Biography

For over twenty years, Eric Miersma has been representing Southern California trucking companies, builders, design professionals and general business owners in all aspects of complex litigation, transportation, and general liability matters. Eric brings a unique insider perspective to his practice from working in the transportation and construction industries prior to earning his law degree, giving him an incomparable understanding of his clients’ business needs.

He is a well-respected author and speaker who is often asked to share his expertise on contract negotiations and risk management. Eric has successfully negotiated resolutions of millions of dollars of claims and has successfully defended drivers and employers in transportation and trucking litigation and builders and contractors in residential and commercial concrete slab design and construction litigation. In addition, he has defended engineering and design professionals in matters related to landslides, slope failures, subsurface failures and architectural design.

Eric’s litigation success includes defending a builder in contractual binding arbitration of claims of defective design, engineering, and construction of soils, slopes, and improvements; representing and defending builders in complex multi-party pre-litigation and litigation of high-rise condominium towers and defending a client in a toxic tort wrongful death lawsuit. Eric has defended multi-million dollar claims against design professionals in many disciplines including archeologists engaged in historic preservation and engineers in public works construction of a pump storage facility. Additionally, Eric skillfully defended a municipality in a matter related to highway and traffic safety design and construction.

Currently, Eric serves as the Vice-Chair of the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) Trucking Law Committee on Online Programming, and he formerly served on the Board of Directors for San Diego Defense Lawyers, in addition to serving as the organization’s Mock Trial Chair. His legal community and building industry involvement also includes membership in the Building Industry Association (BIA), the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, and the San Diego County Bar Association. Eric’s volunteer endeavors have included providing legal advice to homeless veterans as part of the Veterans Village of San Diego’s annual Stand Down event, serving as a former Little League Coach, and serving on the Board of Directors for the Amateur Softball Association’s Fast Pitch League.

Eric began his legal career with non-profit Legal Aid of San Diego and served as a judicial extern for the California Fourth District Court of Appeal. He graduated from California Western School of Law and previously earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Hope College in Michigan.