.2409101407034.jpg)
About
Dean Ogrin is a partner at McGee Lerer Ogrin and head of the firm's Litigation Department. As the firm's lead trial counsel, he obtained a $17 million judgment on a jury verdict and a $10 million truck versus auto settlement and worked on an $11.6 million sexual abuse settlement. Before joining McGee Lerer Ogrin, Dean worked at two of Los Angeles' premier personal injury trial firms, where he was involved in a $42 million highway design and bad faith case, a $26 million police misconduct and civil rights case, and a $25 million automobile products liability case. Throughout his career, he has litigated serious and catastrophic injury cases involving every major personal injury practice area.
Trial Lawyer's College Graduate
Dean is a graduate of the Trial Lawyer's College, founded by Gerry Spence — widely regarded as one of the greatest trial lawyers in American history. The Trial Lawyer's College is an elite, invitation-only advocacy program that trains plaintiff's attorneys in the principles of human storytelling, jury psychology, and courtroom authenticity that separate great trial lawyers from competent ones. Admission is selective and competitive. Completing the program is a credential recognized across the plaintiff's bar as a mark of serious commitment to trial craft.
A Professional Relationship Built Over 35 Years
Dean Ogrin and founding partner Daniel McGee have known each other for more than 35 years — Dan hired Dean at his first legal job. When Dean joined McGee Lerer as a partner in 2020, the firm's founders made the decision to add his name to the firm name, creating McGee Lerer Ogrin. That name change reflects something more than a title update: it reflects a partnership built over decades, a shared approach to litigation, and a commitment to the kind of trial-focused practice that produces results rather than just settlements.
Dean's sons Scott and Sean Ogrin are now part of the firm as well, working alongside the legal and support team. The multi-generational presence of the Ogrin family at McGee Lerer Ogrin is a reflection of what the firm has built over 24 years.
Background and Credentials
Before law, Dean Ogrin spent years as a professional drummer — a background that shapes how he approaches the courtroom. Trial work demands many of the same skills as performance: reading a room in real time, timing arguments and examination to the pace of a jury, and projecting confidence under pressure. The discipline and attunement to human response that come from years of professional performance are not incidental to Dean's trial practice. They are central to it.
Dean holds a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Northridge, where he was accepted to a master's program, a J.D. from Whittier College School of Law, and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. The combination of psychology, law, and business training is unusual in personal injury practice and directly informs how he evaluates cases, constructs arguments, and reads jurors. He is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and the American Association for Justice (AAJ).
Outside the Courtroom
Dean is an avid baseball fan and spent years coaching his sons through competitive play — both boys played at college levels, and one was an MLB draft pick. His sons Scott and Sean are now part of the McGee Lerer Ogrin team. Dean values time with family and friends, music, sports, and the outdoors.
