About Scott Bonzell

ph-scott-bonzellScott Bonzell has practiced civil litigation since 1986. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (A.B., 1983) and the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law (J.D., 1986), Mr. Bonzell has extensive experience in a broad range of litigation fields.

His current practice focuses on bodily injuries, construction defects, employment claims and insurance coverage disputes, including claims of insurance bad faith. He also represents clients in matters involving professional malpractice, police misconduct, real estate non-disclosure, unfair competition, and a wide array of commercial disputes.

Mr. Bonzell began his career as a defense lawyer, working at Popelka, Allard, McCowan & Jones (San Jose) and Gordon & Rees, LLP (San Francisco), where he was named partner in 1993. In that capacity, he represented clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. Since 1997, however, his practice has primarily involved representation of persons seeking redress for injuries and other losses. His prior work as a defense lawyer makes Mr. Bonzell an especially skillful advocate on behalf of his clients.

Mr. Bonzell has represented clients in state, federal and appellate courts throughout California, and has tried cases in eight of the nine of the San Francisco Bay Area counties. He has also served as counsel in hundreds of arbitration proceedings. He has been recognized as one of Northern California’s “Super Lawyers” each year since 2010.

scott-debbieIn addition to his litigation work, Mr. Bonzell has often traveled overseas to conduct training in discovery, trial practice and mediation for insurance claims personnel in the London insurance market. He also regularly serves as a mediator to assist others in resolving their disputes short of trial.

Out of the courtroom, Mr. Bonzell devotes much of his time to coaching youth baseball. In 2006, he founded BALL Summer Camp, which provides summer baseball instruction and activities for hundreds of East Bay children each year. Mr. Bonzell lives in Oakland with his wife and their three sons.

“We cannot thank you enough for all of your help.  You and your professionalism changed my and my mother’s perspective of lawyers and the legal process.  You were honest, reliable, communicative, thorough and transparent.  What you were able to recover for my mother far exceeded our expectations.  The settlement was life changing.  We will happily recommend you to anyone seeking a trustworthy attorney for their legal issues.”


- Gena H.

"I was referred to Scott Bonzell for a personal injury case and received an excellent result. He far exceeded my expectations by providing a personal and skillful representation. His competence, confidence and patience supported me when the going got rough, and I understood that he was on my side every step of the way. His sense of humor lightened the process, as did the mutual respect evident with other attorneys. I completely trust his skills and negotiating abilities, and am very grateful to him both personally and as my lawyer."
 
- Judith J.
"Scott A. Bonzell represented me in a person injury case. I found him to be a very ethical, caring and professional counselor. He negotiated a settlement that exceeded my expectations, while keeping his share and expenses at a minimum. I could not have been more pleased with the results and manner in which he handled every aspect of my case. Scott is a friend!"
 
- Earl W.

Scott Bonzell represented me in an automobile personal injury case where I suffered considerable soft tissue injury and trauma.  He was very direct and low key. He made no promises, but won an award far greater than any I could have hoped for and far far greater than the norm for such cases.


 - Louis S.

At age ninety, I had never had an experience with a lawyer before except during my divorce fifty years ago. I felt an immediate alliance with Scott Bonzell. Upon the recommendation of others and based my own judgement after our interview, I decided I could trust this man with my case. I found him to be a true professional in every sense. When asking questions on-line, I received an immediate response within the same day and always kept me up-to-date. He kept my worries at bay and I will always be grateful for his excellent work and, of course, the successful conclusion to my lawsuit.

Easter J.
I was referred to Scott by a friend of mine who is an attorney and had a case against Scott. He told me that Scott Bonzell thoroughly trounced him and his client in court, and that Scott was extremely smart. I contacted Scott and we proceeded to spend plenty of quality time together preparing a construction defect case against an owner-builder defendant. I have been in the commercial construction industry for the past 20 years dealing with all sorts of claims and attorneys, and I can tell you that my interaction with Scott was BY FAR the best attorney/client relationship I have ever experienced. Not only is Scott Bonzell an extremely competent attorney, he is also personable, friendly and funny too. The outcome was that we prevailed in our case, and I have also made a friend for life.
 
