As the youngest winner ever of the Orange County Trial Lawyer Association’s prestigious Trial Lawyer of the year award, Eric Traut distinguished himself as one of the top trial attorneys in Southern California. He has been selected by his peers through votes tallied by Los Angeles Magazine as one of the top 50 Super Lawyers in Orange County and one of the top 100 in Southern California. Eric was the youngest member ever admitted to the Orange County Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) at the age of 33 in 1998. He was President of the Chapter in 2010. In 2019, he received the Chapter’s Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. In 2024, he was voted CAL-ABOTA trial of the year award, following presentations made for the other 7 chapter nominees. Eric will be presented with the award in November during the Hawaii convention on the Big Island. In 2014, he served as President of the Orange County Bar Foundation, Project Youth. Eric is very proud to be a part of the foundation which is responsible for several life-changing youth programs in the county. In 2019 he pledged $100,000 to the programs of Project Youth. He was President of the Banyard Inn of Court in 2016 and 2017 after serving many years on the Board. The Inn primarily mentors new lawyers and teaches the importance of civility and professionalism. Eric has handled several high-profile cases which have resulted in appearances on Good Morning America, Fox News, Court T.V., and ABC’s “Primetime”. In 2008, he was named Alumni of the Year for Western State University Law School and inducted into their 'Hall of Fame' in 2013. In 2009, he received the Angelo Palmieri Award for Civility from the Banyard Inn and the Joseph McNeil Civility award from ABOTA in 2017. In 2012, he received the Orange County Bar Foundation "Distinguished Society of Fellows Award" for his exemplary work for the Foundation and in 2019 received their most prestigious award, the Sammy named after Samuel Barnes. In 2010, Eric was one of 15 winners of the OC Look award presented by Orange Coast Magazine to those individuals who exemplify success and in Orange County.In 2020, after a thorough vetting process, Eric was invited to join the very exclusive International Society of Barristers. He is one of only two plaintiff trial lawyer members in Orange County. He is a frequent lecturer/speaker to attorneys and law students on topics involving both trial practice and civility. Specialties: Litigation and trial practice throughout California in serious injury and wrongful death cases.