Top best E Lawyers in Irvine | 1882 available

Muhammad Ali is an Associate Attorney at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas and Associates. With a strong educational background and diverse experiences, Mr. Ali brings valuable expertise to his legal practice.. As an undergraduate he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Cal State University Los Angeles. He then pursued his legal education at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he excelled in both the Civil Litigation & Advocacy Concentration and the Criminal Justice Concentration.. While in Law school Mr. Ali gained practical experience by serving as clerk at the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office and Farmers Insurance, enhancing his understanding of the legal system from different perspectives. Additionally, he was a member of numerous on-campus organizations, serving as the President of the Muslim Law Students Association for two consecutive years during his second and third year.. Mr. Ali’s passion for trial practice blossomed during his final semester of law school. Immersing himself in Trial Advocacy and Voir Dire, he learned from prominent practicing trial attorneys, Jamon Hicks and Rahul Ravipudi, respectively. Through the Voir Dire course, he was honored with an invitation to the prestigious annual Trial Lawyers University conference, where he had the privilege of witnessing the finest trial attorneys in the country discuss trial strategy and psychology. Continually seeking growth and development, Mr. Ali now actively participates in such conferences to further refine his legal knowledge.. After graduating and taking the Bar exam, Mr. Ali began working at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates as a post-bar clerk. Under the guidance of Samer Habbas and other distinguished attorneys and staff members, Mr. Ali gained valuable hands-on experience in all aspects of pre-litigation and litigation. His time at the firm has not only honed his critical litigation skills, but also provided him with insight into the business side of the legal profession.. Mr. Ali maintains active involvement in multiple associations, including CAALA, the Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, and the Muslim Bar Association of Southern California.. Muhammad Ali is admitted to practice law in both the State of California and the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.

Ms. Wojciechowski has 2 decades of experience in a broad array of intellectual property, customs and internet matters, primarily including domestic and international representation in trademark prosecution and advising clients on counterfeiting, internet and licensing agreements, domain name disputes, import and export issues, and grey market products. Her practice also includes client counseling, licensing and other intellectual property transactions and contract negotiations.. Member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) 1992-present, INTA Committee on Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, 2007-present; INTA Information Resources Committee member 2004 to 2007; INTA 2000-2003 Operations Committee Member, Orange County Bar Association,  American Intellectual Property Law Association, 1998-2003- Chairperson of Orange County Patent Law Association - Trademark Practice Committee, the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, and the State Bar of California.. Ms. Wojciechowski is a member of the California Bar, and is admitted before the Supreme Court of California, all California Courts and the Central and Southern U.S. District Courts.  At Southwestern University, she was a published article author to the Law Review, and was on the Dean’s List each year of law school.  She also won the American Jurisprudence and Exceptional Achievement Awards in each of the following areas: Legal Research and Writing, Copyright Law, Advanced Copyright Seminar, and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Ms. Thomasson worked as a legal assistant for a Plaintiff subrogation law firm in Orange, California, for ten years while attending California State University, Fullerton, and the University of La Verne, College of Law. In July 2007, she graduated with her Juris Doctorate from the University of La Verne.. After passing the bar exam on her first try, she accepted a position with a medium-sized professional malpractice defense law firm in Long Beach, California. There she represented hospitals, doctors, nurses, chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals against claims involving malpractice, employment disputes, and disciplinary proceedings. Thomasson has litigated countless cases in state and federal courtrooms and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for her clients.. She focuses on personal injury law in Orange County and premises accident injury law.

Ms. Jenos Firouznam-Heidari is a partner at Madison Law, APC.  She primarily practices appellate law and business, employment, and personal injury litigation.  She is admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Ms. Firouznam-Heidari completed her law studies at Chapman University School of Law.  Her undergraduate studies were completed at the University of California, Irvine, where she received a B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in Law and graduated in the top 1% of her class.  Ms. Firouznam-Heidari has been selected by “Super Lawyers” as a Top Rated Civil Litigation Attorney in Irvine and a 2014-2018 Southern California Rising Star and Top Woman Attorney.  She is fluent in Farsi.

