Jonathan King Featured In The Western San Bernardino County Bar Association Bulletin | The Law Offices of Justin H. King

Attorney Jonathan King Featured in WSBCBA Bulletin: A Remarkable Legal Journey

In the recent edition of the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association’s monthly bulletin, one compelling feature article stood out to us: the story of our very own Attorney Jonathan King from The Law Offices of Justin H. King. This insightful article offers a deep dive into Jonathan’s remarkable journey in the legal field, highlighting his return to his roots and his recent appointment as a Director at Large for the WSBCBA. It’s a fascinating read that not only sheds light on Jonathan’s professional path, but also underscores his commitment to the Inland Empire community.

We want to thank the bar association for featuring Jon in the article, and we are so pleased to be able to reprint the full text of the article here:

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Full Circle: Plaintiff’s Attorney Jonathan King Returns to Family Roots, Joins WSBCBA as Director at Large

If ever there was a linear path to advocacy for individuals in the Inland Empire, Jonathan King didn’t take it. Despite his family’s roots in Rancho Cucamonga dating to the late 1800s, and a family legacy of legal service dating back nearly 100 years, it took him time, travel, and years before realizing how rewarding working alongside his family in the Inland Empire would be. But on Christmas Day in 2021, his path came full circle, and he moved back to his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga and joined his brothers Justin and Oliver at the Law Offices of Justin H. King. Recently, he also joined the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association as a Director at Large

The son of Jeffrey King, plaintiff personal injury lawyer at Garza, Jury, and King, and subsequently Fourth District Court of Appeal Judge, and Pamela King, former District Attorney, Civil Litigator, Public Defender and San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge, King admits that in his youth he wasn’t especially interested in pursuing a law career. Instead, after earning his undergraduate degree in Biology from Claremont McKenna College in 2002, Jon took a position as a third-grade teacher on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico.

The Road Less Traveled

“It was a rewarding, but incredibly challenging experience. It required a skill set that I didn’t have at 22,” he says. After a year, he returned to Rancho Cucamonga, took a position with the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino, and decided to pursue a dual JD/MBA program at NYU, to continue considering his career options for the future.

Thanks to an externship with Hon. Virgina A. Phillips, United States District Court Judge in Riverside, during his first summer break, King began to see for himself why his family had long been drawn to the law. “She gave us a lot of leeway and a lot of responsibility to learn about the law. She also demonstrated how you operate in the legal system–smartly, respectfully, and meticulously attentive to details. It was an excellent learning experience, and frankly, a whole lot of fun.”

After finishing his degrees, King admits to allowing himself to be led into a large law firm tract. “It wasn’t a good fit. I wasn’t excited about the work that I was doing because I didn’t have any interaction with clients. They were faceless. I was a lawyer in a sea of lawyers, and I was at the bottom,” he recalls. Seeking more fulfillment from his work, King did a 180° and joined the public defender’s office in Boston .

As a public defender, King relished working one-on-one with clients. “Having defendants relying solely on me was an extraordinary responsibility,” he says. King rose to the challenge, gaining more courtroom experience than he could have imagined.

“As a public defender, you’re in court constantly and you learn a lot from that. It’s no secret that the public defenders offices are almost always short-staffed, so you’re on your own more often than not.” But the baptism-by-fire learning curve only helped hone King’s skills as an advocate.

“You learn to craft the best narrative you can, in the face of facts that do not change. You also learn how to temper yourself. Emotional arguments that work with a jury are often not a winning strategy when arguing in bail or sentencing hearings before a judge,” he explains.

The work as a public defender was not only experiential and educational, but to King, it was equally rewarding. “It felt good to know that I was making a difference,” he says. Although the work was non-stop, as a young lawyer, King enjoyed helping others in need so much that when he relocated to his favorite vacation spot in Montana, he again joined the public defender’s office in Helena.

The arrival of his first son, however, would lead King to a crossroads. “I was working all of the time and needed more time with my family,” he recalls.

