Cynthia is a third generation California attorney. Her grandfather and father were both trial lawyers practicing in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. Cynthia followed suit receiving her Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, from Western State University College of Law in 1999. She earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Loma Linda University in 1985, where she graduated top in her class. Cynthia was employed as a registered nurse for 12 years, during which time she gained vast experience in the areas of critical and emergency care and nursing education.
Following a judicial externship to the Honorable David G. Sills, Presiding Justice, Court of Appeals, State of California, Division Three, Cynthia began her legal career in a small firm practicing appellate law. She received her initial litigation experience at Lopez, Hodes, Restaino, Milman & Skikos, practicing in the areas of medical malpractice, elder abuse, and pharmaceutical mass torts.
Before joining OnderLaw, Cynthia was a partner at Robinson Calcagnie, Inc., where she was a member of the trial team in many significant cases, including most notably, a talcum powder case against Johnson & Johnson that resulted in a $417 million verdict for her client. For her work in this case, she was awarded the prestigious California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) award in 2017.
Due to her extensive medical background and experience, Cynthia has been appointed to numerous plaintiff steering committees in mass tort litigation that manage complex multi-district litigation (MDL) arising from pharmaceutical drug, medical device defects and toxic torts. She has been appointed to MDL and state coordinated proceedings on national science and expert witness committees, at times serving as chair. Cynthia is often asked to speak at various meetings, including lawyer associations and mass tort committees and conferences. She has testified before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the proposal of labeling changes for approved drugs and biologic products.
Her awards and honors include the AV Preeminent Peer Review rating through LexisNexis Martindale Hubbell; The Nation’s Top One Percent; National Association of Distinguished Counsel; Southern California Super Lawyers; Top 50; Women Southern California Super Lawyers- Top List; Avvo.com Superb Score 10 out of 10; Rising Star; and listed, The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; and The Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers.
Currently, Cynthia is involved in trial preparation in all phases of mass tort cases involving pharmaceutical products and medical devices and is participating in the leadership of several California state-coordinated and federal multi-district litigations, including talcum powder products, Roundup, opioids, and IVC filters. She is also involved in the firm’s catastrophic personal injury cases.
Cynthia is admitted to practice before all of the courts of the State of California, United District Court, Central District of California, as well as the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of the State Bar of California, Orange County Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), Orange County Trial Lawyer Association (OCTLA), American Nursing Association, and The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA.)
