The Law Office of Thomas C. Seabaugh

Most people who hire an attorney probably never expected to need one. It is the unexpected turn in life that generally brings them to seek legal help. In such circumstances, they want someone skilled in the practice of law to stand up for them, an attorney whom they like and trust, one who will give their situation the time and focused work it deserves.

In my practice, I strive to be like the best doctors, who listen with full attention, provide steady and accurate information, and tirelessly seek the well-being of each person in their care. The best professional endorsement to be had comes from the client, who says, “He is a good lawyer.”

The Law Office of Thomas C. Seabaugh

About

From the County of Del Norte on the border with Oregon to San Diego on the border with Mexico, civil rights attorney Thomas C. Seabaugh has represented clients from diverse locales and backgrounds throughout the State of California.

Mr. Seabaugh’s practice consists primarily of civil litigation on behalf of individuals who have been affected by the wrongful conduct of others, including civil rights violations, wrongful death, police brutality, racial discrimination, and other forms of official misconduct and abuse.

Since establishing The Law Office of Thomas C. Seabaugh in early 2016, Mr. Seabaugh has had the honor of representing clients in several cases of local and national significance.

Together with the law firms of Chain Cohn Stiles and The Law Offices of Dale K. Galipo, Mr. Seabaugh represented the family of David Sal Silva, who was beaten and asphyxiated by police, in a civil rights case that garnered international media attention and culminated in a $3.4 million settlement for the victim’s family members in May 2016.

In 2017, Mr. Seabaugh filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a poet who was wrongfully ticketed for exercising her right to free speech in the City of Palm Springs. In addition to substantial monetary compensation for the victim, the widely publicized settlement includes an agreement that the city will take steps to respect the rights of street performers in the future.

Before establishing his own practice, Mr. Seabaugh worked as an associate attorney for trial lawyer Dale K. Galipo from 2012 to 2016, in which capacity he handled numerous civil rights cases involving police brutality and wrongful death. Before working with Mr. Galipo, Mr. Seabaugh served as an associate attorney at Norris & Galanter in downtown Los Angeles, where he was involved in handling a variety of business and entertainment matters.

With Mr. Galipo, Mr. Seabaugh handled the Beaird v. City of Los Angeles case. Brian Beaird, an unarmed and disabled National Guard veteran, was shot and killed by LAPD officers while attempting to flee on foot. His tragic death was captured on live television. The case settled for $5 million, the largest civil rights settlement involving the City of Los Angeles in the recent period, and was reported on the front page of the Los Angeles Times in August 2014.

Mr. Seabaugh second-chaired the damages phase of the trial in Contreras v. City of Los Angeles (2012), which resulted in a $5.7 million verdict for an unarmed youth who was shot in the back by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies. Police bullets struck Robert Conteras’s spine, paralyzing most of his body and confining him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Mr. Seabaugh’s experience includes appellate litigation in both federal and state courts. Mr. Seabaugh briefed and argued the case of Vazquez v. County of Kern before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2019.

That case, which was joined by the American Civil Liberties Union on appeal as amicus curiae, was one of three civil rights cases in which Mr. Seabaugh represented young women who alleged that they were subjected to sexual abuse while they were wards at the James G. Bowles Juvenile Hall in Bakersfield, California.

Mr. Seabaugh holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan. Mr. Seabaugh’s interests include classical music, history, philosophy, literature, and travel. He speaks English and Russian. In the years 2016 through 2021, he was selected for the Rising Stars list by Superlawyers, representing the top 2.5 percent of attorneys under 40.

Practice Areas

Mr. Seabaugh’s practice areas include civil rights, consumer rights, workers’ rights, serious injury, and wrongful death cases. He also has experience with respect to appellate litigation, business disputes, employment law, and entertainment law.

If you have a question about what kind of attorney you need, please do not hesitate to call.

Admissions:

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States District Court, Central District of California
United States District Court, Eastern District of California
United States District Court, Southern District of California
United States District Court, Northern District of California
State Bar of California

The Law Office of Thomas C. Seabaugh

The Law Office of Thomas C. Seabaugh

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