Douglas A. Pettit

Shareholder / Vice President

Douglas A. Pettit has extensive trial and litigation experience in the areas of civil litigation, business litigation, and professional liability. He has tried over 50 cases in California. His extraordinary record of favorable outcomes and exemplary client service has resulted in recognition by his peers over the years. He was inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2007 as the youngest member of the San Diego Chapter and has achieved Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards. He has been selected for inclusion in the San Diego Super Lawyers list every year since 2007 and most recently listed as one of the Top 10 San Diego Super Lawyers for 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024. Doug has been recognized by every possible “Top Attorney” list for San Diego including “San Diego’s Top Attorneys” by The Daily Transcript, the San Diego Business Journal’s Inaugural Best of the Bar in 2014, the San Diego Magazine’s Top Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. Notably, Best Lawyers in America recognized him as San Diego “Lawyer of the Year” for Legal Malpractice in 2015, 2018, 2023, 2025 and for Professional Malpractice in 2024. Doug is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, an honor limited to one third of one percent of the lawyers in America.

Doug was born in New Cumberland, West Virginia, and attended Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia, where he graduated summa cum laude with a major in Economics and a minor in English. He then obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. He has been licensed to practice law in the State of California since 1992. Doug is also a lecturer at the University of San Diego, where he teaches a course in Experiential Advocacy.

Awards +-

  • San Diego Defense Lawyers‘ Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2023
  • San Diego Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” 2014 (Inaugural List), 2015, 2016
  • San Diego Business Journal’s “Leaders in Law” 2021, 2022
  • San Diego Business Journal’s “SD 500 Most Influential People” 2023
  • Best Lawyers in America 2011 – 2025
  • Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” San Diego, Legal Malpractice, Defendants 2015, 2018, 2023, 2025
  • Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” San Diego, Professional Malpractice, Defendants 2024
  • San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Attorneys 2006, 2011, 2014
  • San Diego Metro Magazine “Top Attorneys” 2022
  • San Diego Magazine’s Top Lawyers 2014-2023
  • San Diego Super Lawyers 2007-2024 (Top 10 List 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024 | Top 50 List 2010, 2012-2017, 2019-2024)

Affiliations +-

  • ABA Lawyer’s Professional Liability Consortium
  • ABA Legal Malpractice Committee
  • American Bar Association (Healthcare, Labor and Employment, and Litigation sections)
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
  • American Inns of Court, J. Clifford Wallace Chapter
  • American Inns of Court, Louis M. Welsh Chapter
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers of San Diego
  • The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Member
  • San Diego County Bar Association
  • State Bar of California
  • United States Court of Federal Claims
  • University of San Diego School of Law, Lecturer II
  • Washington and Lee Law Council, Member

Education +-

  • Washington & Lee University School of Law (J.D., 1992)
  • Bethany College (B.A., summa cum laude, 1989)

11622 El Camino Real, #300
San Diego, CA 92130
Tel: (858) 755-8500
Fax: (858) 755-8504

Tel: (858) 345-8511
Fax: (858) 755-8504
dpettit@pettitkohn.com

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