Overview
Honors, Awards, Recognitions
Publications, Press
Speaking Engagements
Bar/Court Information
Overview
Traci Lagasse is a full-time mediator with 30 years of litigation and trial experience in complex, high-stakes, and emotionally charged litigation. Known for her strategic clarity and practical judgment, Traci now focuses her practice on helping parties move through conflict efficiently, thoughtfully, and constructively, to achieve resolution and peace of mind.
A founding member of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead, Traci headed the firm’s Tort and Professional Liability Practice Groups, handling catastrophic injury, wrongful death, brain injury, electrocution, toxic exposure, premises liability, commercial trucking, and product liability cases, as well as complex professional liability matters involving design professionals, real estate brokers and agents, and other licensed professionals. She has tried multiple cases in both state and federal courts.
Throughout her career, Traci advised clients across many industries including property management, public entities, utilities, retail, and hospitality, bringing a deep understanding of risk assessment, leverage, and resolution strategy to the table. She was frequently called upon by her clients to advise on contractual and insurance issues, including the scope of indemnity and defense obligations, limitations of liability, and allocation of fault.
Traci is known for her tenacity, tireless work ethic, and professionalism, qualities she now brings to her mediation practice. Drawing on decades of experience evaluating exposure, navigating complex dynamics, and identifying practical pathways forward, she brings a calm, authoritative presence to the mediation table and a solution-oriented approach grounded in real-world litigation experience.
Her leadership and excellence have been widely recognized. From 2009 to the present, Traci has been named to Southern California Super Lawyers in the areas of both Personal Injury and Professional Liability. She has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America®, selected among the Top 25 Women Lawyers and Top 50 Lawyers in San Diego, and, along with her partners, honored by the San Diego Business Journal as “Women Who Mean Business.” Traci often presents seminars to various industry groups on issues impacting assessment of exposure, reptile theory strategies, social inflation, damages and lien challenges, and ethical issues in complex representations.
Traci is an approved mediator for San Diego County Superior Court’s Civil Mediation Program. She also volunteers as a Settlement Officer for the Resolve Law program through the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Outside of her professional work, Traci enjoys yoga, baking, travel, and spending time with her husband of 27 years and their two sons.
Honors, Awards, Recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America (2021-2026)
- Women of Influence in Law, Honoree, San Diego Business Journal (2023)
- Business Women of the Year Awards, Finalist, San Diego Business Journal (2023)
- Super Lawyers of San Diego in the areas of Personal Injury – General: Defense, Professional Liability: Defense, Super Lawyers® (2009-2023)
- Best Lawyers in America (2021-2025)
- Top 25 Women Lawyers in San Diego, Super Lawyers® (2012-2015, 2021)
- Top 50 Lawyers in San Diego, Super Lawyers® (2014)
- Top Attorney in the area of Construction and Real Estate Law, San Diego Daily Transcript (2007)
- Women Who Mean Business, San Diego Business Journal (2010)
Publications, Press
- Establishing Medical Causation – An Uphill Battle for Plaintiffs, published in Defense Research Institute and Harris Martin’s Mold Columns
- 30 States and Counting: Mold Legislation Continues to Sweep the Nation; and Mold Legislation: Easier Said Than Done, published in Defense Research Institute and Harris Martin’s Mold Columns
- Expanded Liability for Design Professionals: What Does It Mean and What Can We Do?
- Conference Materials for Professional Liability Defense Federation
- Navigating the Waters of Large Self-Insured Retentions & Deductibles
- Conference Materials for West Coast Casualty Conference
- Ethics & Good Faith: Tripartite Conflicts
- Conference materials for multiple presentations for a global insurance company
Speaking Engagements
The following is a selection of presentations given by Ms. Lagasse to various insurance clients and industry groups (including CLM, PLUS, West Coast Casualty, and PLDF) over the past few years:
- Taming Godzilla: Tips & Tricks for Defending Against the Reptile Theory, NAMWOLF (03/13/2023)
- Civility Matters, ASCDC Annual Conference (02/09/2023)
- Expanded Liability for Design Professionals: What Does It Mean and What Can We Do?
- Navigating the Waters of Large Self-Insured Retentions & Deductibles
- Into the Void: Self-Insured Retentions and the Insolvent Insured
- Ethics & Good Faith: Tripartite Conflicts
- The Highs and Lows of Arbitration and Trial – Does Arbitration Get a Fair Shake?
- An Update on Privacy Protection Act (Insurance Code. 791.13), SIRs, and Indemnity Provisions
- The Defense of Mold Claims: An Overview
- Assessing, Limiting & Avoiding Design Professional Liability Exposures
- Getting Back to Basics – Everyday Issues in Defending Design Professionals
- How(ell) to Evaluate Plaintiff’s Medical Damages
- Effective Claims Handling Practices of Design Professional Claims
Bar/Court Information
- State Bar of California
- California State Courts
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California