Lawyers funding Kerry campaign at record levels.

California trial attorneys, already a potent political fundraising force, have been pouring money into Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign at a record pace.

The state's trial bar, of which about 65 percent is in L.A., has pumped nearly $3 million into the Kerry campaign since Sen. John Edwards was tapped as his running mate in July. That represents close to a third of funds given to all Democratic candidates in the current election cycle.

And the vice presidential candidate's background as a trial lawyer appears to be a secondary factor in contributions.

"It's the most important election in my long life," said Browne Greene, a Santa Monica consumer attorney who gave $10,000 to the Kerry Victory 2004 committee. "Bush has taken target practice on trial lawyers. He's mentioned in every speech tort reform and greedy lawyers. We're his target. We let this guy stand in for tour more years, what's left of the law practice?"

Among trial attorneys' concerns are President Bush's proposals to cap personal injury awards and curtail the use of class action certifications for consumers. Civil rights and the rights of workers in discrimination cases are also important for trial lawyers.

But foremost among the issues has been medical liability reform. Bush is campaigning on a platform that claims tort litigation has forced doctors to relocate or close their practices in recent years and has cost upwards of $108 billion annually.

The Bush campaign was joined earlier this month by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which formed the November Fund, a 527 committee, unaffiliated with any campaign, with no limits on the amount it can raise and spend. Co-chaired by Craig Fuller, who served as chief-of-staff to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, and Bill Brock, former senator and past chairman of the Republican National Committee, the group plans to spend as much as $10 million challenging Edwards' record.

'A watershed'

As a group, lawyers historically have been among the top contributors to both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, said Steven Weiss, communications director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan public interest group. In general, he said, Democrats raise more money from trial lawyers because they oppose tort reform.

This year, that's especially true. As of Aug. 18, Kerry had raised $13.7 million from lawyers and law firms since he first announced his candidacy, more than twice the amount that the industry gave to former Vice President Al Gore four years ago, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Edwards raised $9.3 million from lawyers to fund his primary run and lawyers gave another $6.3 million to other Democratic presidential candidates.

Bush's re-election effort had received $9.6 million from lawyers and law firms, which include corporate attorneys.

California is Kerry's top contributing region, as well. The state generated $23 million, or 21 percent, of his contributions, with L.A. and Long Beach the fourth-highest metro area for the candidate. The 90049 ZIP code, which includes Brentwood, is the 10th highest-contributing area to the Kerry campaign.

Trial lawyers say their support behind Kerry comes in defeating perceived threats to the legal system.

"It's such a contrast to the Bush lawyer-bashing and legal-system bashing to see someone like Kerry who understands the legal system and lawyers in society," said Bruce Brusavich, a partner at Agnew & Brusavich in Torrance and a senior member of the Consumer Attorneys of California. "If Bush gets his way, he'll dismantle the justice system. He has a wish list that never stops."

Once Edwards was named to the Democratic ticket, raising money was easy, said Brusavich. "I raised $250,000 for one event, and it was pretty easy to do," he said. "I've gotten a much higher response rate than in the past."

Local leader

He said the biggest contributor among L.A.'s trial bar to the Kerry-Edwards campaign has been Thomas Girardi, a partner at Girardi & Keese. Girardi was the fourth-largest contributor to Edwards' failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, with donations totaling $65,875 from him, his firm's employees and their family members. Since then, Girardi has raised close to $1 million for the Kerry-Edwards campaign, Brusavich said. Girardi did not return phone calls.

Another Edwards contributor, Pierce O'Donnell, had $44,000 returned to him last month after the L.A. trial attorney had been charged with violating state election laws during Mayor James Hahn's 2001 campaign. O'Donnell raised $340,000 at an event for Edwards in 2003.

Raymond Boucher, a partner at Kiesel Boucher & Larson LLP and vice president of the Consumer Attorneys of California, said having to support so many candidates prior to the primaries has raised the total contribution levels significantly this year. But, he added, the costs of campaigns have risen as well.

The focus on the presidential election has left contributions more limited at the state level.

While consumer attorneys have supported candidates in certain California legislative races, they have not organized a political committee to oppose a much-hyped ballot initiative to reform the state's unfair competition law, or Business and Professions Code 17200.

Brusavich said the campaign to oppose the initiative has been kept low profile because of polls that indicate strong public opposition to the measure and a ballot crammed with high-profile initiatives, such those that would extend gaming in the state.

John Sullivan, president of the Civil Justice Association of California, which has advocated reforming the consumer law, doubted consumer attorneys would remain silent on the 17200 reform. "I'm somewhat surprised they haven't done more earlier, but they could always come up with more money later on," he said.