Attorney Dossier · Los Angeles · October 29, 2026
Five California lemon law firms that take used car cases, checked like a hire, not reviewed like a product.
Since the California Supreme Court’s October 2024 Rodriguez ruling, a used car with only leftover factory warranty usually no longer gets the lemon law buyback, so which firm you call, and how it reads your warranty, matters more than it used to.
5 of 5
firms here state you pay no attorney fee out of pocket
Oct. 31, 2024
the day most used cars lost the refund-or-replace remedy
$0
cost to use a state-certified manufacturer arbitration program
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer is listed first on this page. The order of the other four is not a ranking. Every fact below was checked against the source named beside it on October 29, 2026.
01
The scorecard: 5 checks, 5 firms
✓ meets the check ◐ partly or self-reported ✗ does not, or not published
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law LawyerLos Angeles County drivers who want one attorney on the case from the first call and a local office
LA County office
✓N San Vicente Blvd, LALemon law focus
✓Lemon law practiceFee terms published
✓No out-of-pocket costUsed car page on site
✓Dealer warranty routeGoogle rating checked
✓5.0 / 60 McMillan Law GroupBuyers who want the founding attorney on the phone and a detailed written breakdown of used car scenarios
LA County office
✗San DiegoLemon law focus
✓Lemon lawFee terms published
✓No fee unless winUsed car page on site
✓DetailedGoogle rating checked
✓4.8 / 54 The Law Offices of Douglas D. Law, Esq.RV and certified pre-owned buyers who want a firm with separate pages for those vehicles
LA County office
✗San DiegoLemon law focus
◐Lemon law and dealer fraudFee terms published
✓Costs nothing, win or loseUsed car page on site
✓Yes, plus CPO and RVGoogle rating checked
✓2.6 / 5 The Law Offices of William R. McGeeBuyers of a 2020 or newer certified pre-owned car who want a long-running statewide lemon law office
LA County office
◐Glendale, by appointmentLemon law focus
✓Lemon lawFee terms published
✓No share of refundUsed car page on site
◐CPO 2020+ onlyGoogle rating checked
✓5.0 / 5 Wirtz Law APCOwners whose case may need to go to trial and who want Spanish or Armenian on the website
LA County office
◐Stated, no addressLemon law focus
◐Lemon and business lawFee terms published
✓No out-of-pocket costUsed car page on site
✗Not foundGoogle rating checked
✓5.0 / 48 02
Before you sign: what the numbers mean for an LA used car buyer
1
5 of 5: firms here state you pay no attorney fee out of pocket
California Civil Code section 1794(d) makes the manufacturer pay a winning buyer’s attorney fees and costs, which is why all five firms advertise no upfront cost. The Law Offices of William R. McGee adds that it takes no share of your refund. Ask each firm who pays case costs if the claim loses.
SOURCE · Firm websites, read October 29, 2026; Civil Code section 1794(d)
2
Oct. 31, 2024: the day most used cars lost the refund-or-replace remedy
In Rodriguez v. FCA US, the California Supreme Court held that a used car sold with leftover factory warranty is not a new motor vehicle unless the warranty was issued with the sale, as with a manufacturer certified pre-owned warranty. Courts still disagree on some CPO cases. A dealer’s own written warranty on a used car still carries duties under Civil Code section 1795.5.
SOURCE · Rodriguez v. FCA US, LLC (2024) 17 Cal.5th 189
3
$0: cost to use a state-certified manufacturer arbitration program
Some manufacturers run dispute programs certified by the California Department of Consumer Affairs. They are free to the buyer, and the decision binds the manufacturer only if you accept it. If the manufacturer told you about its certified program in writing, you may need to use it before relying on the lemon law presumption in court.
SOURCE · California Department of Consumer Affairs, Arbitration Certification Program
03
The 5 firm dossiers
01
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer
Los Angeles County drivers who want one attorney on the case from the first call and a local office
Why it made the list
Lemon Law Now is the lemon law practice of Shainfeld Law, run by attorney Brett Shainfeld from 750 N San Vicente Blvd, the only office in this group inside Los Angeles County with a published street address. As a California used car lemon lawyer, the firm’s used car page explains the dealer warranty route: a dealer that gives a written warranty on a used car must repair within a reasonable number of attempts, and an implied warranty of merchantability of at least 30 days comes with it. The firm states the manufacturer pays legal fees, so clients have no out-of-pocket cost, and that clients speak directly with the attorney.
