Anthony Sonnett

Partner

Anthony.Sonnett@lewisbrisbois.com

Anthony Sonnett is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Lewis Brisbois, chair of the Railroad Practice, and a vice-chair of the Products Liability and Lithium-Ion Battery Practices. He concentrates his practice in products liability, general liability, and FELA/Railroad Litigation. Mr. Sonnett is an aggressive litigator and trial lawyer. He has had multiple cases published in both the California Supreme Court and the California Court of Appeals. He has lectured and authored articles regarding various aspects of products liability, including legal strategies, the use of industry standards, and proposed changes to products liability law.

Mr. Sonnett is proud to represent such clients as Travelers, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo, BNSF Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, Fujitec America, and Raymond Corporation. He previously served as managing counsel for Honda North America, Inc. and regional counsel for Michelin.

Primary Area(s) of Practice

  • Products Liability
  • Transportation
  • General Liability
  • Japan Practice Group
  • National Trial Practice
  • Consumer Warranty
  • Railroad Practice
  • Lithium-Ion Battery Practice

Additional Experience

Admissions

California

New York

Associations

  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
  • Executive Committee, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
  • American Bar Association
  • Industrial Truck Association
  • California Bar Association
  • New York Bar Association

Awards & Honors

  • AV rated by Martindale Hubbell
  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America® 2023 & 2024 — Railroad Law
  • Southern California “Super Lawyer,” Los Angeles Magazine, 2006-2012

Professional Presentations

Mr. Sonnett has lectured at seminars of the Defense Research Institute on The Use of Industry Standards in Automotive Products Liability Litigation, and before the Japanese-American International Products Liability seminar on Products Liability Prevention.

Education

Hofstra University School of Law

Juris Doctor, 1985

  • Associate Editor of the Law Review
  • Law Fellow in Torts and Civil Procedure
  • Research assistant to Professor Aaron Twerski, Reporter for the Restatement of Torts, Third

Vassar College

Bachelor of Arts, 1982

Publications

Mr. Sonnett has authored several articles for The Journal of International Legal Strategy, including The Uncertainty of Assumption of Risk in California Products Liability Litigation, Written Discovery and Deposition in Products Liability Litigation, and Proposed Changes in Product Liability Under the Restatement of Torts, Third.

Published Decisions

  • Tucci v. Club Mediterranee, SA (2001) 89 Cal.App.4th 180 (California Court of Appeal opinion clarifying choice of law principle applications in summary judgment ruling)
  • Rico v. Mitsubishi Motors (2007) 42 Cal.4th 807 (California Supreme Court decision concerning attorney/client privilege and work product doctrine)
  • Alan v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (2007) 40 Cal.4th 894 (California Supreme Court opinion in automotive product liability case concerning appeal procedures for class action certification orders)
  • American Honda Motor Co., Inc. v. Superior Court (2011) 199 Cal.App.4th 1367 (California Court of Appeal opinion confirming that class certification of an automotive breach of warranty action must provide "substantial evidence of a defect that is substantially certain to result in malfunction during the useful life of the product")
  • Toyota Motor Corp. v. Superior Court (2011) 197 Cal.App.4th 1107 (California Court of Appeal opinion in automotive product liability case holding that non-California residents may not be compelled to give deposition testimony in California)