Top best L Lawyers in ZIP 92707 | 153 available

Sarah Serpa’s practice focuses on complex litigation, including catastrophic personal injury, contract disputes and business fraud. Sarah Serpa was the responsible attorney for the largest pre-trial personal injury settlement in the history of the United States, at $50,000, for two Orange County mothers rendered quadriplegic.. Ms. Serpa was recently named a “Rising Star” as one of the top 2.5% of Southern California lawyers as rated by her peers.. She successfully prosecuted three severe brain injury cases against large newspaper companies, involving complex issues of employee vs. independent contractor status of workers.. Ms. Serpa also has extensive experience in litigation against governmental entities concerning dangerous conditions of public property wherein she gained vast knowledge in the area of roadway design and traffic engineering.. She also successfully defended corporations and their directors against allegations of fraud and unfair business practices.. Ms. Serpa is admitted to practice in California and in the United States District Courts of California and Colorado. Ms. Serpa obtained her B.S. in Management with a Certificate of Excellence in Economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and attended Mercer University Law School and Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, obtaining her Juris Doctor in 1998.

Rob Coldren enjoys a special reputation in the area of property rights, land use, and regulatory “taking” issues. His primary expertise is in legal issues pertaining to Manufactured Housing Communities and R.V. parks nationally. For over a quarter of a century, a practice group within the law firm he founded became widely recognized as the premier legal representative for the mobile home park industry, manufactured housing communities and recreational vehicle park clients throughout California. With unparalleled relationships within the industry and the communities in which he operates, Rob has been a key litigator in many of the industry’s most important cases, including the case of Guggenheim v. City of Goleta which went to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. Along with his distinguished record and reputation as an attorney, Rob also enjoys traveling, fishing, mountain biking, skiing, surfing & paddleboarding, and more than anything else, spending time with his wife of 35 years and their two children.

