Fairfield, CA

Frederick W. Penney

Frederick W. Penney is the founding partner of Penney & Associates® and one of California’s most recognized personal injury attorneys. He holds the highest AVVO rating of 10-“Superb Lawyer”-and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest possible level of legal ability and ethical standards. With more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Penney has represented clients in thousands of personal injury cases, including high-profile matters involving product liability, trucking accidents, escalator and elevator failures, aviation accidents, and boating incidents. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy from Brigham Young University (1988) and his J.D. from J. Reuben Clark Law School (1991). He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1992. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California (1992), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (1993), and is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar. He has served as a Settlement Conference Judge (Judge Pro Tem) for the Placer County Superior Court. He is also the host of Radio Law Talk and has authored numerous articles on personal injury law. He has been a member of the California Trial Lawyers Association since 1993.

Luke Ellis is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a past and current selection for California Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. In 2024, Luke was named Lawyer of the Year for personal injury litigation by Best Lawyers. In 2020, the National Trial Lawyers Association selected Mr. Ellis as one of California’s Top 25 Product Liability Lawyers. In 2012, the National Trial Lawyers selected him as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Mr. Ellis was named Lawyer of the Year for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 in Personal Injury by Best Lawyers of America. In 2014, Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, selected him as a ‘Lion of Litigation’. In 2020, Attorneys and Practice Magazine listed Mr. Ellis as one of California’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys. Mr. Ellis has one of the largest personal injury jury trial verdicts on record in Alameda County. He has the largest wrongful death jury verdict in Contra Costa County history. In 2009, he had one of the top 100 verdicts in the nation, and in 2011, one of the top 15 personal injury verdicts in California. In 2013, Mr. Ellis had the most significant recovery for an individual against a bus company in California history, and the #1 motor vehicle settlement in California. He was appointed by the courts to serve as one of the lead plaintiff attorneys in the Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) in all three cases, which settled for $442 million, $95 million, and $1.05 billion, respectively. He has served as Vice President of the California Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA) and Vice President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), organizations dedicated to protecting the civil justice system and the rights of injured persons and consumers. Mr. Ellis has tried numerous civil and criminal jury and court trials. He has written and lectured widely in the field of trial practice and has chaired numerous educational seminars in all fields of litigation. He was a consultant to the California Continuing Education of the Bar for California Trial Objections and is a co-author of the Government Tort Liability Practice, published by California Continuing Education of the Bar. Mr. Ellis serves regularly as a Court Settlement Commissioner by appointment of the Contra Costa and Alameda County Superior Courts. He is also the long-time coach of Miramonte High School’s championship mock trial team.

Luke Ellis is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a past and current selection for California Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. In 2024, Luke was named Lawyer of the Year for personal injury litigation by Best Lawyers. In 2020, the National Trial Lawyers Association selected Mr. Ellis as one of California’s Top 25 Product Liability Lawyers. In 2012, the National Trial Lawyers selected him as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Mr. Ellis was named Lawyer of the Year for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 in Personal Injury by Best Lawyers of America. In 2014, Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, selected him as a ‘Lion of Litigation’. In 2020, Attorneys and Practice Magazine listed Mr. Ellis as one of California’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys. Mr. Ellis has one of the largest personal injury jury trial verdicts on record in Alameda County. He has the largest wrongful death jury verdict in Contra Costa County history. In 2009, he had one of the top 100 verdicts in the nation, and in 2011, one of the top 15 personal injury verdicts in California. In 2013, Mr. Ellis had the most significant recovery for an individual against a bus company in California history, and the #1 motor vehicle settlement in California. He was appointed by the courts to serve as one of the lead plaintiff attorneys in the Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) in all three cases, which settled for $442 million, $95 million, and $1.05 billion, respectively. He has served as Vice President of the California Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA) and Vice President of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), organizations dedicated to protecting the civil justice system and the rights of injured persons and consumers. Mr. Ellis has tried numerous civil and criminal jury and court trials. He has written and lectured widely in the field of trial practice and has chaired numerous educational seminars in all fields of litigation. He was a consultant to the California Continuing Education of the Bar for California Trial Objections and is a co-author of the Government Tort Liability Practice, published by California Continuing Education of the Bar. Mr. Ellis serves regularly as a Court Settlement Commissioner by appointment of the Contra Costa and Alameda County Superior Courts. He is also the long-time coach of Miramonte High School’s championship mock trial team.

Frank D. Penney

Frank D. Penney is a well-regarded personal injury attorney with over 25 years of experience. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University and attended Gonzaga University School of Law. He has successfully represented clients in over 6,000 personal injury cases, recovering approximately $500 million in settlements and verdicts. In 2023, he was awarded the Consumer Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California for his work on the Michaud et al v. United States of America case, which resulted in a $10.5 million verdict and led to new safety measures in U.S. national parks. He is licensed in California, Nevada, and Federal Courts, and is a member of ATLA, CAOC, the State Bar of California, and the State Bar of Nevada. He has received numerous accolades including being named to the National Trial Lawyers Association’s “Top 100” and Super Lawyers’ “Top 25 Attorneys in Sacramento.” He also serves as a Placer County Pro Tem Judge and Judicial Arbitrator.

