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About Me

Attorney David L. Milligan

Board-certified civil trial lawyer (National Board of Trial Advocacy). ABOTA member. Trial College professional training. Admitted to practice in California on December 8, 1997.

About Me

My name is David Milligan. I grew up in the central San Joaquin Valley of California and except for my time in the U.S. Navy (which took me all over the world) I’ve lived my whole life here. I’m a licensed Pilot, a Father of 2 beautiful young ladies, one of which is also an Attorney, and I’m blessed to have the life and friends that I do.

What I love about my job is the challenge. I have always loved taking hard cases and working them until a great result happens. I have often said “the harder, the better.” I’m not just saying that, it’s very true. Civil litigation and trial presents among the hardest challenges I could imagine, and the challenge of this profession is definitely what I enjoy about it.

It is also very gratifying to make an insurance company pay what they owe. Unfortunately, they frequently don’t unless they’re compelled to. And that’s where we come in. We really do fight to get our clients what the insurance companies owe them. Sometimes the fight is brief, sometimes the fight is drawn out and expensive, but the fight needs to happen and when it does, that’s why we’re here.

It is truly our honor to help people when they are the most vulnerable, against very powerful forces. Thank you for trusting us with your case.

David Milligan’s public record identifies a Civil Trial Advocacy specialty. The sources below separate that certification from membership, professional training, ratings, education, and service.

If you are comparing lawyers, use the linked official records and platform profiles to check the qualifications that matter to you.

The Short Answer

David’s credentials are listed below with the source available for each one.

Official records, membership rosters, attorney-maintained profiles, ratings, and selection histories provide different kinds of proof. Each source type is identified.

Direct links let you inspect the underlying public record or profile.

Credentials and public sources

Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer — National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA)

Attorney Milligan’s State Bar record lists Civil Trial Advocacy as a certified legal specialty through NBTA. The American Bar Association lists NBTA’s Civil Trial Law program among its accredited lawyer-certification programs, and NBTA publishes its certification and recertification standards. The public State Bar record is the source for the current specialty listing.

Member — American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

ABOTA’s official San Joaquin Valley Chapter roster lists David L. Milligan. ABOTA says membership is invitation-only and publishes eligibility criteria that include civil jury-trial experience as lead counsel. The public roster does not state his membership rank.

ABOTA Trial College — Harvard Law School

Attorney Milligan’s public Justia profile lists completion of ABOTA Trial College at Harvard Law School. ABOTA describes its Trial College as a trial-advocacy program. The completion detail is profile-reported professional training, not an academic degree from Harvard University.

Master Advocate (Faculty Qualified) & Advocate — National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA)

Attorney Milligan’s current Avvo profile lists “Master Advocate (Faculty Qualified)” and “Advocate.” They are presented as public-profile training or designation entries, separate from NBTA board certification. No individual NITA issuer directory was located in this bounded review.

AV Preeminent Rating — Martindale-Hubbell

The current Martindale-Hubbell profile displays an AV Preeminent peer rating and describes that label as its highest peer-rating standard. The source describes attorney peer reviews; this page does not characterize the rating as a judicial review.

Avvo 10.0 “Superb” Rating

Attorney Milligan’s current Avvo profile displays a 10.0 “Superb” rating. Avvo controls the rating and explains its own rating levels.

Super Lawyers — 2018–2021, 2024–2026

The current Super Lawyers profile lists selections in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Selection history is a third-party publication measure, not a license or certification.

Past President, Central California Trial Lawyers Association (CCTLA)

Attorney Milligan’s current Avvo profile lists past-president service. This is identified as a public-profile entry rather than an issuer-directory record.

How to read the source labels

A State Bar license and specialty listing, ABOTA membership, professional training, academic degrees, platform ratings, and publication selections are different categories. The credentials page links to the available official record or public profile for each item.

Source transparency. Use the State Bar for current license status and the listed specialty, ABOTA’s roster for membership, and each rating or selection platform for its own current display. Profile-reported training, education, and service are labeled as such.

How the office reviews a potential matter

The office reviews the available facts, records, known deadlines, conflicts, case needs, and current capacity before accepting an engagement. An inquiry alone does not create an attorney–client relationship.

A diagnosis, collision type, or initial account does not by itself decide acceptance or outcome. The evidence, applicable law, disputed issues, and qualified opinions where needed must be assessed in context.

If the firm accepts a matter, the written agreement defines the scope of work, and the case’s needs shape how work is allocated and how the office communicates with the client.

The firm evaluates each potential defendant, available source of recovery, procedural posture, and resource need without predicting a result. Every outcome depends on the matter’s own facts and law.

What it costs to call

Calling this office is free. The first conversation is free. Prospective-client information is treated as confidential, subject to applicable law and professional obligations.

Personal injury matters are generally handled under a written contingency-fee agreement. If there is no recovery, no attorney’s fee is owed; the client remains responsible for case costs the firm advanced, as provided in the written fee agreement.

See all credentials → What kinds of cases Request a Confidential Review
“The very essence of civil liberty certainly consists in the right of every individual to claim the protection of the laws, whenever he receives an injury.”

Chief Justice John Marshall · Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Common Questions

Is David L. Milligan board certified?

Yes. David L. Milligan’s State Bar record lists Civil Trial Advocacy as a certified legal specialty through the National Board of Trial Advocacy. ABOTA’s official chapter roster separately lists him as a member. A public attorney profile reports completion of ABOTA Trial College at Harvard Law School as professional training, not an academic degree.

How long has the firm been in practice?

Attorney Milligan has been admitted to practice in California for more than 28 years. The State Bar record gives December 8, 1997 as his admission date.

Where is the firm located?

1265 W Shaw Avenue, Suite 100, Fresno, California 93711. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Weekend appointments by arrangement.

Does the firm accept cases outside the Central Valley?

The firm considers suitable matters across California. Acceptance depends on the facts, venue, case needs, conflicts, and the firm’s capacity.

What is the firm’s fee structure?

Personal injury cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis — if there is no recovery you owe no attorney’s fee, but you remain responsible for case costs the firm advanced, as provided in the written fee agreement. Initial consultation is free.

What kinds of cases does the firm not handle?

We do not handle medical or dental malpractice, or workers’ compensation claims. We do handle work-related third-party civil claims.

Is initial contact confidential?

Prospective-client information is treated as confidential, subject to applicable law and professional obligations. Website forms and communications can be processed by service providers as described in our Privacy Policy. Send only what is needed for initial contact and conflict screening, and wait for instructions before sending sensitive records.