ATHEA TRIAL LAWYERS is comprised of nationally recognized and successful female attorneys who joined forces in 2020. They combine their courtroom skills with their legal knowledge and also aspire to empower women in the profession.
The firm’s six founders—Charla Aldous, Randi McGinn, Bibi Fell, Lisa Blue, Zoe Littlepage and Deborah Chang—are among some of the country’s most prominent trial lawyers. They have secured record-breaking victories throughout the U.S. in all areas of catastrophic injury, including brain and birth, as well as sexual assault, truck accidents, premises liability, wrongful death and others. Headquartered in Southern California, one of the criteria for the partners of Athea Trial Lawyers is for each attorney to own and operate her own firm, and Deborah began her firm, Chang Klein LLP in the Los Angeles area.
“The pandemic provided an opportunity to forge an alliance that has ultimately been extremely gratifying,” said Chang, who was named a 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation–Plaintiffs in Los Angeles by The Best Lawyers in America®. “Each of us aims to improve the lives of clients, and in some matters—society—through our achievements in the justice system.”
Indeed, the firm has already impacted the legal landscape. By also leveraging their mastery of demonstrative evidence, they have favorably resolved civil matters against well-funded entities such as various corporate defendants and even the Catholic Church. They also represented the husband and family of Esther Nakajjigo, Uganda’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, who was killed in June 2020 while exiting Arches National Park in Utah. The negligence suit against the National Park Service was tried in federal court in Salt Lake City in December of 2022, and resulted in the largest wrongful death verdict rendered by a federal judge in Utah history. Ms. Nakajjigo, who died at the age of 25, was an activist globally renowned for improving education and rights for women and teenage girls in her home country and advocating for women throughout the world.
“This young woman was only 25 years old and was making the world a truly better place,” Chang said. “Through this case, we believe we achieved justice on her behalf and her family will now aspire to carry on her remarkable legacy.”
The firm exemplifies what it means to be women leaders in the profession. All six lawyers and their staff collectively and
individually harness the spirit of Athea, the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, strategic warfare, law and justice.
The namesake has been depicted on the Great Seal of the State of California since 1849, and the imagery is clearly inspiring success. Athea Trial Lawyers was honored to have been ranked Tier 1 in Los Angeles for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2021, 2022, and 2023. Founders Aldous and McGinn have also been named “Lawyer of the Year” several times by Best Lawyers® in various areas since 2009, most recently in 2021 for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in Dallas/Fort Worth and in 2019 for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Albuquerque, respectively. Fell, Blue and Littlepage have also been praised by legal media for securing precedent-setting nine-figure resolutions and their leadership positions in the legal community.
“In the courtroom, our goal is to achieve results that can help our clients heal and recover,” Chang said. “Outside the courtroom, we want to make a positive impact on society and hope to inspire and motivate women to reach their potential.”
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