Barely a week had passed since her landmark win in a Phoenix courtroom against ride-sharing giant Uber, and Deborah Chang was already back at trial, this time in Riverside, Calif., against an equally deep-pocketed and powerful foe. “I haven’t even unpacked my bags,” Chang joked.
It was late February, and Chang and her fellow partner Candice Klein were starting trial in a case against the state of California on behalf of a developmentally disabled teenager who required constant protection and monitoring, yet was continuously exploited, bullied, and coerced into sexual misconduct on more than 21 occasions while on campus at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside. The case is legally complex, politically and emotionally sensitive, and has the potential to influence changes in policy and hold the government to account for failing to protect a vulnerable child under its care. “We’re standing here for every girl who can’t protect herself,” Chang said.
It’s exactly the kind of high-impact personal injury litigation Chang and Klein envisioned pursuing when they founded their law firm, Chang Klein LLP, five years ago. Since its launch, the firm has represented clients in a remarkable series of cases that have helped shape the law, promote corporate and government accountability, and advance public safety and social justice on a national scale.
“Our motto is ‘we turn cases into causes,’” Chang said. “We take on those cases we think will have a real impact and where we can make a difference.”
Victory Against Uber
Consider the Uber case. Chang served as a co-trial counsel on a multi-firm trial team comprised entirely of women representing a 19-year-old passenger who was raped by one of Uber’s drivers. On Feb. 5, a jury in Phoenix found that the driver was an apparent agent of Uber and ordered the company to pay $8.5 million.
The stakes could not have been higher. Uber faces 3,200 similar cases consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The Arizona trial served as a bellwether for those cases—a first test in federal court of legal theories and potential damages that will almost certainly influence future trials and settlements.
“When we gathered in Phoenix for the first bellwether in federal court, the question was: Can Uber ever be beaten?” Chang said. “If we lose this one, what will it do to women from all over the world who have been sexually assaulted by an Uber driver but are too afraid to come forward?”
Women Leading the Way
The victory was also notable because of who argued the case. The plaintiffs and defense teams were both led by women—a rarity that even the trial judge noted. “We even took a picture in the courtroom with the judge because we realized what a historical moment this was,” Chang said.
“Many of us had been practicing so long with men leading the way and with women on the sidelines.” she added. “In this trial, women led inside and outside the courtroom. It was pretty amazing.”
Chang champions women lawyers “stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight” and taking on “vital leadership roles in courtrooms everywhere.” She is a co-founder of Athea Trial Lawyers, a network of acclaimed female trial lawyers who work collectively on cases. Chang Klein is a member of the network. “Women belong in the courtroom in cutting-edge and important cases,” Chang said. “And this case proved that.”
Telling the Story at Trial
Winning a case like Uber requires strong storytelling and a creative trial strategy to connect with a jury. “Part of our criteria when we take a case is: Is this a compelling story? If we’re captivated by the story, then that motivates us,” she said.
The Riverside case is a prime example, Chang said. At its heart, the case is an anger-inducing tale of institutional and governmental neglect that helped foster repeated abuse. A developmentally disabled, hearing-impaired girl was sexually exploited multiple times despite repeated warnings to officials.
Many of those accused of abuse were members of the school’s football team, which at the time was the subject of glowing media coverage for winning a national football championship. “The dark side is that on the day the team was on the cover of the Los Angeles Times, some of the players were being investigated by the police for multiple acts of sexual misconduct,” Chang said.
Even more troubling is that this is not the first time a student has sued over sexual abuse at the school. In fact, this is the second suit Klein has brought on a student’s behalf against the same school and for similar claims.
After being in trial for multiple weeks, the trial court granted Plaintiff’s motion for mistrial after it was discovered that over 17,000 documents were not timely produced by Defendants. The case will be retried in July of 2026. “It was such a difficult decision because the case was going in so well,” Chang said. “But our justice system depends on juries being given the full truth—not a partial or incomplete picture. This case raises profoundly important issues about school safety and responsibility, and both the jury and the public deserve to hear the full truth.”
Recognized by Peers
The Uber and Riverside trials join an ever-expanding list of momentous cases handled by the firm. Chang Klein attorneys have won hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients, and their efforts have led to broad changes in public policy.
The firm’s peers have noticed. In March, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles inducted Chang into its hall of fame—recognition the Los Angeles Daily Journal has noted is reserved for “titans of the Southern California legal community.” In addition to her hall-of-fame status, Chang has received a shelfful of honors from organizations such as the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Consumer Attorneys of California, which named her its Consumer Attorney of the Year in 2023 and in 2014.
The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 has also recognized both name partners for their Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs practice, and trial attorneys Sarah Scheckel Kim and Patrick Gunning have been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026 for their Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs practice. And Best Law Firms® 2026 ranks Chang Klein as one of Los Angeles’ tier 1 Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs firms.
The accolades are gratifying, Chang said. But the real rewards come from winning justice for clients and helping make the world a better and safer place. “We see the greater good that one case can do,” Chang said. “That’s what really moves us and compels us.”