Ms. Charbonneau is a highly regarded Orange County family law practitioner and was a founding partner in one of Orange County’s premier law firms. Ms. Charbonneau is well known for her uncanny ability to get to the heart of a case and get it resolved. While compassionate and understanding, she is tenacious in her resolve to get divorcing couples to focus on common ground to reach a fair and responsible resolution. She is very skilled in dealing with the range of emotions that go with a divorce and is able to relate to the parties like few others! Ms. Charbonneau has worked in Southern California for over 28 years and has handled countless family law matters. She has tried and settled various notable family law cases throughout her career, some of which have resulted in published law-making cases. Ms. Charbonneau has been involved in many highly contentious divorces, giving her a unique perspective into the problems, motivations and potential solutions in marital disputes. She has no problem thinking out of the box if that will get a case resolved. Ms. Charbonneau is experienced in all aspects of Family Law including: Divorce, Mediation, Child Custody & Custody Investigations, Child Support, Spousal Support Custody & Support Modifications, Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Property Characterization Transmutations. Ms. Charbonneau has been an accomplished and award winning lawyer since her days in law school. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and Salutatorian of Western State University College of Law. She was selected to the prestigious Law Review, serving as the editor of law review for two terms. Ms. Charbonneau was also one of the very few individuals selected to work as a judicial extern for Justice Wallin at the Court of Appeal. Ms. Charbonneau was a law school adjunct professor at Western State University for several years.

Ms. Bass has been practicing exclusively criminal defense for over 20 years and has handled thousands of criminal cases. She is one of the few Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyers who specializes in Federal Criminal Cases, including all white collar crimes, drug crimes, wire fraud,  medical billing fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud, immigration fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy,  sex offenses, among others. She has obtained multiple not guilty verdicts, countless dismissals and outstanding results for her clients.. Ms. Bass handles every type of criminal case. She handles the most serious felonies in state and federal court as well as all misdemeanor cases. Each client is extremely important to Ms. Bass. She will give you her full attention. She will be there to answer your questions and she will fight for you until she obtains best possible outcome for your case.. Ms. Bass has appeared as a legal analyst on National News Outlets including CBS News, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Dr. Drew and others.. She previously served as one of the distinguished individuals who receives appointments on federal cases directly from the United States District Court. This is a tremendous honor reserved only for the best Federal Criminal Defense practitioners in the country.. Ms. Bass represents clients in Federal Courts across the United States, particularly Santa Ana, Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside as well as all of the courts in at the Orange County including the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, The United States District Court in Santa Ana, The Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, The West Justice Center in Westminster, The North Justice Center in Fullerton and The Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange, California. She also practices at all of the courts in Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside Counties.. If you or a loved one have been charged with a crime or are being investigated for a crime, it is critical that you obtain the best possible representation from an experienced criminal defense attorney at the earliest possible stage of the case. An experienced criminal defense attorney can assist you from the moment of your arrest starting with the issue of bail and will be there with you every step of the way. Your attorney will be there for you through arraignment, pretrial negotiations, to determine whether any of your constitutional rights have been violated by law enforcement and present those issues to the court. She will either take your case to trial or work out the best possible resolution for your case. If you have not yet been charged with a crime but you are under investigation, now is the time to contact an attorney. Our goal is always to get the best possible results for you under the circumstances.

Mr. Friedland’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and strategic counseling including complex contract disputes, class actions, unlawful business practices, trade secrets, business torts, real estate and appellate matters.  Prior to forming Stephens Friedland LLP, Mr. Friedland practiced with the multi-national law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman.  Mr. Friedland was also a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Paul Boland and the Honorable Alexander H. Williams of the Los Angeles Superior Court, and a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Alicemarie H. Stotler, U.S.  District Court, Central District of California.. Mr. Friedland is a Past-President of the Orange County Bar Association, Past-President of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Orange County, serves on the executive committee of the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers - Orange County Chapter, and is a member of the board of Project Youth OCBF.  Mr. Friedland is also Martindale-Hubbell AV - Preeminent rated, a California "Superlawyer" for 2011-2018, and is listed in U.S. News and World Repots' Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms.

