J Paul Gignac

Biographical Information

J. Paul Gignac, the partner-in-charge of the firm's Santa Barbara office, specializes in the prosecution of class actions in both state and federal courts throughout the country. In addition to having resolved numerous class actions at the state and federal level (click here for a description of recent class action settlements), he has authored several articles on class action litigation for international, national and statewide legal publications. (Click here to view a collection of articles authored by Mr. Gignac.) Although his litigation practice is diversified, Mr. Gignac primarily handles and oversees the firm's telecommunications, internet and technology class action practice. In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Gignac also provides business advice and consultation to small business in the Santa Barbara area.

Mr. Gignac was raised in Massachusetts. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Government from Dartmouth College and his Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law. During law school, Mr. Gignac was a member of the Federal Communications Law Journal, and he served as a judicial extern to the Honorable A. Wallace Tashima, who was then a Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California and is presently a Judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals .

Prior to joining Messrs. Arias and Ozzello to form Arias, Ozzello & Gignac, Mr. Gignac was the partner-in-charge of the class action department at the nationally-recognized business trial firm of Cappello & McCann. In addition to overseeing the class action practice, Mr. Gignac was involved with the firm's entertainment litigation practice. As part of that practice, Mr. Gignac and one of his partners co-tried a case which, after a three-month trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, resulted in a $54 million jury verdict for their client. (Click here to view press coverage of this verdict.)

Mr. Gignac is admitted to practice in the State of California. He also is admitted to practice, and has appeared before, all of the federal district courts in California as well as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, he has been admitted on a pro hac vice basis in numerous state and federal district courts throughout the country in connection with matters which have been litigated by him outside of the State of California. Mr. Gignac also is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

During 2007, Mr. Gignac argued and prevailed on two cases before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which resulted in published opinions: Douglas v. Talk America, Inc., 495 F.3d 1062 (9th Cir. 2007) and Lozano v. AT&T Wireless Services, Inc., 504 F.3d 718 (9th Cir. 2007). Mr. Gignac also has argued cases before the California Courts of Appeal that have resulted in published decisions.

Mr. Gignac is a member of the Union Internationale des Avocats, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Federal Bar Association, the Public Justice Foundation, and the Santa Barbara County Bar Association. In addition, Mr. Gignac currently serves as one of the ten attorney members of the Local Rules Advisory Committee for the Central District of California.

In 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Mr. Gignac was recognized by his peers as a Southern California Super Lawyer, an honor reserved for the top 5% of attorneys practicing in Southern California.

Mr. Gignac is a Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent rated attorney, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. Mr. Gignac is a Director of Elite Meetings International Holdings, Inc. Mr. Gignac is a member of the Advisory Board for the Dream Foundation, a Santa Barbara-based national organization that grants last wishes for terminally-ill adults. Mr. Gignac is also a member of MENSA.