J. Todd Konold

Todd Konold serves as the practice group leader for the San Diego Environmental/Toxic Tort Practice Group. His practice focuses on several areas of civil litigation including toxic tort, product liability, landlord/tenant, environmental, and employment. Todd practices throughout the states of California and Texas and has been admitted to practice in specific cases in both federal and state courts in several additional states throughout the country, including Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.  

Todd’s experience includes defense of toxic tort claims involving alleged exposure to substances such as diacetyl, silica, benzene, asbestos, and other substances. His experience also includes defense of contractors in claims alleging improper asbestos abatement and mold remediation, breach of contract, and design and workmanship errors. Outside the environmental and toxic tort practice area, he defends retailers and manufacturers in product liability litigation, and handles premises liability cases.  Additionally, he represents employers in discrimination and harassment litigation and pre-litigation claims.  

Todd’s employment and labor experience includes wage and hour disputes, wrongful termination, harassment, and racial and age discrimination cases. 

Todd has successfully tried both jury and bench trials.  

Admissions

• California
• Texas
• U.S. District Courts, Southern and Central Districts of California

Memberships

• State Bar of California
• San Diego County Bar Association

Representative Experience

• Obtained a favorable trial result involving claims of negligence and products liability against the firm’s client, a seed manufacturer. After six days of trial, the jury found that there was not enough evidence to support the plaintiffs’ products liability claim and delivered a negligence verdict that was a mere fraction of the amount that Defendant offered in settlement and far less than the plaintiffs requested in their demands. Read more here. 
• Obtained a defense verdict in a seven-week jury trial in Riverside Superior Court, in which he defended claims of breach of contract, trespass, nuisance, unfair business practices and deceptive practices act claims.
• Completed a bench trial against the Port of Los Angeles regarding claims associated with contamination of berth and surrounding soil, sediment, and groundwater, which resulted in a successful verdict of less than two percent of the alleged damages.
• Tried a personal injury matter in Ventura County involving claims of exposure to pesticide overspray, resulting in alleged brain injuries.
• Won summary judgment motion on behalf of client in diacetyl case, in which plaintiffs alleged our client sold diacetyl to the plaintiffs’ employer. Plaintiffs sought millions of dollars in recovery for alleged injuries associated with exposure to diacetyl.
• Represented defendants in landlord/tenant case in which plaintiff tenants dismissed their case against our clients following the service of aggressive discovery requests and threat of dispositive motions. Nothing was paid to the plaintiffs as consideration for dismissal of their case.
• Obtained dismissal of case after filing of demurrer and motion to strike claims against client, architect, in case alleging improper design and construction of dental office. Nothing was paid to the plaintiff as consideration for dismissal of the case.

Publications

• Will Vaping Go Up In Smoke?, GRSM Legal Update, Republished by Lexology, April 2020
• Manufacturers May Face New Theory of Liability 
  Daily Journal, August 3, 2016

Education

J.D., University of San Diego School of Law, 2002

B.A., magna cum laude, Political Science, minor in Portuguese, San Diego State University, 1999

Honors

Top Attorney in Real Estate and Construction Litigation (2008, San Diego Daily Transcript)

• Spanish
• Portuguese