Attorney Andy Gillin is a founding partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys. Raised in Southern California, he moved north to attend U.C. Berkeley in the late 1960s. During his time at U.C. Berkeley, Andy studied under two distinguished legal scholars, Jacobus tenBroek and Al Bendich, whom he greatly admired. After Andy received his bachelor’s degree, he decided to attend the University of Chicago, where he received his Juris Doctor. Following graduation, he returned to the Bay Area and joined the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society. Through this opportunity, he began his legal career as a public service attorney, primarily working for low-income families and individuals. A couple of years later, Andy received a call from one of his previous mentors asking whether he’d be interested in personal injury law. Over time, personal injury became a primary focus as an extension for the work Andy did for people in need, leading to the founding of GJEL in 1972. During his career, Andy has written and lectured extensively on personal injury topics-including settlement strategies and trial practice-for several organizations. This includes the California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) as well as other professional groups. He even wrote a guide for young attorneys for the first hundred days of a major case published in the California Trial Lawyers Syllabus. Andy also has experience practicing in both state and federal courts and is an active member of many legal organizations, such as the American Association for Justice, the State Bar of California, and the California Trial Lawyers Association. Due to his impressive track record and dedication to ethical standards, Andy holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been included in several top listings, including Super Lawyers and the Best Lawyers in America. Since starting GJEL, Andy has helped hundreds of injured plaintiffs fight for their recovery. With several case settlements and verdicts exceeding $1,000,000, Andy understands how life-changing personal injuries can be. One of his most notable cases, a Mass Tort Litigation against Tenet Healthcare Corporation, involved patients receiving unnecessary surgeries at Redding Medical Center in 2002. The lawsuit consisted of a total of 769 claims, 183 of which were brought by GJEL. Not only did GJEL clients receive $117 million in damages, but the lawsuit caused a major overhaul of Tenet’s corporate governance. Through this litigation, Andy and the GJEL team were able to make a positive change to the operations and standards of Tenet, reducing the risk of similar injuries happening in the future. As managing partner, Andy spends his day consulting on all the different cases accepted by the firm, discussing strategies and tactics with his fellow partners. He loves being deeply involved with cases and collaborating with other attorneys at the firm. When he’s not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and listening to classic rock music. You’ll likely find him walking around the neighborhood early in the morning listening to classics by Janis Joplin and The Youngbloods on his headphones.

Attorney Andy Gillin is a founding partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys. Raised in Southern California, he moved north to attend U.C. Berkeley in the late 1960s. During his time at U.C. Berkeley, Andy studied under two distinguished legal scholars, Jacobus tenBroek and Al Bendich, whom he greatly admired. After Andy received his bachelor’s degree, he decided to attend the University of Chicago, where he received his Juris Doctor. Following graduation, he returned to the Bay Area and joined the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society. Through this opportunity, he began his legal career as a public service attorney, primarily working for low-income families and individuals. A couple of years later, Andy received a call from one of his previous mentors asking whether he’d be interested in personal injury law. Over time, personal injury became a primary focus as an extension for the work Andy did for people in need, leading to the founding of GJEL in 1972. During his career, Andy has written and lectured extensively on personal injury topics-including settlement strategies and trial practice-for several organizations. This includes the California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) as well as other professional groups. He even wrote a guide for young attorneys for the first hundred days of a major case published in the California Trial Lawyers Syllabus. Andy also has experience practicing in both state and federal courts and is an active member of many legal organizations, such as the American Association for Justice, the State Bar of California, and the California Trial Lawyers Association. Due to his impressive track record and dedication to ethical standards, Andy holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been included in several top listings, including Super Lawyers and the Best Lawyers in America. Since starting GJEL, Andy has helped hundreds of injured plaintiffs fight for their recovery. With several case settlements and verdicts exceeding $1,000,000, Andy understands how life-changing personal injuries can be. One of his most notable cases, a Mass Tort Litigation against Tenet Healthcare Corporation, involved patients receiving unnecessary surgeries at Redding Medical Center in 2002. The lawsuit consisted of a total of 769 claims, 183 of which were brought by GJEL. Not only did GJEL clients receive $117 million in damages, but the lawsuit caused a major overhaul of Tenet’s corporate governance. Through this litigation, Andy and the GJEL team were able to make a positive change to the operations and standards of Tenet, reducing the risk of similar injuries happening in the future. As managing partner, Andy spends his day consulting on all the different cases accepted by the firm, discussing strategies and tactics with his fellow partners. He loves being deeply involved with cases and collaborating with other attorneys at the firm. When he’s not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and listening to classic rock music. You’ll likely find him walking around the neighborhood early in the morning listening to classics by Janis Joplin and The Youngbloods on his headphones.

Michael S. Walters

Michael S. Walters, Esq. is a dedicated Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, and personal injury trial lawyer with more than 35 years of experience. Much of his practice involves coordinating multiple claims that arise from single incidents, such as cases involving both Workers’ Compensation and labor and employment law, or Workers’ Compensation and personal injury legal matters. Michael’s path to injury law was shaped by early experiences in the service industry, where he developed a strong desire to help others and positively impact their lives-a drive that continues to guide his legal career. He views practicing law as a service profession that requires maintaining a firm that clients can rely on to produce the results they need to heal, support themselves, and return to the workforce. Michael believes informed clients are empowered clients and takes pride in ensuring they are not left in the dark during their case. Clients consistently value his accessibility and responsiveness, and he devotes significant time and effort to keeping them updated, answering questions, and discussing settlement offers. Clients know they can reach him when they need him, and that they will always receive the guidance and support necessary to make informed decisions about their future.