Ten years ago, Hayward attorney Richard Simons’ practice got a boon from the state Legislature in the form of a one-year window to file sex abuse cases against churches even if the statute of limitations on the claims had passed. During that time, he took on a series of clients who wanted to sue the Catholic Church, and the child sex abuse niche turned into a business for him.

"I’ve tried more of these cases to verdict than anybody in the west," he said.