Biography

Seymour “Sy” Everett, III is a Founding Partner of Everett Dorey, LLP. Mr. Everett is a leading litigator in California and is routinely retained as trial counsel in complex and challenging cases throughout the state. He represents corporations, non-profits, cities, public agencies, special districts, school districts, police officers and individuals in all aspects of litigation. Cases include catastrophic injuries, asbestos, employment law, toxic tort, habitability, mold, general liability, wildland fires, business interference, libel, slander, environmental and administrative compliance. Mr. Everett is an elected member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”), a highly respected national advocacy group dedicated to the preservation of the right to trial by jury. The Daily Journal identified Mr. Everett as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California, and he has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and Best Lawyer at Benchmark. Additionally, Mr. Everett was also recognized as an Orange County Visionary by the Los Angeles Times. Committed to fostering and developing diversity in the legal community, Mr. Everett was recognized and awarded “DEI Champion” by the Orange County Coalition for Diversity in the Law. He also holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriting (CPCU) designation and is a regular speaker at legal seminars for Fortune 500 Companies, Public Entities and Insurance Carriers and is a former adjunct professor at USC School of Law. He is admitted to practice in all courts in California, including United States Federal District Courts. Mr. Everett has argued before numerous Appellate Courts in the State of California and has multiple published decisions.

Recent jury trials include: Kneeshaw, et al. v. City of Orange, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, November 2024); Dillon v. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (Plaintiff Verdict, March 2024); Ohio House LLC v City of Costa Mesa, United States Central District Court (Defense Verdict April 2022); Haynes v. City of Orange; Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, March 2021); Pacific Coast Warehouse v. Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc., San Bernardino County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, May 2019); Chen v. The Irvine Company, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, April 2018); Mobley v. The Irvine Company, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, December 2017); Demolay v. Millard Group, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, August 2017); Reynolds v. Ventura County Fairgrounds et al., Ventura County Superior Court (Plaintiff Verdict, July 2017); Ducoing v. Winston & Associates Insurance Brokers et al., Orange County Superior Court (Hung Jury, July 2016); Lorenzana v. City of Buena Park et al. Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, June 2016); Reumont v. Gordon, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, March 2015); Institute of Medical Education, Inc. v. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Defense Verdict, May 2015); and Wilson v. Grieder, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, July 2015)

Admissions

California State Courts

U.S. District Court - Central District of CA

U.S. District Court - Southern District of CA

U.S. District Court - Northern District of CA

U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Central District of CA

9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Associations

American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”) – Member

California Top 100 Lawyer, Daily Journal

Best Lawyer 2022, 2023, 2024

Benchmark Litigation 2022, 2023, 2024

Super Lawyer 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow

Lawyers of Distinction – Charter Member

First Responder First – Founding Member

Camp Fire USA Orange County, Past Member – Board of Directors

Directory of Influence OC 500 Orange County Business Journal

2024 OC-ABOTA Volunteer of the Year

2022 Nominee CAL-ABOTA Community Service Award
 

Education

Seton Hall University School of Law

Juris Doctor

UCLA

Bachelor of Arts

The Institutes - Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society
CPCU Designation

Professional Presentations

College of Trial Advocacy/OCBA: Distinguished Speaker and Trial Instructor, September 22, 2022

Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society- CPCU Designation

PARMA Annual Conference Speaker/Presenter: "Pandora's Box – Remote Depositions, Hearings, Arbitrations and Trials; Why We will Never Completely Return to Normal", February 28, 2022

Perrin Conferences – Speaker/Presenter: "The Future of Online and In-Person Jury Trials", April 28, 2021.