Richard Cohn is a persistent, aggressive trial attorney who takes a "turn every stone" approach toward the legal matters he handles. He has been repeatedly designated a Southern California "Super Lawyer" by Los Angeles Magazine and Law and Politics. He was also one of only three lawyers in Orange County, California to achieve the distinction of being listed as a "Law Dragon" in the inaugural issue of Law Dragon Magazine, which designated him as one of the "Top 500 Litigators in the Nation.”  Mr. Cohn received the prestigious “Top Gun” Trial Lawyers of the Year Award in 2008 for his work on medical malpractice cases in Orange County.  Mr. Cohn is "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubble’s Law Directory — which issues such ratings only to those attorneys who have demonstrated preeminent legal ability and the highest professional and ethical standards.. Mr. Cohn received his Bachelors Degree, Cum Laude, from University of California at San Diego (UCSD) in 1985 with a double major in Political Science and Communications. He obtained his juris doctorate degree from U.S.C. Law School in 1989, graduating among the top quarter of his class. He began his legal career at the law firm of McGinnis, Fitzgerald, Reese, Sharkey & McIntyre in San Diego, California, specializing in the field of medical malpractice defense.. Mr. Cohn joined Wylie Aitken in practice in July of 1990 and became a named Partner in January 2001. Mr. Cohn handles a wide variety of cases in major tort litigation including wrongful death and serious personal injury, medical malpractice, aviation tort law, insurance bad faith, products liability, construction site accidents, automobile and trucking accidents, premises liability, and governmental tort liability. (The subspecialty of medical malpractice has always constituted over 50% of his caseload.). Mr. Cohn is a past President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, having assumed the Presidency of that organization in January 2001. Mr. Cohn has also served on the Board of Directors of a variety of other legal and charitable organizations, including the Orange County Bar Association and the United Cerebral Palsey Association of Orange County among others. He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars including for California Continuing Education for The Bar (CEB) as well as for the State and Local Trial and Bar Association. He is also a frequent author of articles in legal publications. He has also been interviewed on multiple occasions by both televison and print news media regarding a variety of high profile cases.. Exemplary Results. Mr. Cohn has been trial counsel in a variety of lengthy, complex and high profile trials which have resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts. Examples include: Small v. County of Orange (involving the attack of a mountain lion on a young child in a public park -- Verdict: $2,100,000); Chavez v. Altig (a complex medical malpractice case wherein a 25 year old man was blinded as a result of anesthesia during ankle surgery -- Verdict: $3,800,000); Scott v. Burges Transportation, et al (wherein a Journeyman immigrant plumbing contractor was seriously injured when he was run over by a dump truck on a construction site -- Verdict: $1,900,000); (Redacted) v. Wings Express Aviation, et al. (an aviation case wherein a Piper Cherokee VI aircraft crashed at Fullerton Airport due to a combination of contaminated fuel and poor maintenance -- Verdict $2,760,535).. Mr. Cohn also has achieved numerous multimillion dollar settlements on behalf of his clients. Most recent highlights include: A $4.5 million dollar settlement on behalf of a man who suffered a quadriplegic injury when diving into a pool at a luxury resort (2010); A $3 million settlement for the wrongful death of a construction site worker struck by a dump truck (Bodine v. Western Trucking) (2006); A $7.25 million dollar settlement for a new mother who received a morphine overdose in the hospital after a C-Section, (Case I.D. confidential) (2007); a settlement for over $3 Million for the wrongful death of an elderly woman struck by a bus in a crosswalk (Case I.D. confidential) (2006); a $1.8 Million settlement for the wrongful death of a husband/father electrocuted when he contacted power lines (Case I.D. confidential) (2006); and a $2.4 million settlement in a medical malpractice matter involving the wrongful death of an executive/father of three due to anesthesiology error (Brown v. Neff, M.D., et al.). He also obtained a record $2.1 million dollar settlement for an 80 year old auto v. pedestrian victim (believed to be the highest personal injury award in California history for a victim over the age of 80). (Rubio v. Allstate Ins.) (2003). In other recent medical malpractice results, Mr. Cohn recently obtained a $4.0 million dollar settlement in a hard fought, complex birth injury case. (Doe v. Roe Hospital) (2007), and a 2.4 million settlement on the eve of trial in another Orange County birth injury matter, (2008.). Mr. Cohn has also briefed and argued a variety of appellate matters, and argued before the California Supreme Court in an insurance coverage dispute which resulted in over 140 pages of majority and dissenting opinion.. Personal. Mr. Cohn was married in 1993 and has two children. They live in Newport Beach, California.

Raphael Cung is a senior attorney with 15 years of experience in complex business litigation and representing plaintiffs with catastrophic personal injuries.. In just the recent past, Raphael, working with other Callahan & Blaine attorneys, achieved the following favorable results for the firm’s clients:. In a client’s action against a national bank, “hard money” lenders, and loan brokers for financial elder abuse, fraud, and related claims, obtained a rarely granted preliminary injunction against the foreclosure of the client’s multimillion dollar residence two days before a scheduled trustee’s sale.. In a lawsuit representing an individual injured while riding as a passenger in a limousine, obtained a seven- figure settlement for the client after prevailing on five discovery motions against defendants.  In a related dispute with the client’s former attorneys over their fee lien, obtained 93 percent of the amount at issue.. In an action for wrongful deaths arising from the notorious shooting of 8 individuals at an Orange County hair salon, obtained an uncommon denial of defendant’s motion to stay civil proceedings while his criminal prosecution for murder was proceeding.  Also, defeated plaintiff’s multiple attempts to prevent written discovery based on the Fifth Amendment.. Among Raphael's previous accomplishments include the following: successfully representing a major film studio suing over a “knock-off” TV show, which made new case law interpreting the federal Lanham Act; obtaining a walk-away settlement after filing a summary judgment motion in a dispute involving a $17 million real property; defending corporate directors and officers sued for breach of fiduciary duties in connection with a “going private” tender offer, which allowed the $600 million transaction to go forward; winning a motion for a new trial for a client casino resort suing over defective gaming equipment after the court initially granted a directed verdict; winning summary judgment for a real estate brokerage sued for the acts of an employee who had a side business, a result upheld by the California Court of Appeal; and obtaining complete vindication for a corporate president sued for $300 million involving the estate of a prominent billionaire, whose network of companies the client oversaw for 25 years. Raphael previously practiced with, among others, O’Melveny & Myers and Greenberg Glusker in Los Angeles.  He has been selected as a “Rising Star” by California Superlawyers. Before going to law school, Raphael served for 4 years in the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., where he formulated trade policy toward East Asia. Raphael was born in Saigon, South Vietnam and is a naturalized U.S. citizen.  His family fled the country on the last day before Saigon was overtaken by Communist forces.  Raphael is a native speaker of Vietnamese.  He has also studied French and Mandarin Chinese.

