John F. McCarthy, Esq.

I was born and raised in Salinas. My Mom’s family lived in San Jose, but had a cabin near Santa Cruz, that we’d visit often. My parents lived in SLO when they got married, and had my eldest sister. So, we spent a lot of time visiting their old stomping grounds. I worked at a law firm in high school, and absolutely hated it, and so I knew I didn’t want to be a lawyer. But, I knew I wanted to help people.

I ended up at UC Davis, as a neurobiology, physiology, and behavioral sciences major. I was convinced I wanted to become a doctor. My freshman year came and went, and I lost my student housing, and I needed a summer job. A family friend in Salinas was a renowned trial lawyer, taking on civil litigation, and criminal defense cases. One day he asked my parents what I was doing. They told him I was pre-med. He told them I needed to be a lawyer and that I should come work for him. Since I still didn’t have a job, I gave him a call, and asked if I could have a job. He interviewed me, and hired me. He wanted to show me that law could be fun. He succeeded. I spent my next three years at Davis working for him, and taking classes to get myself ready for law school. I worked hard, but had fun, and met my future wife before graduation.

I moved to San Diego for law school. I excelled in “practical” classes where we focused on practicing law. I met this crazy guy named Clay Griessmeyer and I continued to work for the same firm back home. I graduated law school, and moved up to San Jose to study for the bar at Santa Clara. I lived a Spartan existence, sleeping on my sister’s couch, studying, and working out. I passed the bar, and was admitted to the California Bar in 2007. I went to work practicing law at that same firm back home.

Unfortunately, things were changing, and they needed me to take on divorce cases. I was set to get married, and that really wasn’t for me. So, I went to work for an employment defense firm, representing large agricultural employers from Watsonville, Salinas, Paso Robles, Santa Maria, and even Santa Barbara. But, I still wanted to help people, so I decided to open my own firm, representing employees. My wife and I moved back to San Diego, where we saw more opportunity, and I hung out my shingle.

I knew what it was like working for a big firm, representing big companies, and so I knew I’d have to fight smart, and fight hard, to get my clients the justice they deserved. I started taking on cases other lawyers scoffed at, and I did a good job on them. Before long, I was getting recognized as one of the top young attorneys in San Diego, one of the top 40 labor and employment lawyers under 40 in the United States, one of the top 40 lawyers under 40 in the United States, a top attorney on Avvo, and a SuperLawyer in Labor and Employment, and Personal Injury Law.

I focused my practice on age discrimination, disability discrimination, and whistleblower retaliation. I started representing a lot of nursing home employees in whistleblower retaliation claims. That led to helping people with elder abuse claims. The elder abuse claims got me thinking about doing more personal injury work, which would allow me to work more with my best friend from law school, Clay. Clay developed a successful personal injury practice in Wisconsin, mostly representing cyclists hurt or killed in bike accidents. So, I got admitted to practice law in Wisconsin.

Then, my wife and I welcomed our first child, and the pandemic happened. We realized how important “home” is, and so we moved back north, and settled down in Monterey County.

I know a lot of accident and employment lawyers advertise in the Central Coast. But, how many of those lawyers were born and raised here? How many have family here? How many call it home? How many have fought like hell for their clients, and have the awards and the record of success I have? I’m betting none. If you have lost a loved one, or been injured in an accident, I want to help however, I can. So, please fill out a free case evaluation so we can start the process.