Proof file
- Office750 N San Vicente Blvd, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90069 · GBP and site schema
- Phone(310) 295-1888; toll free (888) 567-2279 · GBP and site header
- Lead attorneyBrett Shainfeld, Shainfeld Law · Firm site and testimonials
- ConsultationFree case evaluation · Firm used car page
- FeesManufacturer covers legal fees; no out-of-pocket cost, per the firm · Firm used car page
- Used car routeDealer written warranties and the implied warranty of merchantability · Firm used car page
- HoursListed as open 24 hours for calls · GBP
- Google rating5.0 from 60 reviews · Google, checked October 29, 2026
Your first-call script
QMy car was bought used: was it sold with a dealer written warranty, a manufacturer CPO warranty, or only leftover factory coverage, and which route does that leave me?
QSince most of your work runs by phone and email, how often will I hear from you, and can I meet in person at the San Vicente office if I want to?
QHow do you calculate and negotiate the usage deduction on a used car buyback?
From the reviews we read
+ Attorney handles the case directly+ Regular updates, clear explanations+ Completed buybacks on newer EVs~ Mostly phone and email contact
Reviewers name Brett Shainfeld again and again and describe regular updates and clear explanations of each step. Several describe completed manufacturer buybacks on newer electric vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz battery recall case and an Audi charging defect, and one credits the firm with persistence on the usage deduction. No negative review appeared in the set we read.
Fit and watch-outA strong fit for an LA County driver who wants a single attorney and a local office. The trade-off: it is a small, attorney-led practice that works mostly by phone and email, so buyers who want a large team or frequent in-person meetings should ask about that on the first call.
02
McMillan Law Group
Buyers who want the founding attorney on the phone and a detailed written breakdown of used car scenarios
Why it made the list
McMillan Law Group is a San Diego lemon law firm led by founder Julian McMillan, who the firm says has more than 25 years of legal experience and has represented consumers since 2000. It works from 4655 Cass St in Pacific Beach and lists Los Angeles as a service area, not an office. Its used vehicle page is the most detailed in this group, walking through dealer written warranties, manufacturer CPO cases and as-is sales, plus the used car buyback formula. It describes contingency representation with zero retainer and no hourly billing, citing Civil Code section 1794(d).
Proof file
- Office4655 Cass St, San Diego, CA 92109; Los Angeles listed as a service area · GBP and site
- Phone(619) 795-9430 · Site and GBP
- Lead attorneyJulian McMillan, founder; 25+ years of legal experience, per the firm · Firm attorney page
- ConsultationFree consultation · Firm site
- FeesContingency; no retainer, no hourly billing, nothing owed if the case loses · Firm no fee page
- Used car routePage covers dealer written warranties, manufacturer CPO cases and as-is sales · Firm used vehicles page
- HoursMonday to Saturday 8am to 8pm · GBP
- Google rating4.8 from 54 reviews · Google, checked October 29, 2026
Your first-call script
QYour used vehicle page lists remaining factory warranty as covered: how do you read that after the 2024 Rodriguez ruling, and does my car fit a different route?
QWith your office in San Diego, how do you handle an LA County case, and where would it be filed?
QWill you personally handle my file, or does it move to another attorney if it goes to litigation?
From the reviews we read
+ Direct contact with the founder+ Prompt calls and emails+ Realistic expectations~ One review appears to be for another firm
Reviewers say they dealt with Julian McMillan himself rather than being passed to staff, and describe prompt calls and emails and realistic expectations. One describes a good result on a high-mileage used vehicle. One review in the set we read appears to describe a different firm’s injury case, so the review total may include a stray entry.
Fit and watch-outA good fit for buyers who want direct contact with a senior attorney and like reading the rules before the call. The trade-off: there is no Los Angeles office, and some of the site’s used car guidance should be checked against the 2024 Rodriguez ruling on the first call.
03
The Law Offices of Douglas D. Law, Esq.
RV and certified pre-owned buyers who want a firm with separate pages for those vehicles
Why it made the list
The Law Offices of Douglas D. Law, Esq. runs the California Lemon Law Guide site from San Diego, with addresses on High Bluff Drive and Black Mountain Road. The firm states its attorneys have more than 30 years of experience and that win or lose, a client pays nothing, with the manufacturer paying fees. It keeps separate pages for lemon RVs and certified pre-owned vehicles, and its used car article explains that private-party sales are not covered and that a dealer’s written warranty can qualify a used purchase. It also lists auto dealer fraud work.
Proof file
- Offices13223 Black Mountain Rd, Suite 430, San Diego, CA 92129; 12520 High Bluff Dr, Suite 360, San Diego, CA 92130 · Site schema and GBP
- Phone(858) 704-8110 · Site and GBP
- Lead attorneyDouglas D. Law · Firm site
- ConsultationFree case review · Firm homepage
- FeesWin or lose, the client pays nothing; manufacturer pays fees, per the firm · Firm homepage
- Used car routeArticle on used purchases; separate pages for CPO vehicles and RVs · Firm site
- Track record30+ years of experience and thousands of lemon cases, per the firm · Firm’s own statement
- HoursMonday to Friday 8am to 5pm · GBP
- Google rating2.6 from 5 reviews · Google, checked October 29, 2026
Your first-call script
QIf I send my documents today, who reviews them and by when will I hear back?