Peter Bauman is a senior, AV Preeminent rated, commercial litigation attorney, with extensive experience in complex business, construction, and real estate litigation. Mr. Bauman has been a civil litigator since passing the California bar exam in 2003, having received his J.D. degree from Pepperdine University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California. Mr. Bauman has successfully litigated and resolved a number of high profile cases through the courts, arbitration, and mediation. Mr. Bauman provides an aggressive, strategic, and creative litigation solution.. Some of Mr. Bauman's more notable cases include:. Callan vs. Marlborough Seaview Estates HOA: Mr. Bauman was instrumental in defending his client and designing a deal that resolved a 30 year old blight and $30 million litigation, with minimal contribution from his client. Case involved a complex landslide that affected numerous homes above the Shorecliffs Golf Course in San Clemente, California.. Private Company vs. Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc.: Mr. Bauman arbitrated this case on behalf of the building owner against a multinational solar energy firm and obtained an exceptional recovery for his client, and enforced the arbitration award in the Los Angeles Superior Court. Case involved a commercial dispute over the sale, design and installation of a 42 kilowatt photovoltaic solar energy system.. County of San Luis Obispo vs. Kajima Construction Services: Mr. Bauman defended the structural steel subcontractor and resolved the case for a de minimis amount. Case involved a San Luis Obispo public works construction lawsuit for several million dollars brought by the County against general contractor Kajima Construction Services and several subcontractors.. City & County of San Francisco vs. Competent Builders: Mr. Bauman successfully represented the general contractor in two lawsuits brought by the City and County of San Francisco and bonding companies over public work construction projects involving the historic Japantown Peace Plaza and Portsmouth Square Plaza. Claims totaled more than $5 million and were resolved for substantially less.. Additionally, Mr. Bauman has represented individuals, families, partnerships, corporations, homeowners associations, and design professionals in a wide variety of real estate, business, insurance, and construction related matters; resolving contentious claims against his clients for minimal payments, shifting liability to others through indemnity mechanisms, and recovering millions of dollars in plaintiff claims.

Pamela Liosi-Traut has over 25 years of experience handling personal injury matters. She has practiced with the Traut Firm since 2014, doing exclusively plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death law. She is a former partner with Watten, Discoe, Bassett & McMains, an Orange County insurance defense firm, where she practiced for 18 years. Throughout her legal career, Pamela has been involved in numerous jury and bench trials where she represented both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death matters. Pamela is a Patriot and member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and currently serves as Treasurer for the Orange County Chapter of ABOTA and is the Incoming President for 2024. Membership in ABOTA is by invitation only, and the group seeks only attorneys who display exceptional skill, professionalism, civility, and integrity in the practice of law.. She served two terms as President of the Italian American Lawyers of Orange County in 2013 and 2014. She is currently Incoming President on the executive board of the Robert A. Banyard Inn of Court. She was the recipient of the Angelo Palmieri Award for Civility from the Robert A. Banyard Inn of Court in 2017. In 2018, she was inducted into the Western State College of Law Hall of Fame.. She is also a member of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, California State Bar, Orange County Bar Association, Italian American Lawyers of Orange County, Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, Robert A. Banyard Inn of Court, and the Orange County Bar Foundation Society of Fellows.. She frequently speaks on the topic of civility in the practice of law to students at Western State, as well as to California Bar Associations including the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and Banyard Inn of Court. In addition, Pamela has been an adjunct professor teaching legal writing at Western State University, College of Law.