Mr.Chen is highly regarded and has been faithfully serving numerous traditional and high tech businesses based both in the US and Asia since he began practicing law. The size of these businesses range from startups to multinational corporation with over 1000 employees. He has accumulated a wealth of experience in practicing intellectual property law, corporate law, real estate law and business-related-immigration law. He is now essentially serving as de facto inhouse counsel for more than a dozen high tech and traditional companies in the and US and Asia.

Mr. Tran's primary practice area is Employment Law where he focuses on sexual orientation discrimination, disability discrimination, and wage and hour claims.. Prior to law school, Mr. Tran earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from University of California, Riverside, California. Mr. Tran earned his Juris Doctor from Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. Mr. Tran also recieved the degree of Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.. During his legal studies. Mr. Tran was a Board Member of the Mock Trial Team, where he competed in Regional competitions. Mr. Tran and his team earned a Regional Finalist finish in the American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law. While in law school, Mr. Tran interned for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, where he argued numerous hearings and motions and conducted bench trials while he was in the Felony, Misdemeanor, and Juvenile Justice Unit.. Mr. Tran is a first-generation American, fluent in Vietnamese. Mr. Tran looks forward to serving the legal needs of the Vietnamese community.

Mr. Stone represents clients with their business, construction and real estate matters.

Mr. Nelson was raised in Orange County, California.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2008.  He attended Chapman University School of Law (now called Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law), where he obtained his juris doctorate in 2011.  Mr. Nelson started with Ringstad & Sanders LLP as a summer clerk during the summer of 2009, and returned as a summer clerk in the summer of 2010.  After taking the California Bar examination in July of 2011, Mr. Nelson worked for Ringstad & Sanders LLP as a post-bar clerk until November, 2011, when he officially passed the California Bar examination.  After being sworn in to practice before the Federal District Courts in the Central District and Southern District of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of California, he became an associate attorney with Ringstad & Sanders LLP.  As an associate, Mr. Nelson has gained considerable experience in all areas of bankruptcy law and practice, especially in representing creditors, creditors committees, and debtors in complex corporate restructuring cases under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Mr. James Sifers is a partner at Madison Law, APC and practices consumer law defense, real property, and business litigation. Mr. Sifers completed his legal education at Western State University, College of Law, where he wrote on the school's Law Review. He is admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court and the United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California. Mr. Sifers specializes in consumer defense, particularly in the automotive finance field. Mr. Sifers has been a guest speaker at a number of conferences on the issue of consumer litigation. Mr. Sifers has written several articles on the issue of consumer litigation. Mr. Sifers has successfully tried multiple cases before arbitrators, judges, and juries both in state and federal courts. Mr. Sifers has been selected by “Super Lawyers” as a Top Rated Civil Litigation Attorney in Irvine and 2017-2019 Southern California Rising Star.

Mr. Hills founded the Hills Law Group in 2015. To the legal marketplace, Max brings enthusiasm, perspective, and integrity. Mr. Hills left large firm practice to offer his clients unique representation that is solely focused on their interests. For more information, please contact the Hills Law Group today.

