Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP attorneys Spencer Lucas and Erika Vasquez have been named recipients of the 2026 California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award by the Daily Journal for their work on Jane BP1-B Doe, et al. v. Doe 1, et al.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP attorneys have been recognized with a CLAY Award and the eighth overall CLAY Award recognition for the Firm.
The case involved hundreds of sexual abuse survivors who were abused as children while being held in Los Angeles County juvenile halls and detention camps. Panish | Shea | Ravipudi, Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team LLP, Manly Steward & Finaldi, and Greg A. Yates, PC represented the Plaintiffs in the case.
Instead of joining in settlement discussions with a larger group of plaintiffs also bringing claims, the legal team separated their 414 clients from the “Group A” plaintiffs and chose to pursue a trial path, one they believed would result in a more just resolution for their clients.
Their decision paid off and led to a $828 million settlement – averaging approximately $2 million for each client which will be paid out over two and one-half years – one of the highest per-plaintiff recoveries achieved in a sexual abuse case against a government entity. In comparison, the “Group A” plaintiffs will receive an average of approximately $300,000 each which is being paid out over five years.
Why Strategy Matters
The decision to separate was driven by more than a belief in the strength of their clients’ cases. In a consolidation of thousands of claims brought by dozens of law firms, other firms have little to no say over how cases are screened or who is included in the broader group. Mr. Lucas and Ms. Vasquez, along with the other three firms, chose to represent a smaller, carefully vetted client group rather than dilute the value of their own clients’ claims. That level of care and control, combined with a genuine commitment to trial readiness, gave them the leverage to achieve a superior outcome for the clients they represented.
Spencer Lucas has built his practice on knowing when to negotiate and when to push forward. Erika Vasquez brings a meticulous, client-focused approach that ensures every case is fully developed before any resolution is on the table. Together, their advocacy ensured that each of their 414 clients was seen as an individual – not a number in a mass settlement. The 2026 CLAY Award recognizes not just the result, but the judgment and commitment it took to get there.