Southern California PARMA Speaker/Presenter: "Big Brother is Watching – Surveillance Cameras to Manage Risk, Protect Property and Defend Litigation in the ERA of Covid-19", September 24, 2020

The Institutes CPCU Society – Speaker/Presenter: "The Next Litigation Wave:  What Should We Expect When the Covid-19 'Stay in Place' Order are Lifted?", April 24, 2020

Orange County Lawyer Magazine – Co-Author: Balancing Privacy Against the Right to Discover Relevant Medical Records, Orange County Lawyer Magazine, March 2020

PRIMA (Public Risk Management Association) – Speaker/Presenter, “Big Brother is Watching – Surveillance & Risk Management.”, June 2019.

Combined Claims Conference – Presenter, “Big Brother is Watching – Surveillance Cameras and Video Footage to Manage Risk, Protect Property and Defend Litigation”, March 2019.

CASBO – Speaker/Presenter, “Safe Schools:  Identifying & Eliminating Exposure to Hazardous and Toxic Substances on School Campuses.”, January 2019.

Perrin Conferences - Speaker/Presenter, “Asbestos Talc Mock Trial and Jury Deliberation”, October 2018.

CLM Continuing Education Conference for Catholic Mutual Group, “Advanced Strategies for Success in Mediation”, August 2018

All Industry Day, CPCU Society, Orange Empire, "Talc, Fibromyalgia, PTSD & Other, Emerging Risks and Litigation Trends, Impacting the Insurance Industry", October 2017. 

League of Cities, New Laws & Elections Annual Seminar, “Subpoenas – We’ve Been Served! Now What?” December 2016

Public Entities and the Claim Presentation Statute – Accept, Reject, Provide Notice or Do Nothing? Orange County Lawyer, July 2016

Government Claims Act, Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance Programs, May 11, 2016, Carl Warren and Co., April 19, 2016.

Insurance Professionals of Los Angeles, Region VIII Conference, Keynote Speaker – “Drones:  The Impact on Insurance and What You Need to Know to Navigate the Insurance Market Place”, March 5, 2016

Southern California City Clerk Association, Annual Meeting, Keynote Speaker – “Claims, Lawsuits, Subpoenas and Summons”, January 21, 2016

Spying in the Skies—Drones, the New  Frontier: Impact on international and Domestic Insurance and Liability, October 5, 2015

Trivial Defect doctrine and other Defenses Available to Public Entities, Public Agency Risk Management Association, February 10, 2015

Don’t Let Them Bite! – Cutting Edge Risk, Management and Litigation Strategies for Responding to Bed Bug Infestation Claims, CLM Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, February 5, 2015

International Directors and Officers Professional Liability Coverage, CPCU Society Annual Meeting, September 21, 2014

Broker Risk Management: Navigating and Dealing with the Pitfalls of Potential Litigation, Insurance Professionals of Los Angeles, August 20, 2014

A Complex Web of Loyalties: The Tri-Partite Relationship and Cumis Counsel, Orange County Lawyer February 2012

California Asbestos Litigation 2010 Review; The Nuts and Bolts of Litigation: What You or Your Customer Should Expect if Involved in a Lawsuit. National CPCU Society, February 2009

Introduction to Specialty and Complex Claims: Toxic Mold, Construction Defect, Environmental, Chemical Exposure and Asbestos. Insurance Educational Association, September 2008

Evaluating and Attacking Benzene Workplace Exposure Claims, April 2006 & 2007

Adjunct Professor, University of Southern California Law School, ADR Topics: Negotiation & Mediation Course

Attacking Occupational Exposure Claims, November 2006

Course Instructor, Insurance Education Association, CPCU 530, The Legal Environment of Insurance

Professional Experience 

Asbestos

National counsel for a manufacturer and wholesale product distributor. Handles the trials and strategic management of their asbestos litigation in numerous states. He represents numerous product defendants and premises defendants. Product defendants include manufacturers, retailers and suppliers of asbestos containing products.

Environmental

Defense of clients in hazardous waste, groundwater and soil contamination litigation and governmental administrative actions.

Benzene/Mold/Carbon Monoxide/Chemical Exposure/Toxic Tort

Defense of clients in actions involving interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, acute myelogenous leukemia and related injuries from alleged chronic and acute chemical exposures, including, but not limited to, benzene. Clients include manufacturers, suppliers and premises owners.

