John L’Estrange, Jr. has been a pillar of San Diego’s legal community for nearly fifty years, representing clients in complex business litigation in state and federal courts. While John is one of the firm’s founders, he now serves in an Of Counsel role at the firm and has refocused his practice on arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution services.
He has been involved in hundreds of arbitrations with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) through their Commercial Panel, the Large and Complex Case Panel and the International Panel, as well as serving as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the San Diego County Bar Association and the State Bar of California. John has arbitrated more than 200 different cases either as the sole arbitrator or as the chairman of a three-person panel, and notably, he was appointed by the San Diego federal court as a special master in a complex, multi-million dollar fee dispute, spanning several forums and years.
John has shared his experience and expertise with others through many published articles throughout his career, and as co-author of a book on attorney fee agreements. He has received myriad accolades, including inclusion on the list of “Best Lawyers in America” since 2004 and recognition as one of the “Best Lawyers in San Diego” in various categories by San Diego Magazine every year since 1996. A “Super Lawyer,” John has been consistently recognized in the categories of business litigation, antitrust litigation, and alternative dispute resolution.
In addition to practicing law, John has volunteered with several community and professional organizations. He served on the Board of Directors for National University for thirteen years, including three years as Vice Chair and ten years as the head of its Finance Committee. He also served as a board member and treasurer of the USO Council Of San Diego. He is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and spent three years volunteering to transport disabled veteran patients to their appointments at the VA Hospital. As a Master in the William Enright Inn of Court for ten years, John acted as a mentor for new attorneys, a role he currently embraces as part of the University of Notre Dame Lawyers Association of San Diego. He is also a master in the American Inns of Court and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
John earned his undergraduate degree in finance and economics and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame, and served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps from 1964-1967, earning a final rank of Captain.
