Daniel Rodriguez has a background that is a little bit different than that of the typical lawyer. Growing up in a migrant farm-worker family he and his family were constantly on the move, following the crops. He lived and worked in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and California. Daniel and his five siblings attended between three and five different schools each year up until high school.
In addition to working in the fields, Daniel later held a variety of jobs in order to put himself through college and law school. He worked as a dishwasher, worked for PG&E in their mapping department, worked as a salesperson for Sears, Roebuck & Co., sold knives door to door, and pumped gas at a full-service gas station. Another job that he held was working as a roustabout and mechanic in the oilfields for Atlantic Richfield Co. All of these jobs helped mold Daniel’s perspective on life. Namely, that there’s no substitute for putting in the hard work.
As far as education is concerned, Daniel’s dad never attended school. His father was illiterate; unable to read or write in English or Spanish. And Daniel’s mom had 3 years of schooling. But, Daniel will tell you that you can’t find two people more committed to the value of education than his parents. Of the 6 children of Jose and Lydia Rodriguez, 5 of them obtained a college degree; two of whom obtained graduate degrees.
Daniel’s unique background doesn’t end there. While the vast majority of people who attend law school first obtain a bachelor’s degree in one of three areas: Political Science, English, or History, Daniel obtained his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly is regarded by many as one of the top undergraduate public university engineering colleges in the country.
As for law school, Daniel attended UCLA School of Law. He graduated in 1980 and took the bar exam that same year, and was fortunate enough to pass the bar exam in his first attempt. Daniel says the following about passing the bar exam on his first try: “Not bad for an old cotton picker from Texas!”
Last, but not least, Daniel’s career as a lawyer is also a bit different than the typical plaintiff’s lawyer. The vast majority of plaintiff’s lawyers hardly ever go to trial. Most of them may take a case to trial once every five years or so. Daniel tried his first jury trial in the first month after getting his license to practice law. His skills as a personal injury lawyer have not gone unnoticed. Daniel is proud of the fact that he was selected and has taught the Gerry Spence Method since 2009. This Thunderhead Ranch trial advocacy school is widely regarded as the best in the country.
Why does a client benefit from his lawyer’s jury trial experience and trial skills? Because an insurance company will only pay top value on a case to a lawyer who has a proven trade record of trying cases and winning them – especially if the lawyer has a history of winning big verdicts. An insurance company will not pay top dollar to a lawyer who has little or no trial experience and certainly not to one who has never won a big trial. The bottom line is that your lawyer can only get you the biggest settlement if he has a history of winning big verdicts!
Daniel’s accomplishments in the legal community have earned him nationwide recognition. He is the first recipient of the first Gerry Spence Trial Warrior of the Year and he has been selected to the California Super Lawyers list (by Super Lawyers®) every year since 2009. He is also a member of The National Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only group composed of the premier trial lawyers from across the United States. He has been a guest on Hot 94.1’s “The Romeo Show”, Univision, as well as interviewed by all the major news outlets. Whether you need an accident attorney or workplace injury lawyer, you can trust Daniel to help you receive the highest value for your case.
