Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP is proud to announce Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) has selected firm attorneys Rahul Ravipudi, Paul Traina, and John Shaller among the finalists for 2025 Consumer Attorney of the Year for their work on Greener v. Phelps dba Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club. Co-counsel in this matter were also selected as finalists for their work on this matter.
The annual top honor is awarded to CAOC members who significantly advanced the rights or safety of California consumers by achieving a noteworthy result in a case.
According to a press release issued by the CAOC, the finalists for these awards were selected by a committee consisting of members of CAOC’s Executive Committee; representatives of the attorney groups that won these awards in each of the last three years; and six randomly selected members of CAOC’s Board of Directors. The winners will be chosen by secret ballot of CAOC board members after presentations about each case at the board meeting on September 11, 2025. The winners will be announced November 15th at the Annual Installation and Awards Dinner during CAOC’s 64th Annual Convention in San Francisco.
Below is a description of the case as provided by CAOC:
PARALYZED TO PEAKS: HOW ONE VERDICT TRANSFORMED A SPORT AND THE LAW. Jack Greener, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) white belt at Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club, was paired at the end of a group class to spar with the instructor, a second-degree black belt with multiple international titles. While Jack was face-down on all fours in a defenseless position, where the safe move is to roll the student onto their back, the instructor instead pinned Jack, trapped his left arm, and drove his full weight onto Jack’s head and neck, leaving him an incomplete quadriplegic. After multiple surgeries and strokes, Jack fought through intensive rehabilitation to regain function. He turned his injury into a mission to inspire others, proving there is life after a devastating injury. The documentary Paralyzed to Peaks chronicled Jack’s inspiring journey and extraordinary summit of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the continental United States.
Jack’s attorneys argued the defendants unreasonably increased the risks of BJJ sparring by using a dangerous maneuver incorrectly, immobilizing Jack’s arm so he could not protect himself, and failing to disengage even after recognizing imminent danger. A San Diego jury found defendants 100 percent at fault, awarding substantial compensation. The verdict sent shockwaves through the global BJJ community. Plaintiff’s expert Rener Gracie debated the case with leading figures before hundreds of thousands on Instagram Live, emphasizing that safety must come first and standards are essential for BJJ to continue as the fastest-growing martial art. As a result, dojos nationwide began implementing new safety protocols. The dojo’s insurer appealed, but in a published opinion, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict in full, holding that in close-contact sports like BJJ, instructors can be liable when they create dangers beyond those inherent in the sport, particularly when sparring with students rather than instructing them. The decision sends a clear message: vigorous training is not a license to maim or kill.