However, King isn’t afraid of saying that he miscalculated when he attempted to leave the public defender’s office and launch his own personal injury firm. Taking select private criminal defense cases to provide financial support, while launching his contingency firm left him even busier than he’d been as a public defender. But he still hadn’t lost the desire to make a difference for individuals. Thus King joined the personal injury firm of Doubek, Pyfer & Storrar in 2017. “It was a terrific experience. I loved my colleagues, and I loved the work,” King says.

No Place Like Home

By 2021, Jon had two young sons. His brother Oliver had already moved back to the Inland Empire and joined their youngest brother Justin’s firm in Rancho Cucamonga. Both of his brothers also had young children. “I wanted to be closer to my family. I wanted my sons to grow up with their cousins. It was time to come home,” Jon says.

After passing the Bar in California, Jon joined Justin and Oliver at the Law Offices of Justin H. King. “Justin had built a terrific firm. Joining forces with my brothers turned what used to just be a lot of work into something that’s still a lot of work but also so much fun. I don’t want to turn off my phone and check out of work at night. We’re strategizing on growing the firm. We love to talk about our cases and visions for the firm’s future,” he says.

Suffice it to say, coming home has been a gift, in more ways than one. Watching his children attend the same schools he attended, play baseball and soccer on the same fields he did, and grow up with their cousins has been as rewarding as serving his hometown community.

“I feel very connected to the Inland Empire. My family has been here, serving Rancho Cucamonga and the Inland Empire for generations. When my father passed away in 2022, the City of Rancho Cucamonga honored him at their meeting. I feel a sense of responsibility that my brothers also share, to help people who need our help, in our community. We also feel a sense of duty to contribute as best we can to San Bernardino County’s long history of legal excellence, so I’m honored to become a Director at Large with the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association.”

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Conclusion:

Jonathan’s story, as featured in the WSBCBA bulletin, represents the essence of commitment and expertise that defines us at the Law Offices of Justin H. King. Situated in Rancho Cucamonga, we have established our practice as a premier destination for those seeking justice in personal injury cases. With a rich family legacy in law and a deeply ingrained sense of community service, all of us at the Law Offices of Justin H. King seek to attain the highest standards of legal practice as personal injury attorneys in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Our dedication to our clients and our craft is a continuation of our family tradition of legal excellence, ensuring that every client feels heard, respected, and effectively represented.

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By Justin H. King, Esq. | Posted on January 31, 2024

Melinda Jordan

09:02 18 Dec 22

I went from feeling like a basket case from all the stress to feeling calm and collected after talking to Justin. He is a phenomenal personal injury lawyer and is a truly calming and reassuring presence. This firm helped me in ways I can't even adequately put into words, other than to say Thank You, Justin, to you and your awesome team.

Marjorie Harris

04:14 18 Dec 22

After an auto accident, I felt really nervous calling an attorney because I had never worked with one before. But from the first conversation I had with Jessica, I felt so at ease. Justin then called me and was so easy going and we had a nice conversation too. The entire staff took great care of me and I am very happy.

Sheila Hughes

03:45 18 Dec 22

I was in a car accident that was not my fault two years ago. A friend of mine had a family member who had been helped in the past by Justin King, and they suggested I call him. I'm so glad I did! Justin and his team took great care of my situation and got a great settlement for me. I highly recommend them if you have been in an accident. You will be very happy with what this firm. They are smart, hard-working, honest, and take great care of their clients.

Margaret James

04:43 01 Dec 22

Justin's entire staff is the best car accident lawyer team in Rancho Cucamonga. Justin, Oliver, Jessica, and Garrett all provided me with excellent service and treated me like family. They are all such great people, and always so honest and responsive to me. I gladly recommend them to anyone needing the services of a car accident lawyer in the Inland Empire.

Wm Holland

06:13 17 Nov 22

When I needed a lawyer following a car accident on the Interstate 15 Freeway in Rancho Cucamonga, Justin King, and his team were there for me. I appreciated how his entire staff always seemed happy to answer my questions and were so good about returning all my phone calls and emails. I could tell this firm has immense experience in helping people get their life back after an unfortunate car crash. I was so happy with the outcome of my case and the results Justin obtained from the insurance company on my behalf. I have recommended their office to all my family members and neighbors. I hope you never need to call them. But if you need the best car accident lawyers, I can vouch that they are excellent.