Howard P. Brody is a Senior Litigation Counsel in the Los Angeles office. After attending New York University on scholarship where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History, he attended the City University of New York where he obtained a Master’s in Business Administration.

After completing his service in the United States Army, he took a position as the Labor Relations officer for Crown Zellerbach’s Flexible Packaging Division while attending Southwestern University School of Law during the evenings, graduating in the top 10% of his class.

Mr. Brody then joined the Anaheim City Attorney’s office as a Deputy City Attorney.  He was primarily responsible for the defense and litigation of cases filed against the City, its employees, and its departments. After approximately five years, he joined the trial team at Santa Fe Industries, the holding company for the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. In that role, his caseload consisted of approximately 60% wrongful death lawsuits.

He then received a political appointment to head up a civil litigation team of 15 attorneys as the Chief Deputy County Counsel in San Diego. From there he joined a boutique law firm, where he had a successful trial practice for seventeen years and became a named and managing partner.

Mr. Brody then spent over seven years trying cases involving product liability, premises liability, and high-exposure automobile negligence cases for Hartford Insurance. Thereafter he joined the Fidelity National Law Group where he was assigned major exposure cases dealing with escrow negligence, title insurance, and the defense of insureds in both commercial and residential lawsuits.

Prior to joining Phillips, Spallas & Angstadt LLP, Mr. Brody was General Counsel-Litigation defending numerous single-purpose ownership entities of apartment complexes and property management companies in litigation involving claims relating to habitability, premises liability, and negligence as well as contract disputes with vendors.

In January 2024, the San Marino City Council appointed Mr. Brody to serve as a Trustee representing the San Marino district on the Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District (GLAVCD). The agency is a public health agency that provides ongoing mosquito and vector control throughout Los Angeles County and plays an important role in protecting residents from vector-born diseases like West Nile virus.

During his long career, Mr. Brody has had over 70 jury trials to verdict as well as over 200 bench trials. Mr. Brody is admitted to practice in the State of California, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern, Southern, and Central Districts.

Honors

  • Commissioner and Chair of the San Marino Planning Commission (2003-Present)
  • Chair of the San Marino Design Review Committee (1989-1994)
  • Director of the Coalition for Clean Air (1992-1993)

Mr. Brody’s published opinions include:

  • Candid Enterprises, Inc. v. Grossmont Union High School District (1985) 218 Cal. Rptr. 303
  • City of Anaheim v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (1981) 116 Cal. App. 3d 248
  • City of San Marcos v. Board of Supervisors of San Diego County (1984) 159 Cal. App. 3d 355, 205 Cal. Rptr. 566
  • Conservatorship, B. Fadley (San Diego County, Dept. of Mental Health) v. B. Fadley (1984) 159 Cal. App. 3d 440
  • County of San Diego v. Lafayette Steel Company (1985) 164 Cal. App. 3d 690
  • County of San Diego v. State Board of Control (1984) 161 Cal. App. 3d 868, 207 Cal. Rptr. 886
  • Estate of Ray C. Goddard, et al. v. Betty Elizabeth CULP, et al. (1984) 157 Cal. App. 3d 340
  • In re Maria V. (San Diego Dept. of Social Services) v. Elizabeth V. (1985) 167 Cal. App. 3d 1099, 213 Cal. Rptr. 733
  • Mahoney, Patrick v. Board of Trustees of San Diego Community College District (1985) 168 Cal. App. 3d 789
  • Social Services Union v. County of San Diego (1984) 158 Cal. App. 3d 1126
  • Vander Lind, et al. v. The Superior Court of Orange County (1983) 146 Cal. App. 3d 358