Ms. Irani is an Associate in Haight Brown & Bonesteel’s Los Angeles and Orange County offices. She is a member of the Product Liability & Tort, Construction Law & Risk Management and Insurance Law Practice Groups. Her practice focuses on elder abuse litigation, construction defect litigation, premises liability, product liability, personal injury litigation and risk management and insurance law.

Michael Penn obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with an emphasis in international relations, graduating with honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1998.  He studied abroad at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, from 1996 to 1997 and returned to Tokyo after graduation to work for Toyo Corporation.  Mr. Penn obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Chapman University School of Law in 2004, and was elected student commencement speaker.. In May 2003, Mr. Penn began working at Aitken * Aitken * Cohn as a law clerk focusing on law and motion matters.  He was promoted to an associate after passing the July bar exam in 2004.  He specializes in litigation with an emphasis in wrongful death, products liability and premises liability.Mr. Penn is currently Chairman of the Orange County Association of Business Trial Lawyers’ Leadership Development Committee and Co-Chairman of the Orange County Bar Association Products Liability Section.  Mr. Penn also serves as an attorney coach for the Canyon High School Mock Trial Team in Anaheim, California, and as a Local Board Member of the California Selective Service System for Region III.. Mr. Penn previously served as 2008 Chairman of the Orange County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.  He also served on the Board of Governors for the Orange County Asian American Bar Association.. Michael Penn has been named a Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Currently, Michael Penn is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, the Orange County Asian American Bar Association, the Celtic Bar Association, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association, the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, and the Warren J. Ferguson Inn of Court.. Michael and his wife, Ashleigh, married in 2002 and have two daughters.

Michael F. Moran: devotes his entire practice to the representation of victims of elder abuse and nursing home litigation. Mr. Moran has significant trial experience, having tried over 130 jury trials to verdict throughout California. He has over 29 years of experience as an attorney, including extensive experience as a civil defense trial attorney and working in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.. Mr. Moran has obtained numerous million dollar verdicts and arbitration awards for elderly victims of abuse and neglect throughout the State of California and Settlements in excess of a million dollars and is a member of the exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Mr. Moran was recently recognized by the California Advocates of Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) for his trial advocacy by being awarded the William F. Taylor Memorial Award.

Lynda B. Taylor joined the firm in 1998, after 15 years of IRS experience.  She works with clients in matters involving tax assessment, tax collection, estate and gift tax, sales tax, payroll tax and property tax.. Upon graduating from Rutgers, Mrs. Taylor started her legal career with the IRS Chief Counsel’s Office in Washington, D.C. She was an attorney in the General Litigation Division from 1982 to 1985 where she worked on complex collection and bankruptcy matters.. From 1985 to 1990, Mrs. Taylor was a trial attorney in the Los Angeles District Counsel office. In her five years with the Los Angeles District Counsel’s office, she represented the IRS before the Tax Court in a wide variety of cases, including several major tax shelter cases which she tried and won. She also gave legal advice to IRS examiners and Appeals Officers on substantive tax and procedural issues.. From 1990 through early 1998, she was an Assistant District Counsel with IRS District Counsel in Laguna Niguel, California, where she supervised a group of attorneys and paralegals specializing in Tax Court litigation and large-case audits. Throughout her 15 years of employment with the IRS, Mrs. Taylor received numerous manager’s awards and annual performance awards.

Kevin J. Gramling, a shareholder at the firm's Irvine office, has extensive experience defending product liability, premises liability, mold and indoor air quality, environmental, and construction defect claims. He has successfully represented product manufacturers, retailers, importers and distributors in multi-million dollar product liability and premises liability suits. Kevin has defended landowners, builders, mobile home park owners, and property managers in environmental litigation, to include obtaining a defense verdict in a mold wrongful death claim.. Kevin has litigation experience in the area of professional liability. He has defended attorneys, insurance agents/brokers, and real estate agents against claims of professional malpractice and intentional torts. He has tried numerous multi-million dollar real estate cases, defending real estate agents against failure to disclose and fraud cases.. Kevin is involved with local legal organizations, as well as Villanova University and California Western School of Law alumni organizations. Kevin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended California Western School of Law. He has been licensed to practice law in California since 1997, and has been a shareholder since 2001.

