John Kristensen is the founder of Kristensen Law Group, established in 2013 after his tenure at two of California’s top plaintiffs’ law firms. His firm is dedicated to providing personalized care for clients navigating the challenges of litigation. Mr. Kristensen serves as of counsel to EKSM for data breach cases in California and Massachusetts.
In the past three years alone, Mr. Kristensen has secured notable plaintiffs’ verdicts in both State and Federal Courts, including:
- $5.5 million in a business dispute,
- $8.9 million in an assault case,
- $175,000 – wrongful termination case involving disability discrimination (sickle cell anemia), and
- $400,000 for two employees in a wage theft case.
His work has been featured by Good Morning America, USA Today, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, KNBC, and the Daily Journal. Recognized for his relentless advocacy, the Daily Journal named him one of California’s top five “Associates to Watch” in its annual “20 Under 40” edition, where he was the sole plaintiffs’ attorney on the list. He has also been honored as a Super Lawyers’ Rising Star for Southern California for three consecutive years.
Mr. Kristensen has a broad range of litigation experience, including employment disputes, wrongful death cases, and securing hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements for clients. He has successfully litigated against major corporations such as NBC, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Ford, Toyota, and General Motors.
While at Strange & Carpenter, he contributed to high-profile class action cases, including bellwether trials for Toyota’s sudden acceleration litigation. Notably, Mr. Kristensen uncovered critical evidence in a 2005 Toyota steering relay rod recall, prompting a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation. His findings led to Toyota paying a $16 million fine and resulted in a precedent-setting order requiring Toyota executives to appear for depositions in California.
Before founding his firm, Mr. Kristensen practiced with O’Reilly || Collins, focusing on catastrophic injury cases in aviation and automobile product liability. He has also represented clients in landmark consumer protection cases and class actions.
A Massachusetts native, Mr. Kristensen now resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and three children. He is licensed to practice in California and Massachusetts.
Mr. Kristensen continues to champion justice for individuals and families, holding corporations accountable and fighting for his clients’ rights.
