Insight

We Are Women, We Are Fearless

Athea Trial Lawyers is a female owned and operated law firm specializing in civil litigation, catastrophic energy, wrongful death and product liability.

Athea Trial Lawyers smile for a law firm photo
Justin Smulison

Written by Justin Smulison and Deborah S. Chang

Published: June 3, 2022

Athea Trial Lawyers is comprised of nationally recognized and successful female attorneys who joined forces in 2022. They combine their courtroom skills with their legal knowledge and also aspire to empower women in the profession.

Summary prepared by
  • Discover how Athea Trial Lawyers, made up of nationally recognized female attorneys, formed in 2022 to combine legal knowledge with empowerment, impacting both clients and society.
  • The firm has achieved record-setting victories in catastrophic injury and other cases, offering insightful strategies against well-funded entities and representing high-profile cases.
  • With headquarters in Southern California and presence in major cities, Athea Trial Lawyers provides a strategic advantage, bolstering credibility and client trust.
  • Founders have been consistently recognized as "Lawyers of the Year," highlighting their leadership and contributions to changing the legal landscape.

Athea Trial Lawyers Logo Inline

The firm’s six founders—Charla Aldous, Randi McGinn, Bibi Fell, Lisa Blue, Zoe Littlepage and Deborah Chang—are among some of the country’s most prominent trial lawyers. They have secured record-breaking victories throughout the U.S. in all areas of catastrophic injury, including brain and birth, as well as sexual assault, truck accidents, premises liability, wrongful death and others. Headquartered in Southern California, one of the criteria for the partners of Athea Trial Lawyers is for each attorney to own and operate her own firm, and Deborah began her firm, Chang KLEIN LLP in the Los Angeles area.

“The pandemic provided an opportunity to forge an alliance that has ultimately been extremely gratifying,” said Chang, who was named a 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation–Plaintiffs in Los Angeles by The Best Lawyers in America®. “Each of us aims to improve the lives of clients, and in some matters—society—through our achievements in the justice system.

Indeed, the firm has already impacted the legal landscape. By also leveraging their mastery of demonstrative evidence, they have favorably resolved civil matters against well-funded entities such as various corporate defendants and even the Catholic Church. They also represent the family of Esther Nakajjigo, Uganda’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, who was killed in June 2020 while exiting Arches National Park in Utah. The negligence suit against the National Park Service is expected to go to trial in 2022. Athea Trial Lawyers are honored to represent the family of Ms. Nakajjigo, an activist globally renowned for improving education and rights for women and teenage girls in her home country and advocating to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy.

“This young woman was only 25 years old and was making the world a truly better place,” Chang said. “We will fight for justice on her behalf and aspire to carry on her remarkable legacy.”

The firm exemplifies what it means to be women leaders in the profession. All six lawyers and their staff collectively and individually harness the spirit of Athea, the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, strategic warfare, law and justice.

The namesake has been depicted (as Athena) on the Great Seal of the State of California since 1849, and the imagery is clearly inspiring success. Athea Trial Lawyers was honored to have been ranked Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2021 and 2022. Founders Aldous and McGinn have also been named “Lawyer of the Year” several times by Best Lawyers® in various areas since 2009, most recently in 2021 for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in Dallas/Fort Worth and in 2019 for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Albuquerque, respectively. Fell, Blue and Littlepage have also been praised by legal media for securing precedent-setting nine-figure resolutions and their leadership positions in the legal community.

“In the courtroom, our goal is to achieve results that can help our clients heal and recover,” Chang said. “Outside the courtroom, we want to make a positive impact on society and hope to inspire and motivate women to reach their potential.”

Be a part of her story

44 Hermosa Avenue
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Ph: 800.664.0161 | 310.742.8063
www.AtheaLaw.com

Additional Locations:
Downtown Los Angeles | Torrance | San Francisco | San Diego | Las Vegas | Houston | Dallas | Philadelphia | Albuquerque

Learn More About:

Liability

Litigation

Women In The Law

Wrongful Death

Lawyers in Columbus, Ohio

Related Articles

A Warrior for Clients


by Best Lawyers

Michael P. Lyons stands up.

Photo of Michael P. Lyons

Combating Nuclear Verdicts: Empirically Supported Strategies to Deflate the Effects of Anchoring Bias


by Sloan L. Abernathy

Sometimes a verdict can be the difference between amicability and nuclear level developments. But what is anchoring bias and how can strategy combat this?

Lawyer speaking in courtroom with crowd and judge in the foreground

IN PARTNERSHIP

The Immeasurable Impact of Advocacy


by Justin Smulison

Burg Simpson founder Michael S. Burg discusses how the firm’s results transcend the courtroom to improve life for consumers and professionals nationwide.

Lawyer posing in a checker suit

Engineered for Success


by Justin Smulison

Koskoff’s product-liability leader, Bill Bloss, explains how his group combines legal knowledge with engineering insight for the benefit of their clients—and future consumers as well

Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder, a plaintiff’s trial law firm

Equal to the Task


by Joyce D. Edelman

Fighting for gender equity in the law firm can seem like the very definition of a thankless task. But you just might find yourself able to make great strides.

Female attorney fighting for gender equity in a law firm

A Texas-Sized Reputation


by Justin Smulison

Dan Sciano’s proven record of success and leadership has made him a highly sought-after plaintiff’s litigator in the Lone Star State.

