Best Law Firms Rankings Badge

Wisner Baum, PC

United States 2025
5
Metro Rankings
Visit Firm Website

General Information

8
Practice Areas
6
Individuals recognized in Best Lawyers
241
Client Comments
Year founded: 1973
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Wisner Baum, PC

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

The award-winning plaintiff attorneys at Wisner Baum (formerly Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman) have earned a reputation for breaking new ground, holding Fortune 500 companies accountable, influencing public policy, raising public awareness, and improving product safety. They have won more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlement for their clients.

Wisner Baum is recognized as a preeminent plaintiff firm that has represented thousands of victims across the nation in aviation, bus, train, and trucking accidents, as well as those harmed by defective pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other consumer products. The firm also represents whistleblowers and litigates class actions.

The firm won the largest verdict in California and the second largest in America in 2019. The Pilliod verdict is also the ninth largest verdict in U.S. history. A team of Wisner Baum lawyers with Brent Wisner serving as co-lead trial counsel, tried the first and third of the first three Roundup cancer cases against agrochemical giant Monsanto Company (now Bayer) that resulted in two of the largest jury verdicts in recent history, worth a combined $2.344 billion. They also assisted with the second trial (Hardeman v. Monsanto Co.). The $289 million verdict in Johnson v. Monsanto Co. and the $2 billion verdict* in Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto Co. were hard-fought legal victories that will have a lasting impact not just for the plaintiffs and their families, but for public health and the environment.

In recognition of Wisner Baum's work in the Monsanto Roundup and other landmark litigation, the firm and individual lawyers have received numerous honors and awards including:

Best Lawyers in America®

U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms

Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest AV® Peer Review Rating available

Elite Trial Lawyers Mass Torts Law Firm of the Year, Finalist 2020 | ALM and The National Law Journal

Top 100 Verdicts 2019, ALM, National Law Journal, Verdict Search (Pilliod et al. v. Monsanto)

Civil Plaintiffs Trial Lawyer of the Year 2019 | National Trial Lawyers and ALM (Brent Wisner)

America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers, 2019 | Trial Lawyer Magazine and The National Law Journal (Brent Wisner)

Elite Trial Lawyers Mass Tort Trial Team of the Year 2019 | The National Law Journal and The Trial Lawyer Magazine

Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist 2019| Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (Brent Wisner)

Daily Journal Top Verdicts, 2019 (Pilliod et al., v. Monsanto listed #1)

California Top 100 Lawyers, 2019 | The Daily Journal (Brent Wisner)

The Round Table: America’s Most Influential Trial Lawyers, 2018 | National Trial Lawyers (Brent Wisner)

Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers in California (2019-lifetime award) | The Daily Journal (Brent Wisner)

Trial Team of the Year, 2019 | The National Trial Lawyers Top 100

Winning Litigators Titans of Industry, 2019 | The National Law Journal (Brent Wisner)

Top Plaintiffs Lawyers in California, 2019 | Daily Journal (Brent Wisner)

CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2018 (Johnson v. Monsanto)

Rising Star, 2019 | Law360 (Brent Wisner)

Daily Journal Top Verdicts, 2018 (Johnson v. Monsanto)

Top 10 Verdicts, Personal Injury | TopVerdict.com, 2018

Wisner Baum has successfully litigated against some of the largest corporations in the world, including major airlines, rail organizations, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, agrochemical corporations, and even the federal government. Thousands of people have entrusted Wisner Baum to represent their interests in lawsuits against major companies such as:

  • Ground Transportation Companies

Allied Waste Industries, Amtrak, CR England, CSX Corporation, Eagle Systems, Food Express Inc., Food 4 Less, Ford Motor Co., GARDA Inc., Greyhound, J.B. Hunt; Kimberly-Clark, Lucky’s, Metrolink, Roadway Express, Ryder Truck Rental, Schneider National Trucking, Swift Transportation, Tyson Foods, and Werner Enterprises.

  • Aviation Companies

Aerospatiale, Airbus, Alaska Air, American Airlines, Beechcraft, Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Grumman, Heli USA Airways, Hughes Aircraft, JetBlue, McDonnell Douglas, Piper, Robinson Helicopters, Rockwell, Sikorsky, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways.

  • Defective or Dangerous Product Manufacturers

Alpha Therapeutic, Armour Pharmaceutical Co., Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Bayer Corporation, Boehringer, Covidien, Cutter Biologicals, Eli Lilly, Forest Labs, GlaxoSmithKline/SmithKline Beecham, Johnson & Johnson, Marion Merrell Dow/Richardson-Merrell, Medtronic Inc., Merck, Monsanto Company, Oclassen, Pfizer, Sanofi, Schering-Plough, Sigma Aldrich, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Stryker Biotech, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Wisner Baum has taken on the Zantac cancer litigation after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is investigating Zantac cancer risks after testing of certain Zantac (ranitidine hydrochloride) tablets found the commonly-used heartburn medication contains a cancer-causing chemical up to 3,000 times greater than the FDA’s daily intake limit. The carcinogenic chemical present in Zantac is known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (“NDMA”). Though the FDA has yet to issue an official Zantac recall, CVS and Walgreens have pulled Zantac and Zantac OTC generics from their shelves and Apotex has voluntarily recalled its ranitidine products from Rite-Aid and Walgreens.

The firm is also leading the Gardasil vaccine litigation against Merck. Thousands of adolescent boys and girls and young men and women have reported serious and disabling injuries after getting the Gardasil vaccine. These injuries range from auto immune diseases, disabling neurological side effects to reproductive disorders and even death. Wisner Baum has filed lawsuits on behalf of young women and men alleging Merck misled the FDA, legislators, doctors and moms about the safety and efficacy of its Gardasil vaccine. The lawsuit asserts Merck purposely downplayed the risk of Gardasil’s ingredients, including a proprietary aluminum compound (a potent neurotoxin) and secret and potentially hazardous DNA particles. ---------- *The verdicts in Johnson and Pilliod were reduced by the judges overseeing both cases but both are on appeal.

Firm News

September 19, 2023
Widow of Marine John Sax Considering Lawsuit After Military Finds Mechanical Failure Caused 2022 Osprey Crash
September 19, 2023
Parents of Brandeis Student Killed in Bus Crash File Wrongful Death Lawsuit
August 16, 2023
Could solo pilots soon be a reality overseas? - Tim Loranger
August 16, 2023
First man to successfully sue Roundup for causing cancer | 60 Minutes Australia - Brent Wisner
August 16, 2023
Groundbreaking legal battle seeks to show toxic metals in baby food can cause autism | Spotlight on America - Pedram Esfandiary
August 16, 2023
Lawsuits Filed in Deadly Santee Plane Crash - Tim Loranger
August 16, 2023
Questions about tree maintenance and safety - Tim Loranger
August 16, 2023
The secret tactics Monsanto used to protect Roundup, its star product | Four Corners - Brent Wisner

Rankings

Wisner Baum, PC is metro ranked in 3 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

Metro Rankings

Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Aviation Law
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
San Francisco
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier 2 for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
A group of exceptionally dedicated and skilled attorneys in the area of pharmaceutical and environmental litigation.
Tara Tabatabaie – Sill Law
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
I have known the work of this firm for over thirty years and during that time they have consistently delivered top quality work for their clients.
David Rapoport – Rapoport Law Offices
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
We are so grateful for the Wisner Baum team! They took on big pharma over a product gone horribly wrong, severely and permanently injuring many young males and females. When everyone else seemed willing to ignore that previously healthy kids were being turned into disposable collateral damage, Wisner Baum stepped up to be our children's defenders. I look forward to the day that Merck is held fully accountable for the death and destruction caused by their greed and lies.
Jenn Otto
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
What makes Wisner Baum the best? Brent Wisner and Michael Baum lead a team of lawyers and staff that are fantastic. They are masterful researchers and are able to uncover hidden information that companies hide and misrepresent. When they believe in your case, they will spend time and resources to discover the facts and hold companies accountable for the harm they have done to consumers. They never give up. They won a very complicated case. It was a rare case where the parent company was held accountable for the generic version of the drug. We won a jury verdict. Unfortunately, it was overturned on preemption and Wisner Baum didn't give up. For years, they battled to keep this verdict. Regardless of the outcome, we won our jury verdict that stunned GSK. On a personal note, Wisner Baum has become family. They always make you feel that your loss is their loss. I have never seen a more compassionate and caring group of lawyers. To this day, I still consider them all family. When you combine the brilliance of their capabilities, masterful trial skills with the compassion and commitment to making a difference in the world with their enormous heart, I cannot imagine a more perfect law firm. They are the best, any other law firm pales by comparison.
Wendy Dolin
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
No question, Wisner Baum is one of the best law firms around.
Tom Crowell
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Everyone at Wisner Baum that I have interacted with is kind, professional and very nice.
Michael Buyer
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum has great lawyers. Complete professionalism.
Daniel Dunbar – Panish, Shea & Boyle
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
As an attorney journalist who recently had the opportunity to interview the managing partner of Wisner Baum, I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with their legal acumen and commitment to client service. During the interview, Brent demonstrated a deep understanding of the law and a clear passion for helping their clients navigate even the most complex legal challenges. They were able to articulate their firm's approach to legal representation in a way that was both insightful and relatable, and I came away from the conversation with a renewed appreciation for the important role that lawyers play in our society. Moreover, I was equally impressed with the work of the PR team, who was instrumental in setting up the interview and ensuring that everything ran smoothly. They were highly professional and responsive, and their attention to detail was evident at every step of the process. As an attorney journalist, I work with law firms and attorneys on a regular basis, and I can say without hesitation that Wisner Baum is among the best I've encountered. Their commitment to legal excellence and client service, combined with their exceptional PR team, make them a true standout in the legal industry.
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum is handling my Zantac cancer case. I’ve never been involved in any litigation and was a little apprehensive about the process, but my case manager, Luis Ballesteros, has been very helpful, knowledgeable and empathetic - a true professional. He has called me back immediately whenever I’ve had a question or concern, and he keeps me informed of current progress. I’m really glad I chose them to represent me.
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
I have worked with Wisner Baum for many years. Originally, I served as opposing counsel, and, more recently, as co-counsel. Wisner Baum’s lawyers are passionate about their work and their clients, they are very smart and driven lawyers.
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Amazing response time, extremely professional and very supportive! Wisner Baum is always available for any questions or concerns and treated me as though I’m the most important client they have!
Judith Miller
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
I have worked with Wisner Baum for over a decade and find their attorneys and staff to be the most knowledgeable professionals in personal physical injury cases.
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum was sincere and understanding from the beginning! Wisner Baum demonstrates ethics and integrity, holding pharmaceutical manufacturers and companies accountable who knowingly injure innocent people for greed!
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum has been exceptionally professional and attentive. My questions are answered quickly and with expertise.
Sue Shears
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum has treated me so good. I would recommend them to anyone that needs them. Very professional and courteous.
Anna Alessandro
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
My experience with Wisner Baum has given me tremendous confidence by their knowledge and professionalism. I have carefully studied many other law firms, and by thoroughly reviewing their experience and reviews, I know I’ve made the best decision by selecting Wisner Baum with the highest qualified kind staff in the entire country. I’m very impressed with them. I am confident they will achieve the greatest results regarding my settlement. I highly recommend Wisner Baum.
Craig Groth
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum is the best law firm in the US. They are an advocate's law firm. Not only do they want to hold the companies accountable for the harms or tragedies, but they also want to work to change the system that created or allowed this harm. They work hard to expose bad behavior and people within the organizations as well as get internal company documents made public. Litigation is the only way to get inside these companies and why it is important that they also see themselves as part of the solutions. Wisner Baum absolutely knows the responsibility they have in righting a broken system.
Kim Witczak
Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Wisner Baum attorneys are extremely talented, competent, and hardworking professionals. They have a winning team, as shown by the track record of their successes.
Tara Tabatabaie – Sill Law
Aviation Law
I have worked as an expert witness for Wisner Baum for aircraft-related cases and have found them to be one of the most professional, thorough, attentive and responsive firms I have ever worked with. I would recommend and refer any prospective client I come across to them for aircraft accident-related cases.
Colin Sommer – Aeroscope, Inc.

Rankings

Regional Rankings

Los Angeles
Tier 1 for Aviation Law
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
San Francisco
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier 2 for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Aviation Law
  • Civil Rights Law
  • Consumer Protection Law
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Railroad Law
  • Transportation Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Wisner Baum, PC has 6 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Wisner Baum, PC eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
Spinning circle
{{ practiceAreaName }}
{{ lawyer.FirstName[0] }}{{ lawyer.LastName[0] }} {{ lawyer.FirstName[0] }}{{ lawyer.LastName[0] }} {{ lawyer.Locations[0].City }}{{lawyer.Locations[0].StateCode ? ', ' + lawyer.Locations[0].StateCode : '' }}

Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Spinning circle
{{ comment.ClientFullName + (comment.ClientTitle ? ", " : "") }} {{ comment.ClientTitle }} – {{ comment.ClientCompanyName }}

Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • National Trial Lawyers of America - Top 10 Aviation Trial Lawyers
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers 2019- 2023
  • California Powerhouse - Regional Powerhouse Series 2021, Law360
  • National Trial Lawyers of America - Top 10 Trucking Lawyers
  • Best Wrongful Death Lawyers of Los Angeles, Tim Loranger and Stephanie Sherman | Forbes Advisor
  • Clarence Darrow Award 2021, R. Brent Wisner | Mass Torts Made Perfect
  • The Top Southern California Personal Injury Attorneys, R. Brent Wisner and Michael Baum | Los Angeles Times
  • National Trial Lawyers of America - Civil Plaintiff Top 40 Under 40
  • 2019 Trial Team of the Year | The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
  • California Top 100 Lawyers 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, R. Brent Wisner | Daily Journal
  • Titan’s of the Plaintiffs Bar, R. Brent Wisner | Law 360
  • Elite Trial Lawyers, First Place Mass Tort Litigation, 2019 | National Law Journal, ALM Media
  • Elite Trial Lawyers, First Place Pharmaceutical Litigation, 2018 | National Law Journal, ALM Media
  • America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers, R. Brent Wisner | National Law Journal, Trial Lawyer Magazine
  • Winning Litigators, R. Brent Wisner | National Law Journal
  • The Best Lawyers in America
  • Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
  • U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms
  • AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale Hubbell®
  • National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers
  • Leader's Forum, The American Association for Justice
  • Aviation Counsel Magazine's List of Recommended High Flyers
  • National Air Disaster Foundation Safety Award
  • Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award, Honor Based on Client Review Ratings
  • Avvo.com Superb Score 10 out of 10
  • Southern California Super Lawyers
  • Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars
  • Avvo Clients’ Choice Award
  • Nation’s Top One Percent, National Association of Distinguished Counsel
  • Top 10 Most Impressive Plaintiff Verdicts of 2018 | Courtroom View Network

Main Location

Los Angeles, CA
11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 1750
Los Angeles, CA 90025
United States
855-948-5098 Get Directions

Office Locations

Greenbrae, CA
100 Drakes Landing Road, Suite 160
Greenbrae, CA 94904
United States
415-873-4775 Get Directions
Washington, DC
2101 L Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20037
United States
202-759-2225 Get Directions

Contacts

Marketing Department
Robin McCall 310-207-3233

Significant Matters

Below are matters chosen by the firm to highlight.

Our law firm has taken on the Zantac cancer litigation after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is investigating Zantac cancer risks after testing of certain Zantac (ranitidine hydrochloride) tablets found the commonly-used heartburn medication contains a cancer-causing chemical up to 3,000 times greater than the FDA’s daily intake limit. The carcinogenic chemical present in Zantac is known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (“NDMA”).

Learn more here: https://www.wisnerbaum.com/blog/2022/september/zantac-cancer-lawyers-file-lawsuits-for-over-7-0/

We also continue to handle commercial transportation accidents involving aviation, boat, bus, Lyft, train, truck and Uber accidents, as well as litigation involving class actions, pharmaceutical product liability, agricultural mass torts and whistleblower claims.

Find the Best Law Firms
Search for a Law Firm
Search our directory of over 16,000 firms across the Globe.
Search
Is Your Law Firm Ranked?
Enhance your firm's reputation and visibility with our marketing opportunities.
Marketing Opportunities
Ranked Practice Areas
See the practice areas included in our Best Law Firms research.
Practice Areas