Jonny Hornberger is a trial attorney at Callahan & Blaine where he litigates personal injury and business cases. Throughout his career, Jonny has been successful in recovering millions of dollars for his clients and is known for his zealous advocacy and commitment to fighting for his clients through every phase of the legal process.. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Jonny was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine, a distinction awarded to less than 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state.. Jonny earned his B.A. in political science in 2010 from Loyola Marymount University, where he was a two-sport athlete competing in both track and field and rugby. He earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School’s accelerated two-year program in 2016, while also being a member of the Trial Advocacy Honors Program. At Southwestern, he earned semi-finalist honors at the ABA Labor and Employment Trial Advocacy Competition and clerked at the California Court of Appeal in downtown Los Angeles.

Jennifer S. Vicente is Counsel in the Orange County office of Klinedinst PC. She handles a broad range of civil litigation cases, with an emphasis on complex business, commercial, employment, products liability, personal injury and professional malpractice matters.. Ms. Vicente is experienced in all aspects of litigation and dispute resolution. Ms. Vicente has represented real estate owners, retail companies, banks, mortgage companies, escrow companies, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, architects, and attorneys in complicated matters alleging breach of contract, professional liability, fraud, unfair business practices, trade secrets violations, trademark infringement, breach of fiduciary duty, malpractice, products liability, personal injury and negligence.. Previously, Ms. Vicente worked for several years in Honolulu, Hawaii. While there, she represented a major Honolulu bank in a case involving allegations of securities fraud against a nationally-known brokerage. In another high-profile case, she represented a major agricultural firm in litigation involving antitrust, violation of trade secrets, and patent infringement against an internationally-recognized food processor. As part of her practice, she also defended a major architectural firm in a $27 million claim against design defects, and represented two major construction equipment manufacturers in lawsuits alleging toxic exposure to asbestos.. Licensed to practice in both California and Hawaii, Ms. Vicente is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution. In 2006, she became an arbitrator for the Hawaii Court Annexed Arbitration Program, which requires mandatory, non-binding arbitration in tort litigation when the amount in controversy does not exceed $150,000, and is experienced arbitrating various matters with AAA.. Ms. Vicente received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1999. Prior to attending law school, she received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Smith College in Massachusetts.

Javier H. van Oordt is a principal at Callahan and Blaine who counsels and represents diverse clients in complex and high value business litigation. He has significant trial and arbitration experience in contract, business fraud, employment, products liability, property, class action and personal injury litigation. He successfully managed international discovery efforts in business litigation involving large multi-national defendants and has taken depositions throughout the world. He is also the firm’s delegate to the International Law Firms (ILF), an international association of independent law firms throughout the world.. Mr. van Oordt has also appeared and successfully argued cases before the California Court of Appeals, Second District. He has published articles on international business litigation and spoken on the subject. He has also published articles in the Los Angeles Daily Journal and Employment Practices Liability Consultant on employment issues, as well as speaking on these topics.. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. van Oordt worked in the aerospace industry for the Northrop Corporation. He held different management positions while at the Electronics and Aircraft Divisions and was engaged in a number of high tech military projects. His experience extends to the areas of design and manufacture of complex electronic and electro mechanical systems, as well as information technology development.. Mr. van Oordt was born in Lima, Peru and is fluent in Spanish. He attended California State University, Fullerton, receiving his B.A. in Business Administration in 1982. He received a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1996. While at Hastings, he served as the Associate Executive Editor, Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and was a research assistant to Academic Dean Leo Martinez. Mr. Van Oordt is admitted to practice in all state courts in California and in the United States District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California.. Before joining Callahan and Blaine, Mr. van Oordt was associated with Klinedinst P.C. in Santa Ana, California and Carl R. Stevens & Associates in Irvine, California. He is a member of the American Bar Association and Orange County Bar Association.