Mr. Dixon Gardner oversees bankruptcy litigation and transaction matters within the firm. Mr. Gardner has significant experience in business and consumer bankruptcies, business litigation, commercial transactions, tax compliance, tax planning, tax controversies, and estate planning. Mr. Gardner has substantial experience representing debtors, all types of creditors (including creditor committees), and stockholders in bankruptcy cases, including selling over $10 million in assets out of bankruptcy cases. He has resolved numerous tax controversies with the IRS, the Department of Labor, and many states. He has provided pro bono representation to taxpayers before the United States Tax Court. Since 2010, he has taught courses for a local law school in contracts, lending, and corporate transactions. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1996 and has over four years of work experience as a senior auditor and tax accountant at a “Big Four” accounting firm. His accounting experience enables him to provide legal advice that specifically addresses his clients’ business needs.. At a hearing in May 31, 2017 to confirm a reorganization plan that Mr. Gardner helped draft and for which he represented the debtor (In re Advanced Biomedical, Inc., Case Number 8:14-bk-15938-MW), Bankruptcy Judge Mark Wallace stated that “the attorneys did a great job”, a “terrific job”, a “great result” to confirm this plan after two and half years of work to improve the financial performance of the debtor and to sell it to an investor as a going concern for several million dollars. Judge Wallace was “really worried” that this bankruptcy case was “going to go down in flames”. Instead Mr. Gardner and the debtor were able to produce a “tremendous turnaround”, which Judge Wallace said should be a “poster child Chapter 11 case in terms of its outcome.”. Madison Law, APC has the experience and ability to represent your committee’s interest in a cost-effective manner. Mr. Gardner is admitted in all 4 federal districts in California and has over 16 years of experience practicing bankruptcy law while working with all type of creditors, debtors, or committees in New York, Delaware, Nevada, Texas, and California.

Mr. Dennis’ practice emphasizes both prosecuting and defending a wide range of federal and state civil litigation matters, including catastrophic injury claims, product liability cases, complex internet and business litigation, employment/labor law and class actions.. From 2012 - 2016, Mr. Dennis was named as a "Southern California Rising Star" and was featured in Los Angeles magazine and Super Lawyers magazine as one of the premier lawyers in Southern California under the age of 40.. Mr. Dennis has served on the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers Board of Governors since 2008.  In 2011, he was elected to the executive committee as the Barrister's treasurer and served in that capacity through 2014.  Mr. Dennis is also the Chairman for the Beverly Hills Bar Assoication Personal Injury Section.  Mr. Dennis is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.. Prior to joining Rosen Saba, Mr. Dennis was an attorney at Murchison & Cumming, LLP, where he practiced in the general liability, domestic and international product liability and business litigation groups.

Mr. Bayona graduated from Tufts University with an undergraduate degree in International Relations and a minor in economics.  Upon graduating, he worked for Teach For America, a domestic peace corps.  After he completed his time with this program, he decided to attend law school.. He obtained his J.D. from Western State University College of Law. During law school he studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico, at the Facultad de Derechos de Guanajuato.. Mr. Bayona began his legal career, as an apprentice with the Law Office of Lawrence R. Young, a criminal defense firm.  Six months after graduating from law school, he tried a murder case, as his first trial ever.  The supervising attorney told him the client was guilty and just wanted to go down with a good fight.   He tried the case, gave him a good fight, and obtained a not guilty verdict for his client.  Since that initial trial, Mr. Bayona has tried over fifty jury trials in jurisdictions all over southern California.

Mohsen Parsa is a proven leader. Whether it was negotiating sophisticated contracts with companies like SpaceX and Mitsubishi, or competing professionally on the soccer field, he has shown that hard work and perseverance are the keys to successful results.. Today, Mohsen's law practice includes the representation of both individuals and businesses across a variety of industries. However, his clients are similar in that they all value a very close working relationship with their legal counsel. One client described his organization's relationship with Mohsen as follows:. “What we appreciate most about Mohsen is that he has gone over and above in his effort to understand our business' goals and vision. From our perspective, Mohsen isn't just a professional service provider that fills a role for our Club. He truly is a very valuable member of our team whose opinions and advice are given the utmost respect and consideration.”. Beyond his life as an attorney, Mohsen is an artist and athlete, having published internationally broadcast music and played soccer against some of the world's elite players. He is married and recently became a father.. Practice Areas. Awards. Admissions. Education. Professional Affiliations. Prior Experience. Community Service

