Gregory A. Thyberg's legal journey began when he gained admission to the California State Bar in 1981. His early career was steeped in criminal prosecution, honing his skills in countless courtroom battles and examining hundreds of witnesses. In 1986, a pivotal transition saw Mr. Thyberg join the esteemed law firm Dinkelspiel & Dinkelspiel, one of San Francisco's oldest, as an associate. Over the ensuing three decades, his legal practice has evolved to encompass a diverse spectrum of matters, including business and commercial disputes, insurance law, and employment law.
Notably, Mr. Thyberg's litigation expertise includes a milestone achievement: establishing a house counsel office for a major insurance company in Southern California. In this capacity, he meticulously oversaw a team of attorneys handling an impressive caseload of more than 400 litigation files. His journey led to the establishment of his private practice in 2006, where he has since secured settlements and jury verdicts exceeding a remarkable thirty-five (35) million dollars on behalf of his clients.
Mr. Thyberg's groundbreaking legal prowess shines brightly in his representation of the relator in a groundbreaking case. In United States ex rel Brian Markus v. Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. et. al., Case No, 2:15-cv-224 (E.D. Cal), he utilized the False Claims Act (FCA) to expose a defense contractor's false statements to the government regarding its compliance with DFAR and NASAFAR cybersecurity regulations. The case, culminating in a $9 million settlement in July 2022 (inclusive of $2.61 million and a confidential settlement payment for statutory attorney fees), marked a historic moment. Legal experts closely watched it as the inaugural major test of the DOJ's Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative, launched in October 2021. This landmark case established a blueprint for tackling 21st-century cybersecurity challenges using the FCA, a tool with roots tracing back to the Civil War.
Mr. Thyberg boasts a prolific career, having conducted more than 55 jury trials to verdict across California's judicial landscape. He has also presented multiple cases before the California Court of Appeal. His credentials extend to admission to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Central Districts of California. Recognized for his courtroom acumen and unwavering commitment to ethical conduct, Mr. Thyberg was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates ("ABOTA") by his peers. For a decade, he contributed his expertise as a faculty member at the University of California, Hastings College of Trial and Appellate Advocacy, imparting essential trial skills to practicing attorneys. Furthermore, Mr. Thyberg held a faculty appointment as a lecturer at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, where he taught arbitration, mediation, and negotiation techniques.
Beyond his courtroom endeavors, Mr. Thyberg has served as a mediator for over two decades, completing extensive mediation training at Pepperdine University's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, totaling 42 hours. He has also taken on the role of Judge Pro Tem/Settlement Officer for the Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles County Superior Courts.
Sharing his wealth of legal knowledge, Mr. Thyberg has been a prominent lecturer for various continuing legal education programs, including seminars hosted by the Bay Area Legal Secretaries Forum, Legal Secretaries, Inc., and the San Francisco Trial Lawyer's Association. More recently, he ventured into the realm of cybersecurity and its relation to the False Claims Act, serving as a speaker at the CyberSheath CMMC Conference in both 2021 and 2022. Complementing his speaking engagements, Mr. Thyberg has made appearances on numerous national news programs, including the CBS Early Show, Fox News, The Big Story with John Gibson, and Geraldo Rivera Live.
Mr. Thyberg's academic journey reflects his commitment to lifelong learning. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of California Berkeley with High Honors in Economics and Distinction in General Scholarship in 1978. His legal foundation was cemented at UC Davis Law School, where he obtained his J.D. in 1981. His quest for knowledge extended overseas, culminating in an LL.M. in International Law from The London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, England in 1982. In 2006, he furthered his academic pursuits, securing an M.A. degree in Christian Apologetics with High Honors from Biola University.