I attended the University of California, San Diego, where I graduated in 2006 with a Political Science degree. In addition to receiving multiple honors while attending the University, I was also an Executive Board member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity. After that, I obtained my J.D. from Loyola Law School in 2009 where I received the First Honors/American Jurisprudence award in Contracts and the Lim, Ruger & Kim scholarship from the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association. While in law school, I was a Note & Comment Editor for the Loyola International & Comparative Law Review and President of the Business Law Society.

I have handled every legal aspect of builders and subcontractors in the construction industry for over 23 years.  I offer a $ demand letter as the only up front cost for public and private payment disputes or related demands. I have long term clients as I do not "burn" my clients or charge them more money than they were seeking in the first place.  My motto is " I get builder's paid to live another day."

I have been representing family law clients in southern California for 15 years.  I have successfully litigated many child custody,divorce, child support, spousal support, and guardianship issues in court.  I have had many succesful outcomes in court.  Many of my clients have had their child support  lowered or I have gotten them big financial rewards.  In divorce cases my clients have  always received huge financial rewards and walked away with there equal share of the community property they were entitled.  For grandparents I have successfully fought and won guardianship cases. Grandparents have been awarded custody of their grandchildren as a result.

I am a partner at Aitken Aitken Cohn in Santa Ana, California, where I practice in the areas of insurance bad faith, personal injury, and medical malpractice. I’m President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association and former Editor of its publication (The Gavel). I’m a volunteer with the Orange County Constitutional Rights Foundation and have been named a Southern California "Rising Star" and Super Lawyer consistently since 2005 and one of the Top Personal Injury Attorneys in Orange County since 2011.

I am a trial lawyer and the founding partner of Aitken Aitken Cohn in, Santa Ana, California.  At age 35 I was and am the youngest president in the history of the State Trial Bar.. Memberships include: President and Trustee of American Board of Trial Advocates Foundation; Board member of the National American  Board of Trial Advocates; Lawyer Representative to the 9th Circuit Judicial Court; and,  former member of Board of Governors of ATLA.  I have been a frequent guest speaker at numerous legal seminars, frequent guest on TV and radio shows, including Larry King Live, Inside Edition, KOCE, KNBC, KFI, published in several professional journals and one of the contributing editors of Jefferson’s California Evidence Benchbook. Repeatedly recognized by the State Legal Newspaper, The Daily Journal for being one of The Top 100" Most Influential Lawyers in California, a state of almost 200,000 lawyers; The Daily Journal’s Top 10 Rainmakers;  Southern California Super Lawyer; Lawdragon Top 500 Lawyers in America; and regularly featured in The Best Lawyers in America and the Pre-Eminent Lawyers of America.

I am a partner at the law firm of Kahana & Feld, LLP. I specialize in defending homebuilders, developers and general contractors in their litigation and transactional matters. I graduated from the University of Houston in 1995 with a BS in Political Science cum laude. From 1995-1996, I worked as a traveling consultant for Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. I then moved to California in 1997 to attend Whittier Law School where I graduated cum laude in 1999. While in law school, I clerked for the Hon. Alex Kozonski (US Court of Appeals - Ninth Circuit) and served on both the Law Review and Trial Advocacy Honors Board. I was also the President of the National Jewish Bar Association from 1998-1999 and elected into the Joseph A. Ball / Clarence S. Hunt Inns of Court. I am licensed to practice law in the states of Arizona, Texas and California and before the US District Courts for the Eastern and Central Districts of California, the Northern District of Texas and the US Court of Appeals.I am married to Samantha Kuper Feld and have two daughters - Mia & Tova. To maintain sanity, I enjoy playing basketball, camping, scuba diving and traveling.

Experience as a lawyer combined with experience in sales, business, teaching and coaching help me to understand the varying needs of my clients whether my clients happen to be individuals or businesses. Graduating from law school with honors while beginning as a night student and working throughout my schooling provided me with training to balance the law with everyday reality that continues to apply as I advocate my clients' rights as their attorney.

