John C. Carpenter

John C. Carpenter is an experienced and compassionate jury trial lawyer with over 30 years of experience. In that time, he has won more than $100 million for individuals with life-altering injuries.  His practice focuses on helping clients with the gravest injuries – especially wrongful death, sexual abuse, and traumatic brain injuries – recover the money they need to re-establish their lives. In addition to trial work, John also maintains an active appellate practice. The California Supreme Court has twice granted John’s petitions for review. 

On February 13, 1995, John Carpenter and Paul Zuckerman officially started Carpenter & Zuckerman. John and Paul met on the first day of law school at Southwestern in Los Angeles. They graduated together in 1991, studied and took the bar together, and then shipped their Harley-Davidsons to Europe, where they toured the continent on their bikes while waiting for their bar results. To this day, John still likes to take motorcycle cases.

With high-profile cases involving major corporations, government entities, Hollywood celebrities, and well-known institutions, John’s work often garners media attention. Some of his recent publicized cases include:

• Michael Jackson Abuse Case, CZ Law represents two childhood molestation victims suing Michael Jackson’s estate for negligent failure to protect them from abuse. Wade Robson & James Safechuck v. MJJ Productions, Inc., et al., February 2024
• Justice for Stanley Wilson, Jr.: CZ Law announces government claim filing for suspicious death of former NFL player who died in custody. L.A. Times Article, February 2024
• $950K settlement & historic resolution announced with the City of El Monte in trans-related hate crimes and police brutality case, April 2023
• Family of Halyna Hutchins, shot and killed by Alec Baldwin, announces civil suit against Baldwin, producers of “Rust,” and others. CNBC Article, February 2023
• Carpenter & Zuckerman wins case for mother of baby who died from dangerous amber teething necklace, July 2022
• USC agrees to pay $1.1B in damages to settle sexual abuse claims against gynecologist George Tyndall. March 2021

John was raised by his single mother from the age of 6 months in Los Angeles County.  His mom worked two jobs to support him: one as a legal secretary and the other as a waitress. His mom met and eventually married a lawyer named Greg Larson when John was in the 4th grade. It was the first time he had a father in his life.  Greg turned out to be the most influential person in John’s life. Reflecting on their relationship, John says, “Greg is my dad, and I am the man I am today very much because of him.”

With two youngsters of his own, John is very passionate about the welfare of children. His daughter Charlotte was born in March 2011, and his son Jack was born in November 2016. When asked about his family life, John says, “Getting married and having kids is the best decision I ever made. I love being a husband and father; it is the best part of my life.” John loves the ocean, sailing, and surfing in his spare time.

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