Daniel Rodriguez’s legacy as a nationally acclaimed trial attorney rests on a foundation of fortitude and a strong work ethic. One of six children growing up in a family of migrant farm workers, Daniel understood the value of hard work and perseverance from a young age. He lived and worked across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and California, as his family moved with the crops. Daniel and his five siblings attended between three and five schools each year until high school.
Education and reading were essential to Daniel’s future as a lawyer. Books opened his eyes to the world’s endless possibilities and introduced him to new and intriguing concepts like law and engineering, which helped define his vision for the future. By the time Daniel was in 6th grade, he had a brochure for the school he wanted to attend and knew the direction he wanted his life to take.
Daniel worked numerous jobs as an oilfield roustabout, knife salesman, mechanic, and more to pay for college, graduate school, and eventually law school. The variety of skills he learned and the array of individuals he met through these experiences helped shape his perspective and worldview, contributing to his ability to connect with and read people, a talent he has honed to elevate his courtroom presence.
Truly unconventional as far as the path to law is concerned, Daniel obtained his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, one of the country’s top undergraduate public university engineering colleges. Daniel’s practical background in engineering provides him a unique knowledge-base and perspective into challenging cases involving machinery, trucking accidents, and workplace accidents. In 1980, he graduated from UCLA School of Law and passed the California state bar exam on his first attempt. At the time of his graduation and entrance into the profession, there were virtually no Hispanic professionals in the industry. Daniel was met with prejudice and discrimination, being mistaken as the defendant while in court as well as flat-out ignored. While he used their diatribe as fuel to grow professionally, it was in these moments that Daniel learned the significance of the respect and compassion that we can offer people, regardless of differences.
Daniel tried his first case in court within a month of passing the bar exam, a feat many attorneys shy away from due to the challenges a jury trial can often present. It was in the courtroom that he realized his potential as an attorney and his affinity for client advocacy in a setting that requires human connection and attention to detail. Since that first case, Daniel has tried over 150 cases, many resulting in tremendous success for his clients. With Daniel’s leadership, the firm holds the top 3 highest personal injury verdicts in Kern County history and has more multi-million dollar verdicts than any other law firm in the Southern San Joaquin Valley.
As a seasoned trial lawyer, Daniel sees the immense benefit in educating the next generation of attorneys. He is frequently asked to lecture and teach trial skills at continuing legal education programs hosted by organizations including the Consumer Attorneys of California and the American Association of Justice. He also teaches attorneys, helping them interact with the story of their case through the opening statement, witness examinations, and closing argument to connect with jurors to evoke understanding and empathy. In addition, he is affiliated with several professional organizations, including the American Association for Justice, the Kern County Bar Association, and the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America.
Daniel’s accomplishments in the legal community have earned him nationwide recognition. He is the first recipient of the first Gerry Spence Trial Warrior of the Year, and he has been selected to the California Super Lawyers® list every year since 2009. He is also a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, an invitation-only group composed of the premier trial lawyers from across the United States and has been named to the 2021 “10 Best Attorneys – California” List by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorney.
Daniel brings the same rigor and passion to his personal life as his career. Whether adventure-racing in Antarctica with his son or hiking the trails of Argentina, he is constantly interacting with new people, learning about new places, and trying new things. Above all else, as a husband, father, and grandfather, Daniel cherishes the life he has built for his family.
A pillar of Bakersfield’s Hispanic community, Daniel is celebrated for the success he has built and the hundreds of families he has advocated for. Through his leadership and vision, Daniel’s law firm has grown to be a trusted resource and means of hope for the community he serves. He has carefully cultivated a dedicated team of attorneys who, through compassion, hard work, and collaboration, champion both the firm’s clients and the Bakersfield, California, community as a whole.
