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, 2024-2025; Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2024-2025

Press Releases

Other

Certifications
Patent Agent, September 2014

After the death of our son as the result of a tragic car accident, we obtained legal services from Gallagher & Kennedy Injury Lawyers. Our lawyers, Shannon Clark and Eleanor Shaffer, filed a Wrongful Death claim on our behalf. We appreciated the professional attention to our case that Shannon Clark and Eleanor Shaffer provided. They handled our case with honesty, respect, and compassion which helped comfort us during a very difficult time. Shannon Clark and Eleanor Shaffer proved to be efficient and driven to obtain the best outcome for our claim. Gallagher & Kennedy Injury Lawyers are highly recommended by us!

Kathy Perkins

If you are counting on results, this is the firm to have in your corner. Their reputation is as powerful as their experience and talents. Hiring

RICHARD C.Best Lawyers Client Review

In April 2023 I was a victim in a serious pedestrian vs. pick up truck accident. My wife and I contacted Shannon Clark of Gallagher & Kennedy and are so glad we did, he got us a swift settlement from the insurance companies. We hope to never be in this situation again, but if we are we will not hesitate to call on Shannon and Gallagher & Kennedy.

Tim HookerGoogle

A special thanks to Matt Boatman, Maria, Christine, and whoever else was involved in my case. You did a fantastic job in resolving it in a timely manner which was very helpful and everyone involved deserves a special thanks for your support and time and effort. If I should ever need help with anything or know of anyone who is need of help, I will definitely let them know how much you all did. Thank you to Maria for your support – your kindness is truly amazing. A special thanks to Angel for helping me through this review process. Also, thank you to Matt and Bob who met with me the first time and a great thanks to Christine who always kept me updated throughout my case.

Ronny GorkinGoogle

In abundance….my case was handled with utmost care and professionalism!! Personalized attention to a very difficult set of circumstances with a phenomenal conclusion that went above and beyond my expectations!!

ANONYMOUSAvvo

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