Extensive experience defending premises owners and contractors in personal injury litigation resulting from alleged mold exposure. Clients include property managers, developers, commercial and residential building owners and remediation companies.

Extensive experience in the defense of claims alleging bodily injuries as a result of exposure to carbon monoxide, lead, silica and fiberglass.

Public Entity/Government Liability

Represent Cities, Public Agencies, School Districts, Police Officers, Public Works and Governmental Agencies in all aspects of litigation. Cases include libel, slander, personal injury and wrongful death actions and administrative compliance. Work closely with Superintendents and Schools Boards on resolving and defending student and third party personal injury claims.  Defense of Wildland Fire Claims involving public utilities related  to catastrophic property damage, wrongful death, personal injury, environmental, wetlands mitigation and subrogation matters.

Professional Liability

Defense of insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents and brokers and other professionals. An emphasis on standard of care, reporting issues and fiduciary obligations. Clients include independent and direct agents and brokers. Insurance clients include large and small agencies and brokerage firms involved in all lines of property and casualty insurance, including but not limited to, commercial general liability, inland marine, commercial and residential property, farm and crime coverage.

Education/Accreditation

Significant experience representing K-12 school districts, community colleges and universities in all aspects of pre-litigation and litigation, including, personal injury, property damage and construction claims. Work closely with schools in crisis management and escalated response programs.  Routinely retained as advisor or consultant in drafting and reviewing proposed contractual language and MOUs, as well as representing districts in fact finding investigations, mediations and settlement conferences.  Extensive “Accreditation” experience as litigation counsel and general counsel, including, but not limited to, reviewing, updating and drafting by-laws, conducting investigations, assist with accreditation and compliance investigations, preparation of show cause letters and responding to appeals.  Evaluation and investigation of foreign education programs seeking accreditation.

Appellate Decisions

Chino-Pacific Warehouse Corporation v Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc.; March 10, 2022, E073638 (Cal.App. 4th Dist.)

Pena de Molina v Glasswerks LA, Inc.; August 12, 2020, B301736, (Cal.App. 2 Dist.)

Righeimer v. Costa Mesa Police Association, G050188 (Cal.App 4 Dist)

Ryan v. Lustre-Cal; 2014 WL 7384613 (Cal.App. 2 Dist.)

Farzan v. Wescom Credit Union et al., in Cal.Rptr 2 District, B247479

Ducoing Enterprises, Inc. v. Winston & Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc., in Cal.Rptr.3d, 2013 WL 4782809, Cal.App. 4 Dist.

Galicinao v. McMaster-Carr Supply Co., in Cal.Rptr.3d, 2011 WL 5079530, (Cal.App. 2 Dist)

Munoz v. MacMillan 2011 WL 1817842 (Cal.App. 4 Dist.)

Representative JURY TRIALS

Kneeshaw et al. v. City of Orange et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, November 2024)

Dillon v. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles Superior Court (Plaintiff Verdict; Award less than pre-trial demand, March 2024)

Ohio House LLC v City of Costa Mesa, United States Central District Court (Defense Verdict, April 2022)

Haynes v. City of Orange, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, March 2021)

Pacific Coast Warehouse v. Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc., San Bernardino County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, May 2019)

Chen v. The Irvine Company, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, April 2018)

Mobley v. The Irvine Company, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, December 2017)

Demolay v. The Irvine Company, et al., Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, August 2017)

Reynolds v. Ventura County Fairgrounds, et al., Ventura County Superior Court (Plaintiff Verdict/Cross-Complaint Indemnity Settlement, July 2017)

Lorenzana v. City of Buena Park, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, June 2016)

Reumont v. Gordon, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, March 2015)

IME v. Western Association of Schools & Colleges ACS, Santa Clara County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, May 2015)

Wilson v. Grieder, Orange County Superior Court (Defense Verdict, July 2015)