Ernest L. Weiss joined the Klinedinst Orange County Office in 2005 and became Shareholder in 2008.. Prior to joining Klinedinst, Mr. Weiss was Senior Trial Counsel with a national commercial liability insurance carrier. In that position, he was responsible for the handling of catastrophic injury and wrongful death matters. As a result, Mr. Weiss gained significant jury trial experience and he has continued to successfully conduct jury trials with Klinedinst.. Over the course of his career, Mr. Weiss has succeeded in obtaining jury verdicts in a wide array of commercial cases, including products liability disputes involving consumer and commercial products. In addition, he has obtained jury verdicts in multiple transportation cases including tractor-trailer, loading and offloading, and other vehicular accidents.. Mr. Weiss has also successfully defended at trial healthcare providers, and has defended elder abuse claims. He has also litigated other professional liability claims, including on behalf of insurance and real estate brokers and agents. Mr. Weiss continues to represent commercial property owners and managers in a wide array of legal disputes, including premises liability, restaurant and hospitality matters, toxic tort and environmental cases.. Mr. Weiss has successfully tried employment matters and continues to represent clients in employment and discrimination matters. In his previous position as Senior Trial Counsel, Mr. Weiss served as faculty member of his carrier's National Institute of Trial Advocacy program, and he served as liaison counsel between the legal, claims and underwriting departments. Mr. Weiss received his J.D. from McGeorge School of Law, University of Pacific in June, 1983. He received his B.S. in Political Science with an emphasis on International Relations from Santa Clara University in June, 1979.

Erik E. Woodbury is an Associate in the firm’s Orange County office and has extensive experience in the areas of Business & Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, Corporate Law, Construction Litigation, Complex Civil Litigation, Products & Premises Liability, and Additional Civil & Commercial Disputes, including Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation.. During the course of his legal career, Mr. Woodbury has had the opportunity to represent a broad spectrum of corporations and individuals in highly complex litigation and representational matters, and has achieved great success on behalf of his clients in State and Federal Courts across the country. In addition to obtaining beneficial results through trial, Mr. Woodbury has worked to negotiate favorable settlements for clients in more than 75 mediations, and has assisted corporate clients in the structure and completion of numerous commercial transactions.. Since graduating from Tulane Law School in 1997, Mr. Woodbury has worked with some of the top litigation firms in the country and also has served as general counsel to a wide array of companies – from start-ups to established, multi-national businesses. In that capacity, he has provided guidance on a variety of legal matters, including but not limited to, litigation, compliance, regulatory, intellectual property, real estate, risk management, corporate governance, and dispute resolution issues.. Some of his representative cases include:. Mr. Woodbury is admitted to practice in California, Florida, Georgia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is active in the legal community as a member of the California and Orange County Bar Associations; Florida Bar Association; Virgin Islands Bar Association; Georgia Bar Association; American Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; and the Litigation Section of the ABA.. While at Boston College, Mr. Woodbury was a member of the varsity soccer (1990 - 1992) and football teams (1992 - 1994), and was a finalist for the Chevrolet Scholar Athlete Award.

Eric V. Traut is one of the top trial attorneys in Southern California. He distinguished himself early in his career as the youngest recipient of the Orange County Trial Lawyer Association's "Trial Lawyer of the Year" award in 2003, and then received it again in 2023. Recently, he was selected by the nine chapters of CAL-ABOTA as their “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (2024) which is the highest honor for a trial lawyer to receive in California. He was chosen by the leaders of nine chapters in the state following a presentation on behalf of all the nominees. In his 34 years practicing law, Eric has successfully tried over 100 jury trials.. Eric’s reputation for civility, ethics, and fair-play precedes him. Judges, arbitrators, and mediators alike have openly admired his integrity, compassion for his clients, impressive trial skills, and his gift of advocacy. Often handling unique, high-profile cases, Eric has the respect of his peers and the community in and out of the courtroom. Eric has earned interviews and appearances on Good Morning America, Fox News, Court TV, ABC’s “Primetime” and CBS News.. Eric’s leadership skills have been sought after by numerous legal associations and charitable boards. He has served as President of five prestigious legal organizations in Orange County, including OCTLA, ABOTA, Project Youth-OCBF, Banyard Inn of Court, Italian American Lawyers of Orange County and he will be President of the 7000 member Orange County Bar Association in 2027. Eric has received many awards and honors. In addition to CAL-ABOTA Trial Lawyer of the Year, Eric has won the award from the local Orange County Chapter of ABOTA, and the Joseph D. McNeil Civility Award. In September 2023, Eric was honored as a recipient of the Anti-Defamation League’s Marcus M. Kaufman Jurisprudence Award.  This highly notable award recognizes outstanding members of the legal profession who are role models of ethics and leadership in the legal community.. While Eric loves being a lawyer and changing the lives of his clients, he truly enjoys giving back to his colleagues and the community. As the Past President of Project Youth, Eric led a non-profit organization strengthening Orange County youth and families through unique, award-winning health and educational programs. He continues to serve on the Executive Committee, donating many hours and thousandsof dollars each year to help local at-risk youth. Eric continues to give back to the legal community by volunteering to speak at countless seminars on litigation and trial skills and donating money to charities supported by law firms and legal organizations.. When not practicing law, Eric enjoys traveling the world with his wife, Pam. He cherishes time with his three children, two stepchildren, grandsons Vance and Calum, and granddaughter Holland.

