Contracts & Transactions

I specialize in representing Executors, Administrators and Trustees in Probate Estate and Trust matters. I recently handled probate administration of a $6,000,000 estate which required probate sales of the decedent’s real properties.

Sample Cases

Irene Parodi was allergic to cigarette smoke in the mid-80’s, before it became illegal to smoke in Federal workplaces. Ms. Parodi was denied disability retirement. I took her case all the way to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which issued a landmark decision, reversing the lower court’s earlier denial and granting Ms. Parodi’s disability retirement on account of her allergy.

I negotiated a successful settlement for an employee in a sexual harassment case against an employer in Federal Court in Los Angeles.

I successfully litigated a financial elder abuse case in Sacramento County for over three years against an aggressive law firm who had assigned five lawyers to oppose me. The case finally settled amicably.

A well-known Oakland CPA hired several lawyers to defend my client’s claim that he mismanaged a trust. After a lengthy trial, the court awarded my beneficiary clients over $2,000,000.

I am recognized in the Northern California legal community, having consistently obtained top results in representing property owners and condominium associations in handling construction defect claims against developers, contractors, design professionals and other parties who may be responsible for substandard design or building of structures.

I successfully handled a construction defect case for an upscale condominium complex in Los Altos in Santa Clara County. Fifteen law firms represented the defendant developer, contractor and subcontractors. I am able to effectively handle such cases when outnumbered by defense counsel by utilizing court-appointed special masters and obtaining stays on discovery.

I routinely represent HOA Boards in complying with the Davis-Stirling Act and the Business Judgment Rule and handling their day-to-day business matters. I have represented a well-known luxury San Francisco stock cooperative building for over 40 years.

Sample Construction Defect Case Settlements

Chartwell Homeowners Association, Los Altos, CA - $,505,000

Pine Terrace, San Francisco - $365,000

Eagle Point, Marin County - $740,000

Watergate Tower, Emeryville - $12,700,000

Tiburon Hill, Marin County - $4,500,000

Headlands II, Marin County - $880,000

Larkspur Isle, Marin County - $6,700,000

Escalle Village, Marin County - $715,000

Park Hill, San Francisco - $1,050,000

Parc Telegraph, San Francisco - $5,000,000

950 Harrison, San Francisco - $750,000

In both State and Federal Courts, I handle:

• Contract litigation

• Real property litigation, including partition claims and Receiverships

• Litigation involving commercial business disputes

• Tort litigation matters, such as personal injury, sexual

• Harassment and toxic substances injury claims

For serious injury cases, wrongful death cases, airline crash and other major tort cases, I will refer clients to proven and experienced specialist lawyers and law firms.

Sample Cases

I represented around 100 investors, many of whom were blue collar individuals investing their savings, against a real estate developer. Mr. Browne obtained a judgment for fraud and recovered funds for his clients.

I handled a complex partition case involving millions of dollars of properties; i.e., income property in San Francisco and vineyard property in Sonoma County.

I handle meritorious collection matters and have experience executing on California assets to collect out-of-state judgments.

I created a plan to dissolve a construction company which had financial problems and was embroiled in a number of lawsuits. Instead of placing the contractor in bankruptcy, I structured an arrangement in state court that eventually led to a 100 cents on the dollar payment of all creditors’ claims and company debts.