QYour used car article predates the 2024 Rodriguez ruling: what is your current view for a car sold with leftover factory warranty?
QHow many RV or CPO cases have you handled in the last year, and who would work mine?
From the reviews we read
+ Team handled the case end to end~ Unanswered follow-up after documents sent~ Five reviews, a very small base
The Google profile is small, five reviews, and mixed. Two reviewers praise the team, naming staff who handled their case from start to finish. Three describe unanswered calls or emails after sending documents, including an RV owner who never heard back. Weigh the low total and ask about response times up front.
Fit and watch-outWorth a call for RV owners and CPO buyers, given the separate pages for those vehicles. The trade-off: the Google profile is small and includes complaints about follow-up, and the office is in San Diego, so set response expectations in writing before sending documents.
04
The Law Offices of William R. McGee
Buyers of a 2020 or newer certified pre-owned car who want a long-running statewide lemon law office
Why it made the list
The Law Offices of William R. McGee, reachable at 1-800-CA-LEMON, is led by founder William R. McGee, a University of San Diego law graduate who began private consumer practice in 1987. The firm states it has resolved more than 20,000 California lemon law cases over 36 years. It is the one firm in this group whose homepage addresses the used car change directly: it now treats used purchases as covered only when sold as manufacturer certified pre-owned, model year 2020 and newer. It lists a Glendale office by appointment and states it takes no share of the client’s refund.
Proof file
- Offices701 Palomar Airport Rd, Suite 250, Carlsbad, CA 92011; Glendale (450 N Brand Blvd, Suite 600) by appointment · GBP and firm locations
- Phone(442) 325-0772; also 1-800-CA-LEMON · Site and GBP
- Lead attorneyWilliam R. McGee, founder; USD School of Law, 1985 · Firm attorney page
- ConsultationFree evaluation · Firm homepage
- FeesNo out-of-pocket cost; takes no portion of the client’s refund, per the firm · Firm homepage
- Used car routeUsed purchases accepted only as manufacturer CPO, model year 2020 and newer · Firm homepage notice
- Track record36 years and 20,000+ resolved cases, per the firm · Firm’s own statement
- HoursMonday to Friday 9am to 5pm · GBP
- Google rating5.0 from 5 reviews · Google, checked October 29, 2026
Your first-call script
QMy car is a certified pre-owned from before 2020: why does your cutoff exclude it, and is there another route for me?
QCan I meet at the Glendale office, and who would handle my case day to day?
QIf the case does not settle, do you take it to trial yourselves or refer it out?
From the reviews we read
+ Quick, low-stress process+ Clear explanations at each step+ Motorhome case settled~ Five reviews, a small base
All five Google reviews are positive and describe a quick process, clear explanations and a settled case, including one for a motorhome. Five reviews is a small base for a firm that states 20,000 cases, so read them as a sample rather than a measure.
Fit and watch-outThe clearest public statement on the post-Rodriguez used car rules in this group, which saves buyers a wasted call. The trade-off: that position also screens out many used car buyers, including older CPO cars, and the Glendale office is by appointment only.
05
Wirtz Law APC
Owners whose case may need to go to trial and who want Spanish or Armenian on the website
Why it made the list
Wirtz Law APC describes itself as a trial-focused lemon law firm headquartered at 4370 La Jolla Village Drive in San Diego, and says it also has offices in Laguna Beach and Los Angeles, though its contact page lists only the San Diego address. Founder Richard Wirtz and attorney Jessica Underwood are named in reviews. The firm states it has recovered $76 million for clients and publishes sample case results. Its site runs in English, Spanish and Armenian, and it states clients pay nothing out of pocket, with automakers paying attorney fees. It also practices trademark and business law.
Proof file
- Office4370 La Jolla Village Dr, Suite 800, San Diego, CA 92122; offices in Laguna Beach and Los Angeles, per the firm · Firm contact and about pages
- Phone(858) 259-5009 · Site and contact page
- Attorneys namedRichard Wirtz; Jessica Underwood named in reviews · Firm site and Google reviews
- ConsultationFree consultation, no obligation · Firm homepage
- FeesContingency; no out-of-pocket cost and automakers pay attorney fees, per the firm · Firm lemon law FAQ
- LanguagesWebsite in English, Spanish and Armenian · Firm site
- Track record$76 million recovered for clients, per the firm · Firm’s own statement
- Other practiceTrademark and business law · Firm site
- HoursMonday to Friday 9am to 5pm · GBP
- Google rating5.0 from 48 reviews · Google, checked October 29, 2026
Your first-call script
QWhere is your Los Angeles office, and can I meet there?
