Theo J. Emison
— Veen Firm Partner —
Theo is a fourth generation trial lawyer – his great grandfather served as the Presiding Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, as well as a State Senator, his grandfather practiced law until he was 92, and his father served as president of both the Tennessee Trial Lawyers’ Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. Driving around with his dad during the holidays visiting clients made a lasting impression on Theo. Without fail, every person who came to the door during those trips hugged his dad like he was the best friend they had ever had. Their appreciation for his work was clear. It was that ability to make a real difference in the life of a client that drew Theo into the practice of law. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of San Francisco School of Law, Theo began his legal career at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, an internationally respected litigation firm. At Brobeck and its successor firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Theo handled complex business litigation and class action matters and gained invaluable insight into the defense strategy – insight he uses to offer his clients superb representation and results.
Theo represents plaintiffs in personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases. He litigates each of his cases as if it is headed to trial and consistently achieves superior results. Theo has successfully obtained jury verdicts or arbitration awards in medical malpractice, wrongful death, auto accident, and personal injury cases. In 2008, Theo obtained the third-largest arbitration award against Kaiser Permanente in California that year, despite a $0.00 offer. Progressing to numerous seven figure resolutions during his career, in 2019, Theo closed the largest case of his career at just over $35,000,000.
In 2009, 2010, 2011 and again in 2012, Theo was selected by California Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star” in personal injury litigation, an honor bestowed on less than 2 1/2% of the attorneys in California under the age of 40. Beginning in 2013 and continuing in each subsequent year of his career, Theo was selected as a “Super Lawyer,” an honor bestowed on less than 5% of practicing attorneys in the State.
An active member of state and local trial lawyer organizations, Theo has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Consumer Attorneys of California and the CAOC Kaiser Committee as well as on the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Kaiser Sub-Committee. Both the CAOC and SFTLA organizations are dedicated to the advancement and protection of consumer safety, civil rights, and the rule of law.
Notable Recoveries
$36,000,000
Will Contest
Settlement — relatives of a reclusive millionaire successfully challenge authenticity of will.
$5,266,000
Medical Malpractice
Settlement — birth defects case alleging medication administration errors.
$5,000,000
Personal Injury (Moped Crash)
Settlement — moped crash involving abandoned train tracks results in CRPS.
$4,500,000
Wrongful Death (Moped Crash, CCSF)
Settlement — fatal moped accident involving exposed muni rail.
$3,250,000
Medical Malpractice
Settlement — hypoxic brain injury following removal of cardiac monitors.
$3,000,000
Medical Malpractice (Wrongful Birth)
Settlement — wrongful birth claim alleging failure to provide prenatal testing.
$3,000,000
Medical Malpractice (Cruise Line Indemnity)
Settlement — indemnity claim alleging failure to provide prenatal testing.
$1,400,000
Medical Malpractice (Child Wrongful Death)
Settlement — wrongful death of a 7-year-old girl involving delayed ambulance transfer.
$1,112,213
Personal Injury (Construction Site)
Verdict — Sprinkler fitter tore ACL after unsafe ramp conditions at SFO worksite.
$972,267
Personal Injury (Motorcycle)
Verdict — Motorcyclist suffered compound femur fracture after car made illegal left turn.
$827,901
Medical Malpractice (Kaiser)
Arbitration Award — Failure to diagnose hypercalcemia caused deputy’s wrongful death.
$535,000
Personal Injury (Dog Attack)
Verdict — Pedestrian attacked by two pit bulls; permanent facial scarring.
$482,500
Personal Injury (Rear-End Collision)
Verdict — Teacher rear-ended, suffered herniated disc and chronic pain.
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Wrongful Death
- Auto crashes
- Bicycle crashes
- Motorcycle crashes
- Trucking crashes
Bar Admissions
- California, 2000
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 2000
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 2000
Education
- University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California
- J.D. – 2000
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- B.A. – 1995
- Major: Philosophy
Classes & Seminars
- Co-Chair of the Consumer Attorneys of California Kaiser Arbitration Seminar, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2012
- Presenter at the Consumer Attorneys of California Kaiser Arbitration Seminar, Consumer Attorneys of California
- Evaluation and Selection of ‘Neutral’ Arbitrators in Kaiser Arbitrations, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2011
- Kaiser Arbitrations: Even The Playing Field. What You Need To Know To Handle A Kaiser Med Mal Arbitration, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2010
- Selecting An Arbitrator And Navigating Kaiser’s Medical Record Keeping System, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2010
Honors & Awards
- Profile in December 2017 issue of Plaintiff Magazine.
- Martindale Hubbell Peer Review AV Preeminent Rating
- Best Lawyers in America
- Finalist for Consumer Attorneys of California’s “Street Fighter” of the Year Award
- Selected by California Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star” in Personal Injury Litigation 2009-2012
- Selected by California Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Super Lawyer” in Personal Injury Litigation 2013-Present
Associations & Memberships
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Member & Former Board of Governors
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Member & Chair of the ADR Kaiser Committee
Previous Positions
- Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, Associate Attorney, 2000 to 2005
- Emison Cooper & Cooper LLP, Founding Partner, 2005 to 2021
Pro Bono Activities
- Legal Aid of Marin, Board of Directors, 2008 to 2011
- Surfrider Foundation, Active Member and Volunteer, 2005 to Present
- Marin County Lawyers in the Library, 2024 – Present
Ready to Help
Consult with the team about your situation.
Contact
Address: 20 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours
Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 5pm
Sat, Sun: Closed
Attorneys
Veen Firm 2026