Ernest Calderon is a trial lawyer with significant and varied courtroom experience. He served as lead counsel for the Arizona trial practice of a large national law firm known for its preeminence in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, nursing home abuse & neglect and as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force.

He is a founding partner in CalderonBarton, a law firm dedicated to fighting for the rights of people who have been injured due to the negligence of others. He is committed to helping victims (and/or their families) receive compensation for their injuries.

In addition to his extensive experience in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and nursing home abuse & neglect cases which are typically complex cases including multiple defendants and a high burden of proof standard, Mr. Calderon has also handled cases involving premises liability, products liability and others.

Experience

Mr. Calderon served as primary litigator for a national firm’s Arizona office handling complex litigation of high-value cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Because of his extensive courtroom experience while serving as a military lawyer, he served as the 1st chair (i.e. lead) attorney on all firm cases which proceeded to trial. He was responsible for handling cases from initial complaint to post-trial matters

From 2007 – 2015, Mr. Calderon served his country in the U.S Air Force in multiple roles as an Air Force lawyer including prosecutor, and as legal counsel to the Commanding General of the Air Force Expeditionary Center relating to the most sensitive and serous military crimes. He gained valuable experience in high pressure, high stakes courtroom cases that would be hard to replicate as a civilian lawyer. He was responsible for reviewing cases and making strategic recommendations about how to structure, organize and put on the case before a judge or jury as in-house counsel. He also headed administrative discharges boards having to rule on motions, resolve disputes between the parties and protect the military defendant’s rights. He learned the importance of communicating clearly and simply when he advised service members on the rules of engagement in the theater of war. He led trial teams before juries and judges where he developed the advocacy skills and confidence needed to represent clients in military and civil courtroom settings.

He is a seasoned litigator who has taken over countless depositions and argued hundreds of motions in court. He is ready and able to take your case all the way to trial, if needed or negotiate a fair settlement to ensure your rights are protected.

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law, Juris Doctor, 2007

• Order of the Barristers
• Related coursework: Trial Practice, Advanced Trial
• Practice, Association of Trial Lawyers of America national trial competition (2L year), National Trial Competition (3L year).

Pensacola Christian College, Bachelor of Arts, 2000

Bar & Court Admissions

• Arizona, 2015
• New Mexico, 2016
• Texas, 2015
• Oklahoma, 2007
• United States District Court, District of Arizona, 2015
• United States District Court, District of New Mexico, 2017

Community Involvement

• Maricopa Bar Association
• Christian Legal Society