Brenda Kocaj

BRENDA KOCAJ — ASSOCIATE Easton & Easton, LLP | Costa Mesa, California EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND Brenda Kocaj comes to Easton & Easton with a lifelong passion for serving the underrepresented of our community after a recent stint representing defendants in high-stakes medical malpractice matters. Having used that time to learn the strategies employed to protect defendants in high value personal injury cases, Brenda is excited to now return to her roots and use her knowledge of defense tactics to better represent the victims of negligence and wrongdoing with the other talented litigators at Easton & Easton. Following law school, Brenda completed two years of broad personal injury plaintiff work, both at the pre-litigation and litigation levels, including significant experience in: Drafting complaints Conducting depositions Engaging in law and motion Research and settlement negotiations She then spent an additional two years working in a more specialized area of personal injury — medical malpractice — on the defense side, learning the tactics and stratagems that high-stakes defense litigators use to devalue Plaintiff's cases. Specifically, Brenda handled cases involving birth injuries, elder abuse, and dental malpractice. Through this experience, not only has Brenda's knowledge of the law and litigation strategy advanced, but so has her commitment to justice and advocacy for the victims of negligence. EDUCATION Brenda received her B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, in 2010, where she majored in Political Science. She went on to attend Whittier Law School, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and obtained her Juris Doctor in 2013. She also earned a Certificate in Children's Rights. In December 2013, Brenda was admitted to the California Bar. During law school, Brenda earned: CALI Award in Legal Writing (an award for the top grade in the class) CALI Award in Spanish for Lawyers EXTERNSHIPS & PRO BONO After her first year in law school, she completed a judicial externship at Lamoreaux Justice Center with the Honorable Maria Hernandez, where she assisted the judge in her dependency court rulings. Brenda went on to complete two additional externships with County Counsel, at both the trial and appellate level, where she advocated for the best interests of the minors. Brenda also took part in Street Law, Inc., a program designed to teach at-risk youth about the law, where she volunteered her time at an Orange County continuation school. In her last year of law school, Brenda completed an externship with Whittier Law School's Child Advocacy Clinic, a pro bono clinic helping families seeking guardianship and conservatorship. HONORS & AWARDS** Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star — An honor given to less than 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40 National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 — 2019 – Present; an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys Best Lawyers — 2021 – Present (Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs) CALI Award in Legal Writing — Top grade in class CALI Award in Spanish for Lawyers — Top grade in class **Awards and recognition are not guarantees of future results. Selection criteria vary by organization. BAR ADMISSIONS California, 2013 U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2015 U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Member, 2018 – Present Phi Rho Sigma (Fraternity) LANGUAGES English (Primary) Spanish (Fluent) PERSONAL When not at work, Brenda enjoys being a puppy mother of two, reading, hiking, watching sports, traveling (particularly to Mexico City), and salsa dancing. Brenda speaks Spanish fluently and returns to Mexico City each year to visit family who still live there. Let Our Family Help Yours — Because Family Never Settles For Less. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Brenda Kocaj included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 - 2019 - Present Other Sources of Feedback About Brenda Kocaj Included on the 2023Southern California Super Lawyers list

• Associate Attorney

• Lamoreaux Justice Center with the Honorable Maria Hernandez, Judicial Externship
• Street Law, Inc.
• Whittier Law School’s Child Advocacy Clinic
• Languages
• English
• Spanish

• California, 2013
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2015
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit

• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, 2018 - Present (Member)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Phi Rho Sigma