MKC Law Group stands as a distinguished boutique law firm, offering a specialized focus on corporate and business transactions. Our commitment extends beyond traditional legal services, as we proudly serve as trusted outside counsel to both domestic and international clients, adeptly navigating the intricate landscape of local and cross-border transactions. Our comprehensive expertise spans an array of critical areas, encompassing corporate compliance and formation, securities and franchise law, intellectual property safeguarding, asset protection, mergers and acquisitions, employment negotiations, real estate transactions, landlord-tenant disputes, and the meticulous preparation and negotiation of diverse business contracts.. Our client portfolio mirrors the diverse tapestry of industries, with entities varying in size and operational nuances. Recognizing that no two businesses are identical in their operational intricacies, we approach each client engagement with the profound understanding that every business possesses its own unique requirements and aspirations. At MKC Law Group, we take immense pride in cultivating enduring, symbiotic relationships with our clients, seamlessly integrating into their management teams to collaboratively steer them toward their ambitious business objectives.. Central to our mission is the unwavering commitment to provide our clients with meticulously tailored, cost-effective legal counsel that is undeniably results-oriented. We aspire to function as not merely legal advisors but trusted confidants in the pursuit of our clients' commercial success. MKC Law Group's ultimate aim is to be the steadfast guiding hand, helping our clients navigate the intricate legal landscape while propelling their businesses toward prosperity.

Mission statement: To provide clients excellent service and results at reasonable rates. We work one-on-one with clients, approaching problems like a business person first, then as a lawyer. My 28 years of experience are at your disposal. You will receive my personal attention.. What makes Bob Dewberry different from every other lawyer? Answer: he doesn't think act or talk like a lawyer---he thinks acts and talks like a regular person whose been trained as a lawyer. He is real, personal and genuine, offerring solutions to problems that may or may not require legal action. He is, in the true sense of the word, a 'counselor'. His bright, innovative and imaginative solutions will surprise you.

Miguel is an attorney with an MBA who acts as outside strategic counsel for a variety of privately-held companies, entrepreneurs, investor groups, family offices, and franchisors in business and real estate transactions. He is licensed to practice law in California (since 2009) and in Arizona (since 2010).. Miguel’s typical clients are middle market and entrepreneurial businesses operating in real estate, financial services, healthcare, insurance, technology, beauty product, and food services industries, among others.. Miguel has closed numerous commercial transactions that have served as the foundation for entrepreneurial businesses and upstart business owners.  As a licensed California Real Estate Broker, Miguel routinely counsels individuals and entities through acquisition, leasing and sale of commercial, residential and investment properties.  He also has extensive experience representing real estate professionals (brokers and salespersons), banks and corresponding lenders, title companies, trustees and loan servicers in transactional and litigation matters.

Michelle Miu Epstein began her career in Intellectual Property in 2011 working at a globally recognized intellectual property firm, specializing in domestic and international trademark prosecution. Over the years, Michelle honed her craft in navigating the particularities of brand protection in various jurisdictions worldwide.. Prior to starting her own firm, Michelle was the head of the trademark prosecution team and spent years focusing on domestic and international trademark prosecution and enforcement matters. She has represented clients in various industries, including, but not limited to Fortune 500 companies and other individuals and businesses in the food and beverage, cosmetic, fashion, entertainment, hospitality, financial services, and automotive and technology fields.. Since 2019, Michelle has been selected as an Intellectual Property Rising Star with Super Lawyers, where only 2.5% of attorneys in each state receive this prestigious distinction. Michelle was also recently appointed to serve as a member of the Emerging Issues Committee with the International Trademark Association (“INTA”) where she will lend her expertise to educate, propose policy recommendations and advocacy programs to the INTA Board.

