Armenian-American attorneys Shant Karnikian and Gary Partamian of Kabateck LLP have been elected to the 2026 Board of Directors of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Their election marks a significant achievement for both the legal profession and the Armenian community, as they step into influential leadership roles within one of the most powerful advocacy organizations in the state.
The Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) serves as the voice for California’s 39 million residents, empowering attorneys who fight for justice on behalf of those who have been wronged and working to protect consumers from corporate misconduct and negligence. CAOC is a professional organization with nearly 3,000 plaintiff lawyers who stand up for plaintiffs seeking accountability from corporate and government wrongdoers. Its members represent victims of defective products, discrimination, negligence, and other misconduct, while maintaining a strong legislative presence in Sacramento to ensure the courts remain accessible.
As board members, Karnikian and Partamian will play a vital role in shaping legal strategies and legislative advocacy efforts that safeguard consumer rights across the state. This milestone not only elevates their professional standing but also reflects the growing impact of Armenian-Americans in shaping California’s legal and civic landscape. Both attorneys are deeply rooted in Armenian culture and have mentored numerous Armenian law students. Their track records of multimillion-dollar recoveries and public-interest work promise to bring a powerful voice for fairness to CAOC and to the millions of Californians the organization serves.
Kabateck LLP – A Plaintiff’s Firm with Billions in Recoveries
Kabateck LLP, one of California’s leading plaintiff law firms, expressed pride in the announcement, congratulating their managing partner Shant Karnikian and fellow attorney Gary Partamian on this prestigious recognition. The firm has recovered over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients, with landmark results including $500+ million in personal-injury awards, $300 million in class-action recoveries, $300 million in consumer settlements and $500 million in insurance-bad-faith cases. From 2021 to 2022 alone, Kabateck secured $169.5 million in wildfire recoveries for homeowners, renters and businesses, and as class counsel in a major case against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, obtained $100 million in financial relief for ratepayers. The firm’s founder, Brian Kabateck, was recently recognized by the Los Angeles Times as a 2025 Consumer Attorney Visionary for landmark settlements including $4.037 billion for victims of the Maui wildfires and $1.8 billion in the Southern California gas-leak litigation, as well as for co-authoring pivotal legislation such as the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Shant Karnikian – A Litigator with Record-Setting Results
Shant Karnikian, managing partner at Kabateck LLP, has recovered more than $100 million for clients in cases involving insurance bad faith, catastrophic personal injury and consumer class actions. An Armenian American born and raised in Los Angeles, he rose from law clerk to managing partner in 2024 and has earned recognition as a Daily Journal Top 100 Lawyer, Los Angeles Times Consumer Attorney Visionary, and Los Angeles Business Journal Leader of Influence. His notable results include a $56 million settlement for families facing unsafe housing conditions and a $39.5 million jury verdict after an 11-week trial. Beyond litigation, Karnikian mentors law students, serves on nonprofit boards that provide legal aid to vulnerable communities, and frequently speaks and writes on trial strategy, insurance bad faith and legislative developments.
Gary Partamian – Champion for Abuse Survivors and Consumer Rights
Gary Partamian, Senior Associate at Kabateck LLP, focuses on sexual-abuse cases, mass torts, catastrophic personal injury and insurance bad faith. A Loyola Law School graduate with first honors in California Civil Procedure, he has helped secure more than $99 million in claims for victims of the 2018 Camp Fire and co-counseled a $72.8 million settlement for residents impacted by the Aliso Canyon gas blowout. He has also obtained multimillion-dollar settlements for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and catastrophic injury victims. Within CAOC, he has served as public relations chair (2023), secretary (2024) and political chair (2025) of the New Lawyers Division, reflecting his growing leadership in consumer advocacy.
