Daniel Rodriguez and Blaine Mustoe of Rodriguez & Associates have been named to the 2027 California Super Lawyers® list for their work in plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation. Rodriguez marks his 19th consecutive year on the Super Lawyers list, while Mustoe has been selected to the Rising Stars list for the second consecutive year.
Daniel Rodriguez: More Than 40 Years of Trial Experience
With more than 150 trials over a four-decade career, firm founder and president Daniel Rodriguez has built his practice around representing individuals and families in catastrophic injury cases. His extensive trial experience and continued recognition by Super Lawyers have accompanied a career that includes some of the most significant personal injury cases in Kern County history, including a $73.6 million verdict for a family who suffered severe injuries and lost their home in a natural gas pipeline explosion and a $70.5 million verdict for a mother and her two children injured when a big rig ran a red light and crashed into their SUV. The firm has also secured a $116.4 million settlement, the largest personal injury settlement in Kern County history.
Growing up in a family of migrant farm workers, Rodriguez worked in the fields as well as in the Kern County oilfields to put himself through school. That early experience instilled a strong work ethic and an understanding of the challenges many working families face, qualities that have remained central to the way he approaches his clients and their cases.
Daniel’s recognition within the legal community extends beyond Super Lawyers. In 2026, the Kern County Bar Association honored him with its Bench and Bar Award for his leadership, professionalism, mentorship, advocacy, and contributions to the legal community.
He has also dedicated significant time to teaching other trial lawyers. He has been an instructor with the Gerry Spence Method since 2009, teaching established attorneys advanced trial skills including storytelling, witness examinations, opening statements, closing arguments, and connecting with jurors. He was the first recipient of the Gerry Spence Trial Warrior of the Year Award.
Blaine Mustoe: Trial Experience in Complex Personal Injury Cases
Blaine Mustoe, partner at Rodriguez & Associates, has extensive experience across the firm’s practice, with a focus on complex and catastrophic cases involving auto accidents, civil rights violations by law enforcement, and malfunctioning products. He has been involved with multiple trial teams, contributing to case strategy and advocating for clients facing life-altering injuries.
That experience includes obtaining a $4 million verdict in Kern County Superior Court on behalf of a 28-year-old woman for the wrongful death of her father.
In handling complex and catastrophic personal injury cases, Mustoe takes time to understand the circumstances surrounding each client’s injury and what they hope to achieve through their case. His ability to connect with clients from diverse backgrounds allows him to understand their stories and determine the best course of action. He brings that perspective to investigating and preparing complex cases, considering what clients have gone through and what justice means to them.
Mustoe has been selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for two consecutive years, recognizing his continued development as a California personal injury trial attorney.
A Trial-Focused Bakersfield Personal Injury Firm
Rodriguez & Associates is a Bakersfield, California personal injury firm representing individuals and families in serious injury and wrongful death cases throughout California and nationwide. The firm handles complex claims involving car and truck accidents, construction accidents, defective products, civil rights violations, and other cases involving significant harm.
With more than 100 years of combined trial experience and over $1 billion recovered for clients, Rodriguez & Associates prepares complex personal injury cases with the expectation that they may proceed to trial. The firm’s attorneys work closely with medical experts, engineers, and other specialists to understand and analyze technical evidence and prepare cases for the courtroom.
For Rodriguez & Associates, the 2027 Super Lawyers selections add to the firm’s record of recognition for trial advocacy in California personal injury litigation. Rodriguez’s 19th consecutive selection and Mustoe’s second consecutive Rising Stars selection recognize two attorneys at different stages of their careers who are both actively involved in the firm’s complex personal injury practice.