Vincent J. Bartolotta, Jr., is a founding partner of Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire. He specializes in Plaintiff's litigation with an emphasis in business disputes, condemnation and major injury cases. A tenacious trial lawyer, Bartolotta is recognized annually by Woodward/White as one of the Best Lawyers in America - a recognition he's received every year for the past 30 years.
Born in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, Bartolotta's father was a coal miner; his mother a licensed practical nurse. At age 10, Bartolotta rolled up his sleeves and went to work - and has rarely missed a day since. He's delivered newspapers, unloaded grocery trucks, hauled produce, loaded beef in a slaughter house, shoveled slag from the blast furnaces of a Pittsburgh steel mill and built bridges and skyscrapers as an ironworker.
Perhaps it's all of that hard work and practical experience that galvanized his resolve to fight for the underdog, whether it's a small business owner fighting condemnation or someone whose life has been devastated by a major injury.
"There's really no secret about what I do ..." he says, "I really do care for my clients; each case gets the same kind of attention my family would get." Bartolotta earned his way into the University of Pittsburgh on a full athletic scholarship. At a time when most Americans knew little about soccer, he won a spot as a first alternate on the 1968 U.S. Olympic Soccer Team.
Although he could have used his educational deferment, Bartolotta enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, completed boot camp and Officer Candidate School, before returning to "PITT" to pursue a law degree in 1970. Returning to active duty, he was appointed criminal defense counsel at Camp Pendleton and eventually assigned to the prosecution. Offered a military judgeship for his final year of active duty, he instead volunteered to go to Vietnam. He requested attachment to an Air Combat Unit, serving in numerous capacities as Wing Legal Officer.
Bartolotta earned his negotiator's stripes deep in the jungles of Thailand, compensating relatives of victims of friendly fire. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Major.
Following active duty, his compassionate nature soon led him to devote himself to full-time plaintiffs' representation. On October 1, 1978, Bartolotta joined forces with Michael Thorsnes to establish Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire, recognized as one of California's premier litigation firms, specializing in plaintiffs' litigation with an emphasis in major injury cases, business disputes and condemnation. Additionally, the firm has specialized in a variety of construction defect cases.
In 1982, their new firm was recognized by American Lawyer Magazine as one of 20 outstanding new firms in the nation. Bartolotta's 2001 verdict in Border Business Park v. The City of San Diego received recognition as one of the nation's Top 10 Verdicts that year. He was honored again in 2014 by the National Law Journal by making their list of the Top 100 Verdicts.
In 2014, 2015 and 2016, the firm was recognized as a Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" by U.S. News & World Report and received the prestigious Tier One ranking for San Diego in the categories of Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Construction; Litigation - Real Estate; Mass Torts Litigation Cases / Class Actions; Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. A chronology of the firm includes awards conferred with astonishing regularity upon Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire partners including "Outstanding Trial Lawyers," "Trial Lawyer of the Year," and "Best Lawyers in America."
He is past president of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego and has received the association's Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award eight times since 1981, and he was named the 2001 Trial Lawyer of the Year. He is a member and past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and was named ABOTA's 2003 California Trial Lawyer of the Year. He is among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 for 2014. Recognized by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Vince has also been inducted into the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He serves as a Master of the American Inns of Court. He has been recognized in Woodward/White's Best Lawyers in America since its inception in 1987 in the categories of Commercial, Eminent Domain and Personal Injury litigation and as the Top 1% of Trial Lawyers in the United States.
His numerous contributions to community and charitable activities include Past President of Rancho Santa Fe Youth; member and Chairman of the Board of Directors of St. Vincent de Paul Village; member of the American Ireland Fund, San Diego Chapter; member of the Century Club; Past-President and current Board of Directors member of the San Diego Nice Guys.
Bartolotta and his wife, Judy, reside in Rancho Santa Fe. They are parents of four sons. He remains an active soccer player and golfer.