QHow many of your used car or CPO cases have gone to trial since the 2024 Rodriguez ruling?
QWhat timeline should I expect if my case does not settle early?
From the reviews we read
+ Staff reachable and explain each step+ Took a case close to trial~ Some cases run close to two years
Reviewers describe staff who stayed reachable and explained each step, and one credits the firm with taking over a case a month before trial. Another says resolution took 22 months, which is a useful reminder that litigated cases run long. No negative review appeared in the set we read.
Fit and watch-outA fit for buyers who expect a contested case and want a firm that leans toward trial. The trade-off: the Los Angeles office has no published address, the firm also practices business law, and its own reviews show cases can take close to two years.
04
Six clauses for any lemon law fee agreement after Rodriguez
Which route fits your car. Ask the firm to say in writing whether your claim rests on a dealer written warranty, a manufacturer CPO warranty or leftover factory coverage, and what Rodriguez means for it.
Fee agreement in writing. Get the fee terms on paper, including that the manufacturer pays fees under Civil Code section 1794(d) and nothing comes out of your recovery.
Costs if the case loses. Confirm who pays filing fees, vehicle inspections and depositions if there is no recovery.
Who handles the file. Get the name of the attorney who will work your case day to day and who covers when that attorney is in trial.
Arbitration and notice steps. Ask whether your manufacturer runs a certified arbitration program or opted into the 2025 pre-suit notice rules, and who handles each step.
Keep driving records. Agree on what to keep: every repair order, rental and towing receipts, and dated photos or video of the defect.
05
Frequently asked questions
Does California lemon law still cover used cars?+
Only in narrower cases since October 31, 2024. In Rodriguez v. FCA US, the California Supreme Court held that a used car sold with leftover factory warranty is not a new motor vehicle unless the warranty was issued with the sale, such as a manufacturer CPO warranty. A dealer’s own written warranty on a used car still carries repair duties under Civil Code section 1795.5.
How much does a California used car lemon lawyer cost?+
All five firms here state you pay nothing out of pocket, and all five offer a free case review. Civil Code section 1794(d) requires the manufacturer to pay a winning buyer’s attorney fees and costs. Ask each firm who pays case costs if the claim loses.
Is a certified pre-owned car covered?+
Often, if the manufacturer issued a new CPO warranty at the time of sale, though courts still disagree on some CPO cases. The Law Offices of William R. McGee states it takes used purchases only as manufacturer CPO cars from model year 2020 on.
Which of these firms offer Spanish?+
Wirtz Law APC publishes its website in Spanish and Armenian as well as English. The other four do not say so on their websites, so call to ask.
What can I do for free before hiring a lawyer?+
If your manufacturer runs a dispute program certified by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, it costs you nothing, and its decision binds the manufacturer only if you accept it. Some manufacturers require you to use it before relying on the lemon law presumption in court.
Which of these firms has an office in Los Angeles County?+
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer lists an office in Los Angeles. The Law Offices of William R. McGee lists a Glendale office by appointment, and Wirtz Law APC states it has a Los Angeles office without publishing the address. The other two work from San Diego.
06
Method and sources
How we checked these firms+
This is a shortlist of five California lemon law firms that take used car cases, not a ranking. For each one we read its own site for office address, lead attorney, fee terms, used car guidance and languages, then checked its Google Business Profile for address, phone, hours and review count, and read the review text itself.
Where a firm publishes a result, a case count or years in practice, we say it is the firm’s own statement. Where two sources disagree, or we could not confirm something, we say so in the entry. The used car rule summary comes from the California Supreme Court’s opinion in Rodriguez v. FCA US, not from a firm’s blog.
Sources+
- Firm websites: lemonlawnow.com, mcmillanlawgroup.com, californialemonlawguide.com, californialemonlaw.com, wirtzlaw.com (read October 29, 2026)
- Google Business Profiles for each firm: address, phone, rating, review count and review text (checked October 29, 2026)
- Rodriguez v. FCA US, LLC (2024) 17 Cal.5th 189, California Supreme Court, decided October 31, 2024
- California Civil Code sections 1793.22, 1794(d) and 1795.5 (Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act)
- California Department of Consumer Affairs, Arbitration Certification Program
General information for people choosing a lemon law lawyer, not legal advice. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Check the current statute and case law, or ask the firm, before relying on it.