Brian picture

Brian Bush

Partner

Orange County

t: (949) 223-1170

d: (949) 250-5420

e: bbush@awattorneys.com

VCard

Bio

Brian M. Bush is a Partner in the firm’s Irvine office and represents public entities in complex litigation matters in both state and federal courts throughout California. His practice focuses on defending public agencies in a broad range of civil litigation matters, including civil rights claims, employment disputes, wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, and other high-exposure litigation.

Prior to joining Aleshire & Wynder, Brian spent more than a decade representing plaintiffs in police and jail litigation, employment matters, sexual harassment and abuse cases, wrongful death and catastrophic injury actions, and complex multi-district and toxic tort litigation. He also operated his own civil rights litigation practice for six years, where he regularly partnered with prominent plaintiff-side firms throughout the Los Angeles area. This experience provides him with a unique perspective in defending public agencies and assessing litigation strategy, exposure, and risk.

Brian is recognized by colleagues and opposing counsel as a skilled and effective trial attorney with substantial hands-on litigation experience. Over the course of his career, he has taken or defended more than 150 depositions, represented more than 500 clients in lead or co-lead counsel roles, participated in more than 25 mediations and settlement conferences, and completed eight trials as lead or second-chair counsel in state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings.

Brian earned his law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where he received top honors in Cross-Examination, White Collar Crime, and Advanced Trial Advocacy, and competed as a member of the Byrne Trial Advocacy Team.

  • Three-year representation of incarcerated individual in difficult police excessive force case. Tried the case to a jury in federal court, Bakersfield, California, October 2024.
  •  Co-lead counsel with two other law firms in six-year representation of Northern California family in wrongful death mesothelioma case resulting in over $4 million in client recoveries. First chaired the jury trial against sole remaining defendant in Oakland, California, May 2024.
  • Represented a fellow attorney in hard-fought two-year employment action against his former employer/law firm in private arbitration. Concluded in full evidentiary hearing and secured an arbitration order finding the client on all causes of action. Recovery totaled over $85,000 on a $0.00 pre-arbitration offer.
  • Co-lead counsel with two other law firms in five-year representation of eight young women in sexual harassment lawsuit against their workplace supervisor and his government employer, a Community College District, resulting in settlement. Over $2 million in client recovery and court-awarded attorney fees
  • Co-lead attorney for a client catastrophically injured in rollover tour bus accident outside of Barstow, California, with nineteen other victims, including one fatality. Handled the litigation over apportionment of the $5 million policy limits settlement with the tour bus company securing an award for the client that was double the wrongful death award and more than ten times the average award for the other 17 victims. Also investigated and brought claims against the State of California for unsafe condition on a public highway and tour bus manufacturer. Brian’s client was the only victim of the accident to secure settlements with the State and the manufacturer
  • Handled all expert discovery including expert depositions in massive “Valley Fever” (Cocciodomycosis) litigation on behalf of multiple classes of incarcerated inmates in California’s Central Valley. Case involved five law firms, over four years of litigation, and went up to Supreme Court on appeal on the issue of qualified immunity.
  •  Served with a team of lawyers representing a group of foreign national victims of terrorism in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Conducted discovery, lead numerous client interviews, and took several client depositions. The Court awarded damages over $500 million.
  • Co-lead attorney representing 169 individual plaintiffs in employment arbitrations against an international security services company. Conducted all written discovery and took all depositions of defendant corporate officers. Second chaired two arbitration hearings. Secured a seven-figure settlement on behalf of all clients.
  • Co-lead attorney in six-year failure to protect case on behalf of the parents of a catastrophically injured mentally disabled young man incarcerated in Los Angeles County jail. Case was dismissed on federal law claims. Handled re-pleading the case as a negligence case and took all depositions. Attended mediation as co-lead counsel where case settled for $5.9 million.

  • State Bar of California
  • US District Court, Central District of California
  • US District Court, Eastern District of California
  • US District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2017-2023

  • Sailing
  • Hiking
  • Music
  • Cooking

  • J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA, cum laude, 2013
  • B.A., Washington State University, Pullman, WA, cum laude, Graduate of WSU Honors College, 2004