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Business Litigation: Partners David
Stowell, Richard Zeilenga,
James Vaughn and Adam Treiger, and Of
Counsel Cary Spencer have achieved
trial and appellate court victories, in State and Federal Courts, in all types of business
and commercial litigation, including real estate disputes, business tort
and contract disputes, partnership conflicts, securities fraud matters,
insurance coverage disputes, construction defect claims and probate and
trust controversies. Moreover, the Firm's partners have substantial experience
in handling matters in alternative dispute resolution settings, including
arbitration and mediation. Experience, expertise, cost-effectiveness, creativity
and responsiveness are the hallmarks of the Firm's business litigation practice.
Real Estate, Business Transactions and Tax
Planning: David Ruth heads up
the Firm's Transactional, Real Estate and Tax Planning practice areas.
Prior to graduating from Harvard Law School, Mr. Ruth spent several years
working as a certified public accountant with one of the nation's premier
accounting firms. Mr. Ruth's significant expertise in transactional, real
estate and tax matters, combined with the experience and expertise of
Adam Treiger, James
Vaughn and Cary Spencer,
provides the Firm's clients with a uniquely integrated
approach in transactional planning and proactive litigation risk management
that adds substantial value to our representation in these practice
areas:
Real Estate: The Firm's lawyers have
substantial experience in real estate transactions arising out of their
representation of a diverse selection of large institutions and high net
worth individuals that have acquired or disposed of interests in shopping
centers, industrial parks, apartment projects, office buildings, hotels,
and residential and country club developments. The Firm handles all aspects
of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and sales, tax-free
exchanges, leasing (both landlords and tenants), financing, and ownership
structuring.
Business Transactions: The Firm's transactional
practice assists our clients with a wide variety of business matters, including
business formations, acquisitions, sales, reorganizations, financing, restructuring,
and daily operational matters. The Firm's lawyers have substantial experience
with all aspects of business organizations, including the formation, maintenance
and reorganization of closely held corporations, limited liability companies
and partnerships, as well as the negotiation and documentation of sophisticated
joint ventures involving both real estate and operating companies.
Tax Planning and Audit Defense: The Firm's
tax practice involves sophisticated strategic planning for both domestic and foreign
individuals and business entities, emphasizing unique and creative approaches
to federal, state and foreign tax planning and compliance. The Firm has substantial
experience in assisting nonresidents of the United States with their tax
and business matters. The tax planning and audit defense practices are
carefully integrated to ensure that tax planning is sensitive to the scrutiny
of a possible audit.
Land
Use and Environmental Law: Richard
Zeilenga, a graduate of Northwestern University Law School, and James
Vaughn, a graduate of U.C. Berkeley–Boalt Hall, are the partners heading
up the Firm's land use and environmental law practice. Both Mr. Zeilenga
and Mr. Vaughn have substantial experience in successfully representing
private developers and public agencies in controversial land use and
environmental disputes throughout Southern and Northern California, in both the Superior and Appellate Courts.
The Firm's experience in
land use and environmental matters is unique, in that it represents both
proponents and opponents of large development projects.
The Firm assists its clients with all types of land use and environmental matters,
including: CEQA compliance and litigation, endangered species
issues, entitlement applications, entitlement due diligence in connection
with real property acquisitions, planning and zoning law compliance, all
manner of development fee protest and refund actions, challenges to referendum
and initiative ballot measures, wastewater facility entitlement
issues, stormwater management issues, and California Coastal Commission
matters. Our unique experience in both defending and challenging controversial
development projects substantially enhances the insights we offer private and public entity clients.
Securities Arbitration: David
Stowell, a graduate of Pepperdine University Law School, directs the
Firm's securities arbitration practice, which focuses on the representation
of individuals who have suffered losses in their domestic and international
stock brokerage or commodities accounts. Mr. Stowell has been extremely
successful in representing clients injured by improper investment schemes,
account churning, unauthorized trading, securities fraud, and breaches
of fiduciary duty by broker-dealers.
Employment Counseling and Litigation: Adam
Treiger, a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center heads up the Firm's employment law practice.
The Firm's expertise is focused
on litigation prevention and day-to-day employment law counseling, as well
as on representing employer clients in federal and state court or arbitration
settings in wage and hour, discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination lawsuits.
Estate Planning: Cary Spencer heads up the Firm's estate planning practice.
The Firm advises clients and prepares documentation regarding implementation and alteration of
wills, trusts, gifts and all other documentation necessary to effectuate the goals of tax reduction
and deferral, privacy, economy and asset disposition. The Firm also handles all aspects of its
clients’ probate and trust administration needs.
Religious Institution: James
Vaughn and Adam Treiger head up
The Firm's religious organizations practice. The Firm's attorneys are uniquely
qualified to handle the special legal issues and challenges confronting
religious organizations and affiliated institutions. The Firm's attorneys
have significant expertise in handling constitutional and privilege issues,
employment practices, real estate and land use matters, taxation, and insurance
coverage.
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