Daniel J.T. Sciano of personal injury litigation

Maintaining a Legacy


by Best Lawyers

Ben Zimmerman and the SUGARMAN team carry on the tradition of excellence at the storied plaintiffs' law firm.

Photo of Ben Zimmerman, from the SUGARMAN team

Rebuilding Faith in the Legal System


by Margo Pierce

Burg Simpson lawyers discuss what drives them to fight for consumers and significant cases in their consumer advocacy.

Burg Simpson's Legal Team takes a firm photo

Sometimes 'Unusual' Is the Best Approach


by Margaret Pierce

Boone & Stone gets results by defying convention.

Boone & Stone attorneys smile for a photo

Women First Chairs


by Roberta D. Liebenberg

Roberta Liebenberg discusses her first-of-its-kind empirical study.

Image of Roberta Liebenberg

New England's Climate Litigation Surge


by Bryan Driscoll

What law firms need to know

New England's Climate Litigation Surge: What Firms Must Know headline

Colorado’s 2026 Water Rights Battles


by Bryan Driscoll

A new era of conflict begins.

Colorado Water Rights 2026: A New Era of Conflict headline

UnitedHealth's Twin Legal Storms


by Bryan Driscoll

ERISA failures and shareholder fallout in the wake of a CEO’s death.

United healthcare legal storm ceo murder headline

Sarah R. London: Standing Up to Injustice Since Day One


by Justin Smulison

The Girard Sharp partner on steering multi-million-dollar litigation, and what it took to remain in the pilot seat while overcoming her own health challenges.

Sarah R. London head

Supreme Court Opens New Door for Personal Injury Claims Under RICO


by Bryan Driscoll

The litigation landscape is rapidly shifting

Personal injury RICO claims marijuana hed

"Lawyer of the Year"


Man in suit and tie smiling for professional headshot

Dylan D. Rudolph

Litigation - ERISA

San Francisco, CA

2025

Trending Articles

The Family Law Loophole That Lets Sex Offenders Parent Kids


by Bryan Driscoll

Is the state's surrogacy framework putting children at risk?

family law surrogacy adoption headline

Recognizing Legal Leaders: The 2027 Best Lawyers Awards in Australia, Japan and Singapore


by Jamilla Tabbara

Market drivers, diversity trends and the elite practitioners shaping the legal landscape.

Illustrated maps of Australia, Japan and Singapore displayed with their national flags, representing

Holiday Pay Explained: Federal Rules and Employer Policies


by Bryan Driscoll

Understand how paid holidays work, when employers must follow their policies and when legal guidance may be necessary.

Stack of money wrapped in a festive bow, symbolizing holiday pay

Can a Green Card Be Revoked?


by Bryan Driscoll

Revocation requires a legal basis, notice and the chance to respond before status can be taken away.

Close-up of a U.S. Permanent Resident Card showing the text 'PERMANENT RESIDENT'

New Texas Family Laws Transform Navigating Divorce, Custody


by Bryan Driscoll

Reforms are sweeping, philosophically distinct and designed to change the way families operate.

definition of family headline

How Far Back Can the IRS Audit You?


by Bryan Driscoll

Clear answers on IRS statutes of limitations, recordkeeping and what to do if you are under review.

Gloved hand holding a spread of one-hundred-dollar bills near an IRS tax document

US Tariff Uncertainty Throws Canada Into Legal Purgatory


by Bryan Driscoll

The message is clear: There is no returning to pre-2025 normalcy.

US Tariff Uncertainty Throws Canada Into Legal Purgatory headline

Can You File Bankruptcy on Credit Cards


by Bryan Driscoll

Understanding your options for relief from overwhelming debt.

Red credit card on point-of-sale terminal representing credit card debt

Musk v. Altman: The Lawyers Behind the Case


by Jamilla Tabbara

Meet the Trial Lawyers Shaping One of AI's Biggest Legal Disputes.

Portrait photos of Elon Musk and Sam Altman positioned in front of the OpenAI logo.

How AI Is Changing the Way Clients Find Lawyers


by Jamilla Tabbara

Best Lawyers CEO Phil Greer explains how AI-driven search tools are reshaping legal marketing and why credibility markers matter.

AI chat bubble icon with stars representing artificial intelligence transforming client-lawyer conne

Colorado’s 2026 Water Rights Battles


by Bryan Driscoll

A new era of conflict begins.

Colorado Water Rights 2026: A New Era of Conflict headline

When Is It Too Late to Stop Foreclosure?


by Bryan Driscoll

Understanding the foreclosure timeline, critical deadlines and the legal options that may still protect your home.

Miniature house model on orange background surrounded by thumbtacks representing foreclosure

Can You Go to Jail at an Arraignment?


by Bryan Driscoll

Understanding What Happens at Your First Court Appearance.

A heavy chain lying on the ground in the foreground with a blurred figure standing in the background

What’s the Difference Between DUI and DWI?


by Bryan Driscoll

Understanding the terminology and consequences of impaired driving charges.

Driver during nighttime police traffic stop with officer's flashlight shining through car window

Canadian Firms Explore AI, But Few Fully Embrace the Shift


by David L. Brown

BLF survey reveals caution despite momentum.

Canadian Firms Explore AI, But Few Fully Embrace the Shift headline

The Legal Teams Behind the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni Settlement


by Grace Greer

A closer look at the legal teams and attorneys involved in the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni litigation and its resolution.

Split-screen image of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni