Practice focuses on complex tort litigation, including catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death claims arising out of automobile, product liability, construction and/or aviation accidents, professional malpractice, or due to injury from exposure to asbestos, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other toxic substances.
SELECTED CASES
Represented a homeless, uninsured paraplegic man who was the victim of patient-dumping by a local hospital and van transport company (who dropped him off and left him unattended in the gutter of a street in “Skid Row”). The case resulted in a negotiated settlement in excess of $500,000.00 and, of equal importance, contributed to the hospital’s adoption of a new, more detailed Homeless Patient Discharge Protocol and in-service training for health care providers as well as the van company’s adoption of a revised Homeless Patient Pick-Up and Discharge Protocol.
Represented four band members and five crew members of a rock and roll band injured in a tour bus v. tractor-trailer accident in Spain. The case involved significant issues of lost earning opportunities and resulted in negotiated global settlements in excess of $8,700,000.00.
Lead counsel representing plaintiffs in a nationwide class action against Honda Motor Co., Ltd. involving design defects in the front balancer shaft oil seal in F-22 engines which were in an estimated 3 million Honda Accord and Prelude vehicles manufactured between 1990-1997.
Represented a catastrophically injured plaintiff and was a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the joint prosecution of all personal injury and wrongful death claims arising as a result of an out-of-control motor vehicle’s intrusion into the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market on July 16, 2003 which resulted in 10 deaths and over 65 injured pedestrians. This litigation involved over 40 consolidated lawsuits on behalf of 70+ named plaintiffs with claims against 5 defendants and resulted in global settlements totaling $26,500,000.00
Lead counsel representing the families of 44 victims killed as a result of the mid-air break-up and crash of China Airlines Flight C1 611 over the Straits of Taiwan on May 25, 2002. Over 125 cases were filed and consolidated in the United States District Court in Los Angeles and, ultimately, settled.
Co-tried what is believed to be the first Shiley Heart Valve personal injury/product liability case to verdict in 1980 before the Hon. Harry Pregerson in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Litigated, settled or tried hundreds of asbestos personal injury lawsuits arising out of the job-related exposures of individuals to asbestos-containing materials in various occupations such as shipyard, welding, construction, refinery and neon sign manufacturing. Litigated and settled hundreds of silicone-gel personal injury lawsuits arising out of implanted silicone and silicone-gel devices including, but not limited to, silicone gel breast implants.
Member of the litigation team representing the Los Angeles Unified School District in its decade-long asbestos property damage litigation.
Member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the I-5 Dust Storm Litigation involving 99 plaintiffs and 143 defendants that arose out of a series of multi-vehicle accidents involving over 100 cars and trucks occurring during a severe dust storm outside of Fresno, California in November 1991. These cases resulted in global settlements in excess of $17,000,000
Represented the lead singer of a rock and roll band who sustained serious personal injuries in an auto v. motorcycle accident. This case involved a significant issue of lost earning opportunities and settled for a confidential amount.
Co-lead plaintiffs’ counsel in a false arrest, false imprisonment and violation of civil rights lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department which resulted in a verdict in excess of $13,000,000 (plus Statutory attorneys’ fees in excess of $3,000,000) after three trials and four appeals over the course of 13 years.
Represented a singer/songwriter in an auto vs. pedestrian accident. This case involved significant issues of the loss of past and future writing, producing, performance and mechanical royalties in the music industry and resulting in a negotiated $1,350,000 settlement.
Represented a plaintiff in a wrongful death lawsuit brought against a sporting goods store for the negligent sale of a pump-action riot shotgun to a mentally incompetent adult which she then used to commit a murder approximately 20 minutes after its purchase. The case resulted in a settlement of $1,100,000 one week prior to the scheduled trial date. The facts of this case and the publicity surrounding this settlement, along with Mr. Archer’s subsequent testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Oversight Subcommittee contributed to the subsequent passage of certain amendments to the Federal Brady Bill and to California gun control legislation which extended the required 10-day waiting period for the purchase of handguns to rifles, shotguns and other “long” weapons.
Lead plaintiffs’ counsel in the Seacliff Oil Field Litigation resulting from the death of three workers and permanent injuries to three other workers as the result of a gas leak that occurred during the downhole perforation of the casing pipe at the C 10-A well in Seacliff, California. The trial of this action lasted five months and resulted in plaintiffs’ verdicts in excess of $7,400,000.
Obtained a $7,400,000 judgment in the United States District Court on behalf of four persons injured in a plane crash in the jungles of Costa Rica.
