Kenneth S. Perri

Kenneth S. Perri is Managing Partner of the firm's San Diego, Carlsbad and Ontario offices and one of grsm's most tenured attorneys, having been with the firm for over 26 years.  During his early years at the firm, he second chaired trials with name partner Miles Scully and first chaired/arbitrated over 40 cases. 

In the past 15 years he has successfully tried cases in Los Angeles and San Diego for several large firm clients, has obtained many favorable rulings on dispositive motions, and has successfully argued nine cases on appeal, with two published opinions.  He currently litigates and manages all general liability claims nationwide for a well-respected health club. 

His successes, along with his work ethic and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction, resulted in his appointment to Director of the firm's General Liability practice group in Southern California in 2001.  Ken prides himself on being the most responsive partner possible to his clients and knowing his clients’ business as well as they do.  He specializes in the litigation of tort defense and product liability, as well as defense of professionals.

When not in the office Ken spends time giving back to the community – he is  a board member (18 years) for a local non-profit organization that provides pre-school education for children of low income families, and he participates in local events for the Special Olympics.   

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Memberships

• San Diego County Bar Association

Representative Experience

Examples of Ken’s recent experience include the following:

• Recently obtained defense verdict for health club client and individual club manager against allegations of assault, battery and discrimination.
• Recently obtained dismissal with prejudice of North America’s Largest Integrated Intermodal Services Provider relative to serious personal injury claim, including brain injury.
• Reached successful settlement of McDonald’s “hot coffee” case following five-day jury trial. Plaintiff accepted defendant’s pre-trial nominal settlement offer (when previously demanded seven figures) at close of evidence.
• Obtained dismissal on behalf of client, a world leader in residential and commercial pool supplies, in case involving claims of serious personal injuries sustained by minor child when hair was caught in a sauna pump.
• Recently obtained summary judgment on a seven figure claim involving a plaintiff who claimed serious injury while playing basketball at his client’s Health Club. He has also recently successfully settled several seven figure traumatic brain injury cases and successfully resolved a contentious toxic tort case that was in litigation for over six years, included over 60 percipient witness and expert witness depositions and involved a 42-year-old plaintiff who admittedly would never work again. This toxic tort case settled for just above seven figures despite plaintiffs’ settlement demand at mediation never coming below $7 million.
• Obtained defense verdict for a health club client after a jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. The plaintiff was a 70-year-old retired Los Angeles city school teacher who suffered a broken bone in her foot and bulging disk in her back as a result of an accident at the client’s health club. The plaintiff claimed that the health club negligently maintained the gym equipment and left a treadmill running and wet without posting warning signs. Plaintiff claimed over $200,000 in special damages. After a five-day trial, the jury returned a 12-0 defense verdict. The plaintiff's motion for new trial was denied.
• Obtained defense verdict, following four-day jury trial, for security client whose employee was charged with assault and battery during an incident that resulted in allegations of significant personal injuries to plaintiff. Plaintiff's claim also involved negligent hiring/retention against the security company.
• Obtained a successful result for a client following four-day jury trial involving case of admitted liability. The plaintiff, a 12-year-old girl, suffered personal injuries when her car was struck by defendant drunk driver. After admitting liability, the case focused medical expert testimony relative to plaintiff injuries and damages. Despite having special damages of $36,000, the jury awarded plaintiff only $2,000 in general damages.
• Successfully argued eight cases in Fourth District Court of Appeal, including one case which resulted in a published opinion that required a plaintiff to demonstrate that it is very likely to prevail on the claim for punitive damages before a court will grant pre-trial discovery of defendant's financial condition (Jabro v. Superior Court (2002) 95 Cal. App. 4th 754).
• Convinced the California Supreme Court to deny plaintiffs’ petition for review, thus maintaining an appellate victory in a published opinion granting an Anti-SLAPP motion on client's behalf. The primary issue on appeal was whether a plaintiff who succeeded on two of three causes of action at trial could sever those two causes of action from the entire complaint and subsequently pursue a malicious prosecution action based on those two causes of action alone. The Fourth District Court of Appeal upheld the Trial Court’s granting of defendant’s anti-SLAPP motion and ruled that in order for a plaintiff to pursue a malicious prosecution action, the party must be considered the prevailing party as to the entire complaint. The Court of Appeal held that plaintiff in those circumstances could not establish the favorable termination element of a malicious prosecution action, so the granting of the Anti-SLAPP motion by the trial court was proper.  

Education

J.D., California Western School of Law, 1990

B.S., University of Dayton, 1987

Honors

Top Rated Lawyer-AV® Preeminent™,
Martindale-Hubbell

Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2023-2025)