Joseph Arias - San Bernardino, CA

Overview

Awards and Honors

Education

• Legal Education

  • University of California, Davis School of Law, Davis, California, 1970
    J.D.

• Non Legal Education

  • California State University at San Bernardino, 1967
    B.A.
    Major: Political Science

Current Employment Position(s)

• Partner and Managing Attorney

Past Positions

• Trial attorney, Office of the District Attorney, San Bernardino County, 1971 to 1973
• Trial attorney (shareholder and director), MacLachlan, Burford & Arias, a Professional Law Corporation (formerly King & Mussell), 1973 to 1996.
• Trial attorney (partner), Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, 1996 to 2003
• Trial attorney, Arias, Lockwood & Gray (Managing Attorney), 2003 to 2006
• Trial and managing attorney, Arias & Lockwood, Attorneys at Law, 2006 to present

Classes and Seminars

• Guest speaker, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel: The Trial of a Plaintiff-trespasser Case. (2002)
  
• Federal Bar Association, Inland Empire Chapter: Current Issues in Police Officer Liability. (1998)
  
• Masters in Trial, American Board of Trial Advocates: Trial techniques: cross examination of the plaintiff in a personal injury case. (2002)
  
• 2006 Recipient of the President’s Award, American Board of Trial Advocates, in recognition of a lifetime of trial advocacy and commitment to the highest standards of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession.
  
• Guest speaker, Federal Bar Association, Inland Empire Chapter: Federal Civil Rights Defense Litigation (2007)
  
• Masters in Trial, American Board of Trial Advocates: Trial techniques: Cross Examination of Plaintiff’s Expert (2007)
  
• Guest speaker, Federal Bar Association, Inland Empire Chapter: Federal Civil Rights Defense Seminar (2009)
  
• Voted in “Best Lawyers” in Inland Empire by Inland Empire Magazine, November 2008, October 2010 and November 2012.

Pro Bono Activities

• General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company, Mack Trucks, Inc., Volvo Trucks of North America, Volvo Aero Services Corp., Mercedes Benz of North America, Nissan Diesel America, Inc., Amtrak, BNSF Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, So. Pacific Transportation Co., (now merged with Union Pac. R.R. Co.) California-Arizona Railroad Co., Bristol-Meyers, Caterpillar Inc., Zimmer Inc., Merit Oil Co., Inc., Universal Self Storage Corporation and Western Refining Wholesale, Inc., Green Thumb Produce, Inc.
• Southern California Rail Authority (Metrolink), State of California, Omnitrans, City and County of San Bernardino, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino City Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Rialto Police Department, Los Angeles Country Sheriff’s Department, Housing Authority of San Bernardino County, Cities of Adelanto, Banning, Colton, Hemet, Palm Springs, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, Moreno Valley; Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District. He has also represented the following school districts and colleges: Apple Valley USD, Barstow USD, Desert Sands USD, Needles USD, Palm Springs USD, San Bernardino USD, Victory Valley SD, Moreno Valley USD, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, San Juan Capistrano USD, Ontario Christian High School, Chaffey Community College and College of the Desert.
• Mr. Arias has represented many public officials including Police Officers of all ranks, Chiefs of Police, Deputy Sheriffs, Sheriffs of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, District Attorneys, judges of the Superior Court, City Attorneys, County Counsel, Members of the Board of Supervisors of San Bernardino County, Corporate General Counsel, City Councilmen and the Mayor of San Bernardino. He was appointed Special Counsel to San Bernardino County District Attorney and provides advice to the San Bernardino City Council.
• Board of Directors, San Bernardino Community Concert Assoc.; past director, California State University Foundation Board; past member, San Bernardino YMCA Board of Managers; former Little League coach; member, Presidents’ Circle, San Bernardino Children’s Fund; Southern California and U.S. Handball Associations; San Bernardino and Redlands YMCAs; Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Representative Clients

• General Motors Corporation

• Ford Motor Company

• Mack Trucks, Inc.

• Volvo Trucks of North America

• Volvo Aero Services Corp.

• Mercedes Benz of North America

• Nissan Diesel America, Inc.

• Amtrak

• BNSF Railway Company

• Union Pacific Railroad Company

• So. Pacific Transportation Co. (now merged with Union Pac. R.R. Co.)

• California-Arizona Railroad Co.

• Bristol-Meyers

• Caterpillar Inc.

• Zimmer Inc.

• Merit Oil Co.

• Universal Self Storage Corporation and Western Refining Wholesale, Inc.

• Green Thumb Produce, Inc.

• Southern California Rail Authority (Metrolink)

• State of California

• Omnitrans

• City and County of San Bernardino

• San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department

• San Bernardino City Police Department

• Riverside County Sheriff's Department

• Rialto Police Department

• Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

• Housing Authority of San Bernardino County

• Cities of Adelanto, Banning, Colton, Hemet, Palm Springs, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, Moreno Valley

• Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District

• Various school districts and colleges

Bar Admissions

• California, 1971
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1971
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1975

Other Affiliations

• California State Bar (Member, 1971 to Present )
• U.S. District Court (Southern, Central and Northern Districts), 1971 - Present
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1975 - Present
• San Bernardino and Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• California State Bar Labor and Employment and Litigation sections
• National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
• Association of Southern California Defense Council (Current Member, Past Director)
• American Board of Trial Advocates (Diplomat )
• Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino and Redlands
• Riverside County Arbitration Panel
• California State Bar referee (Past Member)
• Judicial Evaluation Committee (Past Member)
• San Bernardino County Bar Association
• San Bernardino County Municipal court (Judge Pro-Term)