Personal Injury
Serious-injury and wrongful-death claims arising from car accidents, premises liability, dog bites, and other negligence. Contingency representation — no fee unless there's a recovery.
San Diego · Civil Litigation
Careful, prepared advocacy when the stakes are personal.
Howard Bruno represents clients in personal injury, professional malpractice, and employment disputes throughout San Diego County and across California.
The Firm
BigLaw training. Solo-practice attention.
Howard built his foundation as a litigator at Latham & Watkins in New York — one of the most demanding training grounds in the profession — before opening his own practice in San Diego. The result is a firm that brings the rigor and preparation of a large-firm litigation team, with the responsiveness, judgment, and direct attention that only a solo practice can offer.
Every matter is handled by Howard personally. There is no junior associate learning on your dime, and no partner you'll meet only at the pitch and again at the bill.
Practice Areas
Where the firm focuses.
Professional Malpractice
Claims against lawyers, accountants, financial advisors, real estate brokers, and other professionals who fall below the standard of care. Plaintiff-side, document-intensive, expert-driven work.
Employment Disputes
Wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, wage-and-hour, whistleblower, and severance matters — representing employees and former employees under California's strong worker-protection laws.
What Our Clients Say
In their words.
A few words from clients the firm has had the privilege of representing.
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“Howard listened more carefully than any lawyer I'd spoken to. He told me what I was up against, told me what he could and couldn't do, and then did exactly what he said he would.”
— Personal injury client, San Diego
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“We came to Howard after another firm had let our case stall for almost a year. Within a month he had the matter moving again and had a clear plan. The result spoke for itself.”
— Professional malpractice client
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“Honest from the first phone call. He told me my case was harder than I thought it was, and he was right. We still got a result I'm grateful for — and I trust the advice he gave me along the way.”
— Employment client, North County
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“Howard treats the case like it's his. You can feel it in every email, every call, every filing. That's rare.”
— Small-business owner, San Diego
Insights
Thoughts on the law.
Occasional pieces on developments in California civil litigation — written for non-lawyers as much as for fellow lawyers.
Personal Injury
The First 48 Hours After a Serious Injury
What to do, what to keep, and what to be careful about saying — whether or not you've decided to talk to a lawyer.
Professional Malpractice
What “Standard of Care” Actually Means
The phrase comes up in every malpractice case. Here's what it really requires — and what it doesn't.
Employment
Reading a Severance Agreement
The clauses to look for, the ones worth pushing back on, and when to call a lawyer before you sign.
How We Work
Direct, prepared, and honest about what your case looks like.
Litigation is expensive, slow, and unpredictable. A good lawyer's first job is to tell you the truth about that — then help you decide whether to fight, settle, or walk. From the first call, you'll get an honest read on your matter and a clear sense of what the path looks like.
When the matter does call for litigation, you'll get the level of preparation Howard learned at Latham: every motion thoroughly briefed, every deposition fully outlined, every argument anticipated.