Kenneth N. Ralston

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Ken is a seasoned litigator who handles complex commercial cases, wrongful death and personal injury cases, contractual disagreements, and environmental litigation. Ken’s tireless dedication to his clients has resulted in numerous victories in the courtroom and favorable resolutions for his clients before trial. Ken’s clients have recovered millions of dollars as a result of his efforts. In 2022, Ken was a core part of the G&K trial team which secured the State of Arizona an $85 million settlement in its consumer fraud case against Google.

Understanding the common need for a swift resolution, Ken is adept at looking for solutions that save time and resources. When early resolution is not a viable option, Ken has successfully filed and argued motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgement, and motions to exclude key opposing experts. Victories at these stages have resulted in Ken’s clients securing favorable results that were not available to them earlier.

Ken has also worked in the firm’s environmental practice, where he advised clients on issues related to hazardous waste disposal, cleanup, cost recovery, pesticide use, and compliance with regulations associated with radioactive materials disposal. Ken litigates environmental cases in federal court, including in front of Federal Courts of Appeal for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits.

During law school, Ken interned for the Honorable Kathleen M. O’Malley on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Honorable John J. Tuchi at the District Court of Arizona.

After graduating from law school, Ken achieved one of the top three scores on the Arizona Uniform Bar Examination.

See Kenneth’s profile on our main website.

Representative Cases

Obtained a Proposed $15 Billion Settlement from Chemical Manufacturers in Tort Product Liability Suit
Kevin Neal and Ken Ralston were local counsel in a multi-district litigation that resulted in a $15 billion settlement. The firm represented the City of Tucson, Town of Marana, and City of Mesa, in a groundwater contamination and tort products liability case against multiple chemical manufacturers, including 3M Company, in City of Tucson, et al. v. 3M Company, et al. The terms of the proposed settlement are being reviewed by the court and pending approval.
Obtained Favorable Result from U.S. Supreme Court in Whistleblower’s False Claims Act Case
Kevin Neal and Ken Ralston obtained a major victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in Olhausen v. Arriva Medical, LLC, U.S. Kevin and Ken represent a former employer of Arriva Medical who brought suit alleging that Arriva, Abbott Laboratories, and Alere were defrauding the government by submitting false claims to Medicare, resulting in Medicare paying the companies upwards of $100 million. The trial judge dismissed the case and the Court of Appeals affirmed. But, in a major victory for whistleblowers, the Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case to the Eleventh Circuit.
Obtained record-setting $85M settlement for State of Arizona in consumer fraud case against Google.
Gallagher & Kennedy attorneys Kevin D. Neal and Kenneth N. Ralston successfully represented the State of Arizona and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office in the lawsuit against Google for deceptive and unfair practices involving user location data. Lead counsel Kevin Neal and senior associate Ken Ralston obtained the $85 million settlement – the largest amount per capita the internet giant has paid in a privacy lawsuit of its kind – from Google to settle claims brought against the company under the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act in State of Arizona v. Google.

Honors & Awards

Best Lawyers in America® Ones To Watch, Commercial Litigation, 2024; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2024

Press Releases

Other

Certifications
Patent Agent, September 2014

This testimonial is a culmination of over two decades of working with G&K. In 2003, I tragically lost my wife in a car accident. A friend’s brother, employed at G&K, reached out to offer support. Through their assistance. I was introduced to Shannon Clark, who assumed the lead role in managing several lawsuits that included 2 large well known companies. Despite being the same same age as myself (28) Shannon exuded a maturity, knowledge and professionalism beyond his years. Within approximately two years, all legal matters were successfully resolved. Since then, Shannon and the G&K team have provided invaluable assistance not only to me but also to several acquaintances. Their exceptional professionalism and dedication are truly commendable and appreciated. Unlike so many other attorneys that are all over TV, radio and billboards, G&K’s modest advertising approach is a testament to their confidence in their exceptional services. Similar to Hell’s Kitchen which relies on reputation rather than extensive television advertising, G&K’s excellence speaks for itself.

Dave NixonGoogle

Professional, practical approach with impeccable follow thru…5 Stars in every way….

Robert DaltonGoogle

I suffered serious personal injuries after a drunk driver ran a red light and collided into the driver’s side of my car at a high rate of speed. I didn’t know Bill previously, who was referred to me by an old family friend, but I consider myself lucky to have landed in his good hands. From day one, Bill was the consummate advocate. He kept me informed, explained my options step-by-step, and was available anytime I had any questions. His tenacity resulted in a significant settlement from both the drunk driver and the bar that had served the driver. I had a great experience with Bill and everyone else at Gallagher & Kennedy and would highly recommend Bill and his firm.

Ty RobertsGoogle

Best law firm in the State of Arizona hands down.

JUSTIN M.Google

They were extremely compassionate, caring, professional, personable, even though this case was so very traumatic to our family. They explained everything to us in detail so that we understood perfectly what was happening and what the next process needs to be without making us feel ignorant and or stupid because we didn’t have any legal background. They were absolutely wonderful I couldn’t imagine going through this with anyone else!

Lona McCumberGoogle

Practice Areas

Education

Arizona State University
J.D., summa cum laude, 2017
Order of the Coif, Salutatorian
University of Washington
B.S., Biochemistry, 2013

Bar & Court Admissions

Arizona 2017