events and participates in UCI mock trial activities.
• Orange County Bar AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in OCBA events including Judges' Night, Annual Meetings, Labor and Employment Symposium, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Section programs.
• California Community Living Network (CCLN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerger Kahn participated in and sponsored the CCLN 2026 Annual Leadership Conference.
• Women Lawyers of Ventura CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerger Kahn is a Silver Sponsor of the Women Lawyers of Ventura County 17th Annual Scholarship Dinner (September 2025). Partner Monique Fierro serves as President of the Ventura County Unity Bar.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Selman Breitman LLP: California-based boutique law firm specializing in insurance defense, insurance coverage, and bad faith litigation. Closely comparable to Berger Kahn in size, geographic focus on California, and practice-area mix in insurance-related defense work.
• Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP: California-rooted insurance defense firm with a national footprint, handling insurance coverage, bad faith, and product liability for carrier clients. Directly comparable to Berger Kahn's core practice areas and California base.
• Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP: National insurance defense and coverage firm headquartered in San Francisco with a deep California bench. Operates in the same niche as Berger Kahn, defending insurers in bad faith, coverage, and personal injury matters.
• Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP: Long-standing California insurance defense and coverage boutique. Shares Berger Kahn's emphasis on trial advocacy, insurance coverage disputes, and representation of carriers in complex litigation matters across the West Coast.
• Jackson Lewis P.C. National employment law boutique with significant California offices, focused on workplace law and employment litigation. Mirrors Berger Kahn's labor/employment practice from an employer-defense perspective.
• Manning & Kass Ellrod Ramirez Trester LLP: California-based law firm with parallel practices in insurance defense, employment/labor law, and serious personal injury litigation. Closely mirrors Berger Kahn's dual anchor in insurance and employment law.
• Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC: Largest U.S. employment and labor law firm, with deep California presence. Directly comparable to Berger Kahn on the employment law side, especially for employers and EPL coverage-adjacent work.

Broad incumbents

• Clyde & Co LLP: Global insurance and reinsurance law firm with a sizable U.S. operation focused on coverage disputes and bad faith defense. A larger, internationally diversified alternative for insurance carrier clients comparing to Berger Kahn.
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP: One of the largest insurance defense firms in the U.S. with deep California roots. Competes with Berger Kahn for insurance carrier panel work but at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Cozen O'Connor: National firm with a substantial insurance coverage and bad faith practice including California-based attorneys. Overlaps with Berger Kahn on insurance defense but offers broader transactional and commercial capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bergerkahnlaw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BergerKahnLaw?feature=watch
• Facebookfacebook.com/bergerkahnlaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berger-kahn
• Instagraminstagram.com/bergerkahn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berger Kahn