Attorneys
The accomplishments of the legal team at Aguirre & Severson LLP are many. We fight against injustices representing individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and government entities. We have successfully negotiated a $775 million dollar settlement on behalf of California electricity customers. Our lawyers have won fraud jury trials, civil rights and voting rights cases, environmental cases and public interest cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars. We have recovered for victims of Ponzi schemes, derivatives fraud, breach of contract, unlawful business practices and environmental law violations. Our lawyers have prosecuted cases against organized crime. Altogether, we have recovered and saved our clients hundreds of millions of dollars. We are bold in our quest for justice and are ready to take on the biggest corporations to achieve results for our clients.
Aguirre & Severson LLP is a multinational law firm with a reputation for providing personal service to our diverse client base, regardless of the sophistication of their matter or where they are located. We guide our clients throughout the resolution of the case, and at times, we establish a long-term relationship, serving as trusted legal counsel whenever necessary.
Michael Aguirre’s legal career spans over four decades as a federal prosecutor, municipal law expert, fraud victim trial attorney, and certified fraud examiner and special attorney assigned to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Permanent Investigations. He is a former elected official of the City of San Diego.
Maria (Mia) Severson is an experienced trial lawyer and former Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Diego. With more than 28 years of private and public practice, she has litigated complex matters involving fraud, unfair business practices, contract and franchise disputes, public entity issues, including pension, election law, constitutional law, First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, labor and employment matters, land use, eminent domain, environmental issues, and serious personal injury and wrongful death claims. She has tried more than 20 cases, some with significant media attention. She is persuasive in the courtroom, both in trial and on appeal.
Regardless of your location or matter, Aguirre & Severson LLP provides comprehensive legal representation.
To learn more about our law firm, please click here.
PARTNERS
To learn more about our legal team, please click on the links above.
Associate Attorney 
Elijah T. Gaglio
Location:
San Diego, CA
Phone:
Fax:
619-876-5368
Email:
Elijah Gaglio has practiced law in California for over 3 years after being admitted to the State Bar in January 2019. Following his clinical externship with Aguirre & Severson LLP, Mr. Gaglio worked as both a clerk and attorney before joining the firm as an Associate Attorney in 2020.
While in law school, Mr. Gaglio served as a Judicial Extern for Presiding Justice Judith McConnell at the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One, and as a legal intern for the California Department of Business Oversight, Enforcement Division. Mr. Gaglio also interned with Chilean Judge Juan Guzman Tapia where he researched proposed judicial reform in South America and Spain, and archived Judge Guzman’s prosecution of Augusto Pinochet for violations of human rights during his dictatorship of Chile.
Mr. Gaglio earned his Juris Doctorate at California Western School of Law, graduating magnum cum laude. In law school, Mr. Gaglio served as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Law Journal and on the Phillip C. Jessup International Moot Court Team where he was awarded Top Oralist and led his team to rank first in 2017. Prior to law school, Mr. Gaglio received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of La Verne.
Mr. Gaglio is the Community Service Chair of the San Diego County Bar Association’s New Lawyer Division. He enjoys serving as a mentor and coach to California Western’s moot court teams and teaching Appellate Skills Training in the summer program.
Areas of Practice
Administrative Hearings & Adjudication
Asbestos
Business Fraud
Lending & Secured Transactions
Commercial Leasing
Franchise Fraud
Freedom of Information
Freedom of Speech
Unlawful Business Practices
Employment Law — Employee
Public Utilities
Unfair Labor Practices
Complex Litigation
Litigation Percentage
85% of Practice Devotes to Litigation
Bar Admissions
California, 2019
Education
California Western School of Law, San Diego, California
J.D. magnum cum laude
University of La Verne, La Verne, California
Bachelor of Arts, BA
Major: Political Science
Professional Associations and Memberships
San Diego County Bar Association
American Bar Association
American Business Trial Lawyers
California Lawyers Association
We look forward to the opportunity to speak with you, at no cost or obligation, to discuss your legal matter, your legal rights and the options available to you. Please contact us to schedule a meeting.
For your convenience, we accept evening and weekend appointments.
Se habla español.