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Kent Burton is an expert in real estate and business law who has practiced in the state of California for more than 35 years. Mr. Burton's extensive experience in real estate and business matters has given him the expertise to represent a wide variety of clients, from public corporations to small business owners and individual investors. He currently attempts to focus on a smaller group of clients with whom he can develop an in-depth knowledge of their businesses and valuable personal relationships. Kent graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern California in 1972 after working his way through school playing poker. He then went on to attend the University of California at Los Angeles Law School, a school consistently ranked as one of the top ten law schools in the nation, and graduated in 1975. In 1976, he and Brad Baker organized Baker and Burton. After fifteen years of handling a wide variety of matters, including extensive litigation experience, Kent began to limit his practice to transactional work. For the last fifteen years, he has concentrated entirely on business and real estate matters. Kent's litigation background has given him a unique understanding of the needs of his business and real estate clients and he focuses extensively on limiting liability and avoiding litigation. Intent on precise drafting, Kent (a former English major) nonetheless believes that the legal process should be user-friendly. Mr. Burton believes that there is a real need for lawyers to not only deal with each other in a productive, good faith manner, but also to de-mystify the law for their clients. We should be solving problems not causing them. As a transactional attorney, Kent's principal job description is as follows: 1) Explain in understandable terms the principal legal issues involved in the transaction, allowing the client to make informed decisions; 2) Figure out what can go wrong and how to cover it with careful negotiation and precise drafting; 3) Avoid litigation; and, 4) Whenever it can be reasonably accomplished, close the deal. A long time Hermosa and Manhattan Beach resident, Kent continually searches for spare time to spend with family, friends and beach volleyball.

I am an attorney and I have been practicing in the area of real estate, business and estate planning transactions and litigation for 37 years. My firm also handles related matters such as probate and conservatorships, business matters such as partnership, corporation and LLC formation, business disputes and real estate disputes, and I have attorneys that practice in almost every area of the law, including personal injury, criminal defense, insurance coverage, tax matters, etc. I care about my clients and I am effective in getting them great results.

Carol is dedicated to providing legal services to individuals and businesses in the greater South Bay area. Her comprehensive real estate practice focuses on real estate purchase and sales transactions, development, commercial leases, property management, escrow and title advisory, asset organization and restructuring, construction and architect contracts, landlord/tenant issues and loan workouts.  Carol also provides litigation consulting in these areas.   In addition to her law practice, Carol is also a California licensed Real Estate Broker, co-owner of a real estate development firm and a property management firm. In the past twenty years she has accumulated hands-on experience in sales, real estate management,  and development/ re-development of single family homes and commercial properties.  This experience provides her insight into both legal and practical real estate decision making.

Stuart Johnson handles Carico Johnson Toomey’s commercial real estate and partnership matters. Mr. Johnson represents a range of clients from large, public corporations to privately held small and mid-cap companies. Mr. Johnson counsels clients in a wide variety of transactions and disputes with a particular focus on commercial real estate matters.. Mr. Johnson’s commercial real estate work includes the representation of investors in connection with the acquisition, sale, development, and financing of a variety of assets, including retail centers, office buildings, multi-family developments, and industrial space. Mr. Johnson has particular experience in joint venture and partnership agreements, including the setup and re-structuring of debt and equity investments. Mr. Johnson has also acted as borrower’s counsel on institutional commercial loan transactions.. Mr. Johnson has extensive experience in litigating real-estate related claims, including actions by lenders and borrowers as well as complex disputes between fractional owners such as tenants in common and members of limited liability companies or partnerships. His commercial litigation experience has also involved prosecuting and defending a wide spectrum of claims relating to trade secrets, fraud and other business torts in state and federal courts, as well as arbitrations.. Mr. Johnson obtained his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and obtained his B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was an extern law clerk for Judge Harry Pregerson of the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and for Judge Richard C. Neal of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.. Upon graduating law school, Mr. Johnson joined the law firm of Epport & Richman LLP (1997-1999), where he largely represented regional banks in litigation matters. He was then recruited to Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP (1999-2009), an Am Law 100 firm and one of the oldest Wall Street based firms in the country. Mr. Johnson left Stroock to help launch Carico Johnson Toomey LLP, the preeminent full-service law firm in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.. Mr. Johnson and his wife Julie have been together over 20 years and have lived in Manhattan Beach over 15 years. They have two children both of whom attend Manhattan Beach public schools. Mr. Johnson is an active member of Journey of Faith Church in Manhattan Beach. Mr. Johnson is an enthusiast of American classic cars and U.S. history, and enjoys cycling and competing in triathlons. He has completed over a dozen triathlons in the past 15 years including three half-ironman distance races and two full-ironman distance races.