Edward Susolik specializes in complex insurance litigation and catastrophic personal injury, as well as a broad spectrum of commercial and business litigation from both plaintiff and defense perspectives, including professional liability, intellectual property, construction law, employment law, real estate, securities law, directors and officers liability, governmental liability and numerous other areas of commercial litigation.. Mr. Susolik is chair of the Insurance Department at Callahan & Blaine. He has been responsible for many multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements over the years, including settlements in the amount of $28 Million, $15.5 Million and $8.1 Million.. In the insurance area, Mr. Susolik has wide expertise in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation covering the full spectrum of insurance law. First, Mr. Susolik has extensive experience in representing policyholders who have been denied insurance benefits. For example, he has successfully represented many professionals in insurance disputes, including doctors, lawyers, accountants, brokers, directors, architects and consultants. Likewise, Mr. Susolik has represented many corporations, homeowners’ associations, municipalities, charitable organizations, contractors and other business organizations in complex insurance disputes. Mr. Susolik also has broad experience in the representation of insurance industry professionals, including agents, brokers and insurance companies in disputes within the insurance industry, including litigation with reinsurers, excess and umbrella insurers and the Department of Insurance.. Mr. Susolik has broad expertise in resolving both first party and third party insurance disputes. In the first party context, Mr. Susolik has tried, litigated and handled hundreds of first party insurance claims, including major claims arising out of the Northridge earthquake, landslides and mudslides, toxic mold contamination, fire claims, water damage, pollution, life insurance, disability insurance, health insurance and numerous other contexts. Likewise, in the third party context, Mr. Susolik has litigated hundreds of liability insurance disputes, including advertising injury claims, Cumis counsel, duty to defend and recovery of attorneys’ fees, wrongful failure to settle, reimbursement, rescission, and other third party insurance disputes.. Mr. Susolik is a frequent speaker on insurance and litigation issues to lawyers, business groups and others. Mr. Susolik is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at USC Law School, where he teaches Insurance Law. He was also Chair of the Insurance Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association for 12 years. Mr. Susolik has been retained on many occasions as an expert witness on insurance law issues by both insurance companies and policyholders. He is also frequently retained by attorneys to provide expert insurance advice and consultation.. Mr. Susolik is the author of many articles on litigation and insurance issues and is a frequent contributor to periodicals, treatises and other legal publications. Mr. Susolik was an editor for the Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Insurance Litigation for over 15 years, where he updated chapters on Insurance Bad Faith and the Duty to Defend.. Mr. Susolik's many awards and accolades speak to his reputation in the legal community. For example, Mr. Susolik has been recognized by his peers as one of the "Top 100 Attorneys in Southern California" for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 , 2017, 2018, and 2019 -- one of only a handful of Orange County attorneys given that distinguished honor by Super Lawyer Magazine.. On the personal side, Mr. Susolik was born in Trnava, Czechoslovakia. He graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in Philosophy, English and History. He also received his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School, where he graduated Order of the Coif and was an Articles Editor on the Law Review.