Introduction
When the U.S. EPA formally banned asbestos in 2024, Brayton Purcell LLP had already spent decades building one of the most recognized asbestos and mesothelioma litigation practices in the country. Founded by attorneys Alan Brayton and Gilbert Purcell, the firm operates from four offices in the SF Bay Area, Greater Los Angeles Area, Portland OR, and Salt Lake City UT, with nationwide case coverage. Main phone: 800-361-2417. Website: braytonlaw.com/
Partners David Donadio and James Nevin work alongside the founders, with Of Counsel members Gary Brayton, Richard Grant, John Mason, and John Wallace providing additional depth. This structure sets Brayton Purcell apart from general practices that treat toxic exposure litigation as peripheral work.
Practice Areas
Brayton Purcell LLP centers its practice on toxic substance exposure and serious personal injury. Its defined areas:
Mesothelioma and Asbestos Disease
The firm represents people who developed mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and related diseases after occupational or secondary asbestos exposure. Case work spans from initial diagnosis through bankruptcy trust proceedings, trial, and appeals. The firm carries detailed knowledge of asbestos in consumer and industrial products, home exposure routes, and the administrative structures asbestos companies have built to manage liability payouts.
Engineered Stone Silicosis
A dedicated Stone Silicosis Team handles cases from engineered quartz countertop fabrication. Workers who cut, grind, or polish these products inhale crystalline silica dust, producing severe and progressive lung disease. The team addresses diagnosis criteria, manufacturer liability, and workers compensation claims for these matters.
Beryllium Lung Disease
The firm represents workers exposed to beryllium across atomic energy, defense, space, aeronautics, computer, and electronics industries. Chronic beryllium disease and berylliosis cause painful lung scarring. Occupations affected include grinders, machinists, hot press operators, welders, and dental laboratory technicians handling beryllium-nickel alloys. The firm can file workers compensation claims for private-employment exposures and simultaneously pursue third-party liability actions against product manufacturers. See also: braytonlaw.com/toxic-substances-lawyer/beryllium/workers-compensa…
Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice
Catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, drug injury, defective products, and nursing home negligence and abuse cases fall within the practice scope.
Additional Practice Areas
Workers compensation across industries, sexual abuse cases, whistleblower claims, mortuary malpractice, real estate law, and estate planning.
Attorney Profiles
Alan Brayton is a founding partner. His role in building the firm defined its focus on asbestos and toxic substance litigation during a period when few practices pursued these case types with dedicated infrastructure.
Gilbert Purcell co-founded the firm with Alan Brayton. Their partnership created the institutional foundation supporting the current four-office, nationwide structure.
David Donadio is a partner contributing to the trial practice. The firm has obtained significant trial verdicts and appeals victories; Donadio is part of the team producing those outcomes.
James Nevin serves as a partner, working across the toxic exposure and personal injury matters central to the practice.
Of Counsel: Gary Brayton, Richard Grant, John Mason, and John Wallace extend the firm knowledge base and representation capacity.
Client accounts describe attorneys who combined competence with care, handled complex appeals professionally, and produced favorable results in difficult and prolonged cases.
Location and Service Area
Brayton Purcell LLP offices:
- SF Bay Area, California
- Greater Los Angeles Area, California
- Portland, Oregon
- Salt Lake City, Utah
The firm handles cases nationwide. In asbestos litigation, nationwide reach is a practical necessity: exposures occurred decades ago, at worksites that may no longer exist, with defendants spread across multiple states and often operating through bankruptcy trusts. The history in this area means the firm carries the procedural and geographic experience these cases require.
Client Focus
Brayton Purcell LLP serves primarily people whose serious illnesses trace to toxic occupational or environmental exposure. Mesothelioma patients, quartz countertop workers with silicosis, and employees in beryllium-intensive industries form the core client base.
These clients carry a compound challenge: managing a severe illness requiring ongoing treatment while fighting defendants who dispute causation, withhold records, or operate through bankruptcy structures demanding specialized procedural navigation. The firm depth in both the medical and legal dimensions of these cases is directly relevant to both parts of that challenge.
For personal injury and malpractice clients, the firm provides free consultations and has a documented record of pursuing cases through trial and appeals rather than accepting inadequate settlements. Testimonials describe attorneys who clarified each stage, remained accessible during urgent developments, and maximized recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What toxic exposure types does Brayton Purcell LLP handle?
Asbestos, engineered stone silica dust, and beryllium, covering occupational exposure, secondary household exposure through an exposed family member, and product liability against manufacturers.
Does the firm represent clients outside California?
Yes. Nationwide representation is available from offices in California, Oregon, and Utah.
Which industries produce beryllium exposure claims?
Atomic energy, defense, space, aeronautics, computer, and electronics. Grinders, machinists, hot press operators, welders, and dental laboratory technicians working with beryllium-nickel alloys are among the affected occupations.
What is the Stone Silicosis Team?
A specialized group within Brayton Purcell handling silicosis cases from engineered quartz countertop fabrication. The team covers diagnosis, manufacturer liability, and the workers compensation and civil claim process for affected workers.
Can workers compensation and third-party claims proceed at the same time?
Yes. In beryllium and comparable workplace exposure cases, both claim tracks can run concurrently.
How do I reach Brayton Purcell LLP?
Phone: 800-361-2417. Website: braytonlaw.com/
Closing
Brayton Purcell LLP was built around a category of harm defined by the gap between cause and consequence: illnesses that emerge years or decades after the exposures that produced them. The 2024 EPA asbestos ban addresses future exposure but resolves nothing for people already ill from past contact with the substance. For that population, the firm record across trial verdicts, appeals victories, and bankruptcy trust proceedings represents the practical route to accountability.
Phone: 800-361-2417. Website: braytonlaw.com/