Practices
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
• Arbitration
• Mediation
Litigation may not be in your best interests. We will work with you as your arbitrator, mediator or counselor to resolve your disputes, whether litigation has started or whether the dispute is just brewing.
APPEALS & WRITS
We have represented litigants on appeal in numerous cases, including those involving The Americans with Disabilities Act, breach of contract issues, claims of attorney fees, fraud claims, and discrimination issues. We have also been retained to represent amicus curiae, not parties to the appeal, to present legal opinions to the court of appeal. If you seek appellate review of your matter, whether you are a litigant or not, or whether you are an attorney or party, we can help.
BUSINESS LITIGATION ~ DEFENSE
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Issues
• Breach of Contract
• Fraud
• Homeowners Association
We have extensive experience in business litigation and can protect your interests against any type of challenge, including claims of breach of contract, challenges of fraud, or allegations of discrimination on the basis of a claimed disability.
We have represented parties in claims made by homeowners associations under various theories, including violation of covenants, conditions and restrictions, encroachments and landslides.
We have represented shareholders, businesses and individuals sued by other businesses for negligence and intentional torts.
CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION ~ DEFENSE
• ADA Claims
• Fair Employment & Housing Discrimination Claims
(Race, Gender, Age, Source of Income, National Origin)
Discrimination is a serious issue, and accusations of discrimination are many times unfounded. We have successfully represented individuals and businesses, which have been accused of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, source of income, and disability. Sometimes, individuals and businesses are accused of rent discrimination based on race, gender, age or family status. We have the experience to help you with these claims.
EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION ~ DEFENSE
• Labor Code Violations
• Sexual Harassment
• Wrongful Discharge
• Wage & Hour Claims
• Uninsured Workers’ Compensation Claims
We represent clients who have been charged with employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge or other employment-related claims.
We provide employment advice and counsel to individuals and businesses to avoid litigation.
We also conduct sexual harassment seminars to clients, to assist businesses in compliance with California’s mandatory sexual harassment training requirements.
REAL ESTATE DISPUTES ~ DEFENSE
• Breach of Lease Claims
• Easements & Boundary Disputes
• Failure to Disclose Claims
• Land Movement or Landslides
• Mold & Other Habitability Claims
• Nuisance
• Mold & Other Habitability Claims
• Trespass / Encroachments / Water Intrusion
We have represented landlords who have been sued by tenants in numerous areas, including lawsuits for breach of lease, mold and habitability claims, and personal injury claims from accidents on the leased premises.
We have represented sellers of real property who have been sued for failing to disclose conditions in the real estate purchase agreement.
We have represented buyers of real property who have been sued for preliminary injunctions to prevent the sale of the property from being completed.
We have represented homeowners in easement and boundary disputes, as well as trespass and water intrusion claims by neighbors.
We have experience in construction claims that arise in construction defect litigation, and which sometimes accompany other causes of action in litigation involving real estate.
Sometimes, these real estate disputes are resolved in creative ways. Sometimes, these cases need to be litigated, and appealed to reach final decisions.
PERSONAL INJURY & WRONGFUL DEATH
• Assault & Battery
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Product Liability
• Trip & Fall Claims
• Workplace Injuries
We have extensive experience in serious personal injury and wrongful death claims, both from the perspective of the plaintiff and also from the perspective of the defendant.
We have represented plaintiffs who have suffered serious personal injury or suffered when a loved one has been injured or has died as a result of the negligence or intentional conduct of another party.
We have also defended these claims, handling through trial many claims for personal injury and wrongful death, stemming from fights between individuals, motor vehicle accidents involving bicycles, automobiles and pedestrian accidents, and trip and fall accidents.
Serious workplace injuries are many times covered by workers compensation insurance in the State of California, but sometimes, these workplace injuries are resolved in a personal injury lawsuit against the employer.
We work with insurance companies, both as counsel for plaintiff, to attempt to resolve these claims if settlement is in the best interests of our clients, and also as counsel for their policyholders, to defend claims made against individuals and companies for negligence or intentional torts. We have handled these cases through settlement, mediation, arbitration, jury trial, and on appeal.
Each case is different, of course, and we evaluate each case throughout each stage of the litigation and any appeal to meet our clients’ objectives. Sometimes, a case begins with decision to litigate the case to the end, and after collaboration and discovery, we determine with our clients that the best choice is settlement.