Garth Ward

Partner

Garth.Ward@lewisbrisbois.com

Garth Ward is a partner in the San Diego office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the General Liability and Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation Practices. Mr. Ward’s practice focuses primarily on environmental and general liability issues with an emphasis in toxic torts, high profile pollution claims, asbestos and Proposition 65 matters. Additionally, he assists clients with land use issues and also with navigating the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. His practice area also focuses on construction defect, product liability, catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims.

Mr. Ward specializes in counseling national and international clients in California’s Proposition 65 statute. He guides companies through Proposition 65’s complex regulatory framework and also defends entities that have received a Proposition 65 Notice of Violation or that are subject to a litigated enforcement action.

Mr. Ward represents both general contractors and subcontractors in contractual claims and disputes related to construction design, methodology and supply of products. He has handled cases for virtually every construction discipline for both residential and commercial projects. He also represents engineers and architects in commercial and residential design-related and contractual disputes. Representative clients include general contractors in luxury home design and construction, designers/builders of biofuels facilities, mechanical engineers in HVAC system design, as well as various electrical, landscape and pool design subcontractors.

Mr. Ward also represents various entities as outside General Counsel. As outside General Counsel, he serves his clients in all facets of corporate representation necessary to their operations.

Mr. Ward has represented a global manufacturer of building products. His representation encompassed contractual disputes, product liability, and design, manufacture and installation related claims.

Additionally, Mr. Ward has represented numerous Common Interest Developments and Homeowners Associations in various matters. He has provided counsel on a variety of issues, including governance, duties of Directors and Members, construction defect related issues, mold claims, ADA compliance and other regulatory compliance.

During law school, Mr. Ward clerked for the United States Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division. He then clerked for the California Attorney General’s Office, working on a variety of state environmental issues as well as Proposition 65 Enforcement Issues. He also clerked for the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office and California Rural Legal Assistance.

In his free time, Mr. Ward enjoys spending time with family and friends, coaching his children in youth sports and traveling.

Primary Area(s) of Practice

  • General Liability
  • Toxic Tort & Environmental Litigation
  • Asbestos Litigation
  • Marine & Energy
  • Construction
  • Corporate
  • Professional Liability
  • Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (“PFAS”)
  • COVID-19: Contracts & Force Majeure

Admissions

California

United States District Court

Southern District of California Central District of California Northern District of California

Associations

  • San Diego County Bar Association 
  • Member-Environmental Law Section
  • San Diego Defense Lawyer’s Association
  • San Diego Barrister’s Club
  • San Diego Chamber of Commerce Legal Committee

Awards & Honors

  • San Diego Business Journal “Best of the Bar, 2015”
  • CALI Award for Excellence in Writing and Research
  • American Jurisprudence Award, Torts II
  • Dean’s List 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Education

Golden Gate University School of Law

Juris Doctor, 1999

California State University at Chico

Bachelor of Arts, 1996

University of San Diego School of Law

LLM Candidate-General LLM with Environmental Law Concentration

Universidad de Costa Rica Environmental Law Program

Publications

  • Statute of Limitations for Product Defect May Be Tolled By Reasonable Investigation; California Case Comment, June 2005
  • Costs to Repair Non-Plaintiff Homes are Not Recoverable Unless Reasonable and Necessary to Defense; California Case Comment, November 2002
  • Set-off Claims are Restricted to Reducing a Plaintiff’s Recovery; California Case Comment, December 2002