Michelle L. Tran graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a double major in Political Science and Criminology, Law, and Society. She received her J.D. from Chapman University School of Law. During her law school career, she was selected as a judicial law clerk for Justice William F. Rylaarsdam in the California Court of Appeal, and acted as Senior Editor of Chapman University’s Nexus Journal of Law and Public Policy.. Ms. Tran is actively involved with the Orange County legal community. She serves as a director for the Orange County Asian American Bar Association (OCAABA) and is the chair of its Membership Committee. She also serves as the Treasurer of the Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA) and will be President of the organization in 2017. She is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.. Previously, Ms. Tran served on the board of the Orange County Bar Association, acted as the 2013 Young Lawyers Division Chair and the 2012 Young Lawyer’s Division Chair-Elect. She has also been active in the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, the Orange County Bar Association’s Family Law Section and Appellate Law Section. As an dynamic member of the Orange County legal community, Ms. Tran continues to give back to the community and stay involved.. Ms. Tran practices primarily family law matters and civil litigation. She has over 200 hours of family law training and is passionate about her work. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys cooking and spending time with her family and friends. She is also an avid Green Bay Packers fan and enjoys attending sporting events.

Michael Royer is the founder and principal attorney at Royer Law Group. He has settled millions of dollars’ worth of cases, ranging from personal injury, to employment law, and even workers compensation cases.. The focus of Mr. Royer’s practice is in personal injury litigation although he also has experience in employment law, workers compensation and personal injury pre-litigation. Mr. Royer is known as a fierce litigator amongst his colleagues with an unmatched knowledge of the law and civil procedure.. Mr. Royer graduated Valedictorian from the prestigious Western State College of Law with Summa Cum Laude honors and a certificate of Exemplary Public Service. Western State College of Law is located in Orange County California and is the oldest law school in the county, having produced hundreds of judges and thousands of attorneys across California.. During law school Mr. Royer served as a writer and editor of the esteemed Western State Law Review, and also received 12 Witkin Awards of Academic Excellence which are awarded to the top student in each course that is taught at the law school. Before beginning law school Mr. Royer obtained a double Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Criminology from the University of Southern Maine.. Originally interested in criminal law, Mr. Royer was inspired to do personal injury law after he and his 2-year-old son were involved in a traumatic car accident where his son was critically injured. Now Mr. Royer is extremely passionate about personal injury and wants to help others who have been injured in all types of different accidents. Mr. Royer has a special interest in helping minors who have been injured because he learned through his own personal experience about the specific and difficult hurdles their personal injury cases face.. After law school Mr. Royer passed the July 2019 California Bar Exam, which is notoriously known as the hardest bar exam in the nation (California does not release bar exam scores for those who pass the exam). In addition to that, in February of 2020 Mr. Royer took the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and scored a 339 which is in the 99th percentile in the nation. The UBE is a bar exam used by 35 states in the U.S. including Texas, New York, Illinois, and many more. Since he passed the UBE Mr. Royer is eligible to be licensed in any of the 35 states which have adopted the UBE.  Currently Mr. Royer is a licensed attorney in both California and Alaska.. Outside of the office Mr. Royer is always busy with his three beautiful children Hudson, Harlow, and Hendrix. He loves taking his kids to all of the amazing events and activities Orange County has to offer, such as the beautiful beaches, fairs & farmers markets, and amusement parks.

