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McGeorge alumnus Kevin Collins ‘96 helps secure $80 million settlement
A professional headshot of McGeorge alumnus Kevin Collins '96.
University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law alumnus Kevin Collins ‘96, a partner at Buchalter’s Sacramento office, recently secured an $80 million settlement on behalf of Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) and the Middle Fork Project Finance Authority (MFPFA) in the Mosquito Fire litigation against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
On September 9, 2022, the Mosquito Fire ignited near the Oxbow Reservoir and, according to the LA Times, spread across 76,788 acres, burning 78 structures and damaging 13 in the process. First responders fought the fire for nearly 50 days, prompting evacuation orders for residents in Placer and El Dorado Counties.
The California Public Utilities Commission said PG&E didn’t report the fire until two days after it broke out.
Nearly four years later, PG&E settled with PCWA and MFPFA for $80 million in damages and repairs. The settlement is one of the largest recoveries in Placer County history and is a significant outcome in California for wildfire litigation.
Firefighter Davis Sommer lights a backfire to burn off vegetation while battling the Mosquito Fire in the Volcanoville community of El Dorado County, Calif., Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Photo credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger.
“Reaching an $80 million settlement was a strong result for our clients and reflected years of careful work,” Collins said. “There was real satisfaction in securing meaningful recovery and, just as importantly, PG&E's commitment to reconfigure portions of its electrical system to improve safety and reliability in a wildfire-prone region.”
The case combined complex technical issues around hydroelectric infrastructure and grid interface with significant wildfire causation questions. But Collins determined that the real highlight was the team he worked with.
“On the Buchalter side, this was a true group effort across our lawyers, paralegals, and staff, everyone pulling in the same direction,” Collins said. “And it extended to the client as well, with the PCWA legal and non-legal team working right alongside us every step of the way. Getting a result like this takes that kind of full partnership, and being part of it was genuinely rewarding.”
Lead attorney on the case, Collins worked alongside fellow McGeorge graduate Lisa Pleau Fuller ‘08, Senior Counsel at Buchalter’s Sacramento office. The team was noted in a press release from Buchalter to have deep knowledge of utility operations, regulatory frameworks, and technical fire cause issues.
“A McGeorge graduate can take on any matter, against any firm, and win,” Collins said. “So do the work, know your facts, and outprepare everyone in the room. The best lawyer in the room is the one who did the most homework, not the one with the fanciest diploma.”