Represented a 7-year old boy in a claim for personal injuries, property damage, and loss of earning capacity as the result of brain damage suffered as a result of in utero exposure to pesticides that had been applied in the family home for termite treatment.
BAR ADMISSIONS
California
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
United States Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Supreme Court
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
California State Bar Association
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America)
Consumer Attorneys of California
Consumer Attorneys of California Pending Legislation Sub-Committee
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Bar Association
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- Client Relations Program – past Vice-Chairperson
- Lawyer Referral and Information Services – past member
- Judicial Appointments Committee – past member
- Dispute Resolution Services Committee, past member
Public Justice
Los Angeles Juvenile Court, Dependency Court Tort Committee – past member
Public Counsel (Member, Board of Directors)
PUBLICATIONS
“Update: Increased Concern over Mounting Numbers of Reported Deaths and Serious Injuries Prompt the FDA to Order Testing of Medical Devices Containing Heparin,” (June 13, 2008)
“Consumer Alert: Digitek Heart Failure Medications Recalled – A Serious Risk of Injury or Death to the Patient,” (May 21, 2008)
“Federal Judge Approves Settlement Over Baxter Infusion Pumps,” (July 13, 2006)
“Consumer Alert: Bausch & Lomb’s Renu with MoistureLoc Soft Contact Lens Solution Recalled, (April 26, 2006)
“The Dangers of the “Usual Stipulation” in Deposition Practice,” (Fall 2005)
“Consumer Alert: F.D.A. Orders Class 1 Recall of Baxter International’s Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps,” (July 13, 2006)
“Consumer Alert: Guidant Ancure Endograft System Abdominal Aortic Stents,” (September 2003)
“Consumer Alert: St. Gobain Prozyr Zirconia Ceramic Coated Femoral Head Hip Implant Components,” (February 2002)
“A Practical Guide to Code of Civil Procedure Section 2032; Taking Control of Defense Medical Examinations,” Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles’ The Advocate Volume 27, Number 7 (September 2000)
“Trying the Soft Tissue Damages Case in California,” National Business Institute, Inc. (October 1995) (co-authored)
“The Los Angeles Trial Lawyers First ‘Auto Accident Manual’,”Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association (March 1985)(contributing author)
“Using Thermograms to Argue Soft Tissue Damages,” Trial Magazine, Volume 19, No. 2 (February 1983)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/LECTURES
Mr. Archer is an active speaker who has presented papers at various meetings of the American Association of Justice, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, San Diego County Bar Association, British Columbia Trial Lawyers Association, CAALA, and National Business Institute, Inc.
“Using Tort Law to Effect Social Change,” Pepperdine University School of Law (November 17, 2009)
“Getting the Most Out of Discovery: Parts I and II,” State Bar of California Continuing Education of the Bar, Los Angeles, California (August 3, 2009)
“Getting the Most Out of Discovery: Parts I and II,” State Bar of California Continuing Education of the Bar, Costa Mesa, California (July 13, 2009)
“Discovery: Planning, Strategy and Dealing with Abusive Discovery Tactics,” State Bar of California Continuing Education of the Bar, Los Angeles, California (July 25, 2008)
The Art of Advocacy – Tailoring the Message: Storytelling and Framing (Moderator), American Association for Justice,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (July 14, 2008)”
“Mock Mediation: Strategies for Successful “Mediation of the Toxic Tort Case,” ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 17 th Annual Spring CLE Meeting, Phoenix, AZ (April 12, 2008)
RECOGNITION
Recipient of the “2008 Humanitarian Award,” from The ACLU Foundation of Southern California
Recipient of the “2009 Advocate of the Year Award” from Public Counsel’s Homelessness
Nominated as Consumer Lawyer of the Year by Consumer Attorney’s of California for work on the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Crash Cases.
Named a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics (2006 – 2024)
CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS
Los Angeles Conservancy
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- Board of Directors – past Member
- Executive Committee – past Member
- Vice President – Education and Community Affairs – past Member.
- Development Committee – past Member.
- Legal Committee – past Member.
The Los Angeles Conservancy is a volunteer organization dedicated to the recognition and preservation of the architectural history of Los Angeles.
Loyola University School of Law Center for Conflict Resolution – Member of the Advisory Board
Mt. Olympus Property Owners’ Association (MOPOA)
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- Board of Directors – past Member
- Special Counsel to the Board of Directors
EDUCATION
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., Dean’s Honor List (1974)
University of California at Los Angeles, B.A., American History, Dean’s Honor List (1970)