Guy R. Gruppie

Guy R. Gruppie is a Senior Partner in the Los Angeles office of Murchison & Cumming, LLP. Mr. Gruppie serves as Chair of the Vertical Transportation practice group, Co-Chair of the Emerging Risks & Specialty Tort practice group and is also a senior member of the firm's Product Liability, General Liability and Business Litigation practice groups. He specializes in the defense of complex and high-stakes litigation.  

Mr. Gruppie is a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and was named a Southern California Super Lawyer by Law & Politics Magazine in a vote of peers for the fourth consecutive year in 2012. He was also named a Top Attorney in the San Gabriel Valley by Pasadena Magazine for four consecutive years (2009-2012) by  peer group vote. Mr. Gruppie is "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell and is a former Co-Chair of the Trial Tactics Section of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC).

He serves as National Trial Counsel for Fuji Film, USA and regularly represents a diverse group of international, national and local businesses and high net-worth individuals in business and tort litigation.  Mr. Gruppie is a frequent author and speaker on trial, tort, and litigation topics. He is currently an adjunct professor of law at Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles.  Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Gruppie was a reporter and editor at the Los Angeles Times. 

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American Board of Trial Advocates, Los Angeles Chapter
• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
• Defense Research Institute
• National Association of Elevator Contractors; Elevator Industry Group of Los Angeles
• Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
• American Bar Association
• Claims Litigation Management Alliance

Published Works

• Co-Author, "Lose The Evidence, Lose Your Case: Understanding and Avoiding Spoliation of Evidence," FDCC Quarterly, Vol. 63 No. 1, Fall 2012
• "Uncommon Perception: The Common Carrier Duty Does Not Rule Out Defense Verdicts in Elevator and Escalator Accident Trials," Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Vol. 59, No. 2, Winter, 2009
• "Admissibility of Evidence Involving Absence of Prior Incidents/Injuries: The Law in Certain Major States," Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Volume 58, No. 4, Summer, 2008
• "Ethical Issues in the Use of Trial Consultants," Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 2, Winter, 2006
• Labor Code Section 4558: A Dangerous Exception to the Exclusive Remedy Rule, Association of Southern California, Verdict, Third Quarter, 2000

Classes/Seminars Taught

• United III/NAEC 2012 Convention & Exposition, September 10-13, 2012, Atlantic City, NJ
• "Howell, Hanif & Beyond--The current climate for assessment of medical 'specials,'" Tokio Marine Management and TM Claims Services, May 30, 2012, Pasadena, CA
• Elevator Industry Group of Southern California, January 17, 2012, Los Angeles, CA
• "Attacking the Vulnerable Plaintiff Expert," Chubb Services Holiday Luncheon, December 2, 2011, Los Angeles, CA
• "California Civil Procedure," Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, CA 2011
• "Minimizing Your Chances of Being Sued and Maximizing Your Chances of Winning if You Are", Elevator Industry Group of Southern California Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, 2009
• "Anatomy of an Elevator Accident Trial", National Association of Elevator Contractors Annual Meeting, Sarasota, FL, 2008
• Representing High Profile Clients, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, Sun Valley, ID, 2007
• "Use of Evidence of Absence of Prior Claims to Refute Product Defect Claims", Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Winter Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 2006
• "A Necessary Dress Rehearsal: Achieving Maximum Trial Results Through the Use of Mock Trial/Focus Groups", Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, Chesapeake Bay, MD, 2004