Hon. James Lambden

California Court of Appeal, (Ret.)

First District, Division Two

​​Mediator • Arbitrator • Discovery Referee • Appellate Consultant

Justice James Lambden brings to his ADR practice nearly four decades of experience as a trial lawyer, trial court judge and Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal.
  • Mediation of injuries sustained in fall parking lot with pervasive hazardous condition of water leakage.

  • Mediation of injuries sustained in falls, dog-bites and bicycle-car encounters .

  • Mediation of strict-liability product defect claims following catastrophic injuries, including TBI, suffered by child after failure of handle on baby buggy.

  • Mediation of claims by student against school districts for injuries sustained in classroom falls, failures to supervise, negligent hiring and discrimination. 

  • Disabled student injured by non-ADA compliant door and persistent failures to correct barriers to access.


  • Woman injured on both knees visiting "Haunted House" ran by volunteers. Claims of battery, negligence, etc.


  • Sexual assault by BNB Host negligence, breach of fiduciary duty.


  • Assault of guest by host arranged online via app.


  • Claim of negligent supervision of kindergarten student leading to sexual molestation of student by another student.


  • ​Disabled student injured by non-ADA compliant door and persistent failures to correct barriers to access.

  • Woman injured on both knees visiting "Haunted House" ran by volunteers. Claims of battery, negligence, etc.

  • Sexual assault by BNB Host negligence, breach of fiduciary duty.

  • Assault of guest by host arranged online via app.

  • Dispute in which sovereign design immunity was asserted as defense to action against transportation district to recover compensatory damages for catastrophic injuries sustained when their vehicle was struck head-on by a vehicle which crossed into oncoming traffic.

  • A design defect dispute involving defense of sovereign immunity from liability for injuries sustained in a catastrophic head-on collision after median strip berm failed to deflect crossover of opposing traffic.

  • Products liability action against an equipment manufacturer for damages suffered by husband as a result of toxic exposure during his years of employment.

  • Foreseeability was at issue when security company and stadium contributed to compensation for injuries suffered by young women injured when a group of men illegally entered through exit doors of stadium.

  • Action was brought against engineering and contracting firm to recover damages for wrongful death of steel worker.

  • $4 million settlement of catastrophic injury case involving commercial SUV versus pedestrian with pre-existing conditions who sustained injuries including crushed pelvis, TBI, PTSD, 30 day induced coma, etc.

  • Wrongful death action involving bicyclist run over by elderly driver.

  • TBI and comparative fault issues in settlement of bicycle versus automobile collision on curving mountain road.

  • $7.5 million damages claimed by woman trampled by runaway horse during “pioneer” reenactment celebration.

  • Claims against motel chain by woman who suffered TBI and disfiguring facial injuries in trip and fall incident in parking lot.

Personal Injury/Torts

Representative Cases