Michael J. Rossiter is a partner at Scott & Whitehead with nearly 20 years of experience advising and defending employers across California. His practice covers the full spectrum of employment law, including wage and hour compliance, employee classification, disability accommodations, workplace investigations, discipline and termination, and defense against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.. Michael has a strong litigation background, having handled numerous jury trials, arbitrations, and appeals—including a published decision in Sharp v. County of Orange, 871 F.3d 901 (9th Cir. 2017). He routinely defends employers in state and federal court, as well as before administrative agencies, under laws such as FEHA, the Labor Code, Title VII, the ADA, ADEA, and USERRA. His work also includes drafting and enforcing employment agreements, including confidentiality, non-solicitation, and trade secret protections.. In addition to his legal practice, Michael is an active speaker and trainer, regularly presenting to employers, HR professionals, and industry groups on wage and hour compliance, preventing harassment, managing employee discipline, and workplace accommodations.. Michael previously practiced at Rutan & Tucker LLP and served as a partner at Koeller, Nebeker, Carlson & Haluck LLP. He began his career with Fisher & Phillips LLP. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at Chapman University School of Law, where he taught Civil Procedure Lab from 2015 to 2023.. He earned his J.D. from Chapman University School of Law, where he served as Symposium Editor of the Chapman Law Review, and graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University with a degree in Political Science. He is admitted to practice in both California and Utah, as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and federal courts in California. He has been recognized as a Southern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers and is a graduate of both the ABOTA Trial Advocacy Program and the OCBA College of Trial Advocacy.. Outside of his practice, Michael is dedicated to community service. He mentors law students, coaches high school mock trial teams, judges collegiate competitions, and volunteers with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.. Michael takes a practical, business-focused approach to employment law—helping employers navigate California’s complex legal landscape with clarity and confidence.

Michael Balmages is an accomplished mediator, arbitrator, and discovery referee with ADR Services, Inc. As a neutral, he has had great success in helping litigants resolve their disputes in more than 1,000 cases. His friendly nature and ability to find common ground contribute to his easy rapport with litigants and their attorneys. At the same time, his determination to get cases settled is evident at each hearing.. Michael's mediation experience is supplemented by his broad experience as a civil litigator, corporate general counsel, and transactional attorney. He has tried over 75 cases, taken over 1,000 depositions, and negotiated and drafted more than 1,000 contracts. He has extensive experience with business entities, including the formation, dissolution, and merger of such entities and the negotiation and drafting of numerous contracts and deal documents. Michael has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell for over 35 years.. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, Michael Balmages conducts his hearings remotely via Zoom as a dedicated mediator, arbitrator, and discovery referee with ADR Services, Inc.. Michael's expansive career in law has its roots in Orange County, spanning an impressive 45+ years. His diverse experience has seen him represent plaintiffs and defendants across various business, real estate, and employment litigation phases. His legal journey included a significant tenure as the in-house General Counsel for Ocean Pacific Sunwear, Ltd., a global surf and beach apparel frontrunner during its heyday.. A proud alum of U.C. Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law (1972), Michael began his professional journey with Kindel & Anderson in their Orange County branch. He later established his firm in Tustin, pioneering in landlord-tenant and business litigation, with a particular flair for employment law. The evolution of his practice led to a merger with Corbett, Steelman & Davidson in 1984, furthering his specialization in employment matters.. Michael's commitment to mediation goes beyond his private practice. As a Certified Dispute Resolution Act Programs Mediator, he is also an esteemed member of mediation panels for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the Orange County Superior Court. Over his career, he has played a neutral role in over 1,500 cases, affirming his expertise.. In recognition of his unparalleled contributions, Michael was honored with a lifetime achievement award in 2020 by the Orange County Superior Court for his dedicated service on the court's Temporary Judge panel.. Beyond law, Michael's leadership is reflected in his active engagement within the Orange County community. Michael has been Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party, Orange County Chair of Tom Bradley for Governor, Orange County Chair of Feinstein for Governor, a Democratic candidate for State Senator, a Bobby Sox softball coach, and a Little League Coach. He was also on the Board of Directors of the Newport Theater Arts Center, on the Board of Directors of the California Age Group Wrestling Association, President of the Canyon Freestyle Wrestling Club, President of the Foothill Wrestling Club, and President of the Foothill High School Wrestling Boosters. Additionally, Michael is the head Astronomer for the Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.. Michael enjoys the proximity of his family. Together with his wife, Mary, he cherishes the joy of having their eight grandchildren nearby in North Tustin. Whether in courtroom mediation, on the sports field, or under the night sky, Michael Balmages, Esq. brings passion, dedication, and a wealth of experience to every endeavor.