Of Counsel

John V. Hager is one of the founding partners of Hager & Dowling. Prior to retirement he maintained an active insurance defense practice with a particular emphasis on bad faith, insurance coverage and appeals. He also handled catastrophic injury and fatality cases. John remains a consultant and mentor to Hager & Dowling.

Born in Elkhart, Indiana, he attended the University of Southern California where he received both his undergraduate degree in 1971, graduating magna cum laude, and his juris doctor in 1974. While attending USC he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. He was admitted to the California and Federal bar in 1974. He has successfully tried over a hundred cases before juries and judges in California. Mr. Hager has also served as pro hac vice counsel in other states, including Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Washington.

As a Diplomate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Mr. Hager has served as a Faculty member of the American Board of Trial Advocates Trial Advocacy School and has been a member for over 20 years. Martindale-Hubbell has peer-rated Mr. Hager AV, the highest rating for legal ability and professional ethics for over 25 years. His professional memberships also include the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute. He has lectured on a variety of litigation and insurance matter and has served as a settlement officer, arbitrator and judge pro tem in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles. He is an active member of the Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo County Bar Associations.

Mr. Hager has been involved in the drafting and submission of various pieces of legislation related to insurance and legal procedures.

In addition to his active trial practice, Mr. Hager has been lead counsel on many appeals, including the following published decisions:

1. Floyd Neal & Associates, Inc. vs. Superior Court (1977) 72 Cal.App.3d 734

2. Metro U.S. Services, Inc. vs. City of Los Angeles (1979) 96 Cal.App.3d 678

3. Nolan vs. Redevelopment Agency of City of Burbank (1981) 117 Cal.App.3d 494

4. Biggs vs. California Insurance Guarantee Association (1981) 126 Cal.App.3d 641

5. Bisetti vs. United Refrigeration Corporation (1985) 174 Cal.App.3d 643

6. Pulver vs. Avco Financial Services (1986) 182 Cal.App.3d 622

7. Hastie v. American Agri-Corp. (1991) 774 F.Supp. 1251 (C.D.Cal.)

8. Roman vs. Unigard Insurance Group (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 177

9. Hitchcock vs. Mercury Insurance Company (1997) 54 Cal.App.4th 303

10. Ziman vs. Fireman=s Fund Insurance Company (1999) 73 Cal.App.4th 1382

11. California Automobile Insurance Company v. Estate of John Hogan (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 1292

12. City of Los Angeles v. Allianz Insurance Company (2004) 125 Cal.App.4th 287

13. TRB Investments, Inc. v. Fireman=s Fund Insurance Company (2006) 40 Cal.4th 19

14. Allstate Insurance Company v. Mercury Insurance Company (2007) 151 C.A. 4th 1512

15. Bouton v. USAA Casualty Insurance Company (2008) 43 Cal.4th 1190 (Amicus Curiae)

16. Mercury Insurance Company v. Pearson 2009 169 Cal.App.4^th 1064

17. Sprinkles v. Associated Indemnity Corporation (2010) 188 Cal.App.4^th 69

18. Corenbaum v. Lampkin (2013) 215 Cal.App.4th 1308

19. Reid v. Mercury Insurance Company (2013) 220 Cal.App.4^th 262

20. Graciano v. Mercury General Corp. (2014) 231 Cal.App.4^th 414