- Stephen N.

Thank you so very much for all of your help and support from beginning to end. You have truly been an advocate for our family.  You are an excellent lawyer, and a very caring person. Your dedication is greatly appreciated!


Jill M.

"Thanks for all your help. You have been great. This is probably the best lawyer experience I've ever had. You were very easy to work with. Thanks!"
 
- Sunil N.

Thanks to his experience and expertise, Scott Bonzell turned my entirely overwhelming situation into a no brainer!


 - Dan B.

Scott was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. He was respectful of my situation and my time. I always felt like I could trust him and he had my best interest at heart. He truly is a talented attorney and I always felt completely confident in his advice.
 
- Lauren P.
"Scott was a tremendous resource in a drawn out litigation. His ability to see through the perceived complexity, focus and communicate the real underlying issues to the defendant and their counsel was critical in achieving a positive outcome."
 
- Poojitha P.
Scott Bonzell handled my personal injury premise liability case, and I highly recommend him. His expertise and professionalism was proven time and time again. He is a master at negotiations, honest and a true pleasure to work. There is a reason Scott has made the SUPER LAWYERS list time and time again, he is the BEST! Scott is trustworthy, experienced and knowledgeable. He will work hard, be honest with clear communication along the way. You will not be disappointed if you hire him!

Karen L.

Scott is an unrelenting, dedicated professional whom I would recommend without hesitation. I am so grateful that through his perseverance, thoroughness, and attention to detail, my case was well represented and successful. His kindness and compassion are an added bonus to a partnership with Scott.


 - Susan E.

I worked with Scott Bonzell while he handled my personal injury case, and I would definitely recommend him. He is honest and ethical, works very hard and stays on top of your case, and most importantly is a good communicator. I have heard so many complaints from other people about their attorneys not returning their phone calls and e-mails, but I never had this problem. Scott always got back to me right away and answered all of my questions, and I was dealing with him directly each time, not with an assistant. It was a difficult situation with unpleasant circumstances and emotions running high, but I always felt that Scott and I were working together as a team on my case and that he was as determined to win as I was. And we did!
 
-Mary Beth B.
I turned to Scott when other law firms didn’t want to take my case. From the beginning when I met with him I knew Scott was the right attorney for me. He made it clear that I had a good case and in the end he was right and exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend Scott for his dedication to his clients and making sure he’s always available for them.
 
- Michael W.
"I would highly recommend Scott Bonzell. He was honest, easy to deal with and was always in my corner. He was very open and clear about every aspect of my case. Scott did not inflate my expectations, but dignified me with realistic perspectives. He also went the extra mile with other related issues that came up as a result of my accident."
 
-Cassandra H.

“I was so fortunate to have found Scott Bonzell.  He is a patient, diligent, kind and supportive attorney with a great sense of humor.  His expertise and hard work won my case!  Thank you, Scott!”


- Harriet N.

I’m not sure words of appreciation would ever equal the deep gratitude that I feel for your stewardship and support.  Thank you, Scott.  Tears come to my eyes full of that feeling of grace that you were there for me.

Alice D.
"We really do thank you for all your consideration and your unfailing perseverance throughout this long ordeal. During my darkest days it helped to know that someone was fighting for me. Dealing with (defense counsel) has made us realize how lucky we are having you for our attorney. I hope you know how thankful we are for all the timely, courteous and professional assistance you have provided us. Thank you very much for everything."
 
- Joyce and Richard S.
Scott Bonzell was an incredibly effective and thoughtful attorney to work with when our family needed help. Throughout the entire process, Scott made us feel comfortable and confident that he had our best interests in mind. He was patient, thorough and had the experience to solve our problems efficiently. Scott made the process less stressful than we could have imagined, and he delivered results that were far better than what we had been told to expect from several other reputable lawyers. We’d highly recommend working with Scott if you’d like to receive both a professional and humane approach when navigating legal issues. Thanks to Scott, our family had a second chance at success and life is good.

Kevin D.