Poway Appeals & Appellate Lawyers

Jeff Grotke has successfully litigated in family law, including successfully defending against a claim of marital fraud, and has prevailed at trial in a claim of marital fraud and abuse of an elderly person. He has extensive experience with loan modifications, including post-foreclosure defense, bankruptcy actions, and other loan modification litigation. Personal injury cases are also about one-third of his practice, including auto-collision cases.

James Decker is an appellate attorney and founder of Decker Law. Prior to forming his own firm, James was a partner at a boutique real estate and business litigation firm in Orange County, and before then he served as lead attorney for a mid-size firm’s appeal and complex motion practice group. James attended law school at Chapman University School of Law, where he graduated with cum laude distinction. He also served on the Chapman Law Review and earned CALI awards (i.e., top class grade) in several courses. As an attorney, James’s expertise and passion is legal research and writing....

I began my career as a legal administrator for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee. That experience required me to evaluate cases and claims from the perspective of a court neutral and examine the strengths and weaknesses of the respective positions of the multiple parties to a bankruptcy proceeding. It also required me to develop an in-depth knowledge of how cases proceed when they are governed almost exclusively by a complex statutory scheme. These experiences, learned early on in my career provided me with the type of analytical skills that would prove highly beneficial as my career progressed. After bankruptcy, I joined...

Larita Yusuf is an experienced litigator and a registered patent attorney. As an intellectual property attorney, she has helped creators secure design patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Office (ARIPO) and their original works with the U.S. Copyright Office. She earned a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law and a B. Sci. in Biology from Francis Marion University. While in law school, she worked as a federal judicial intern in the District of South Carolina and as a patent legal intern at a boutique intellectual property law...

Mr. Dunn graduated from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo before heading to University of California, Irvine School of Law, a top tier law school. While attending UCI Law, Mr. Dunn served as a Staff Editor, Senior Staff Editor, and Research Editor for UC Irvine Law Review.

Before joining Klein and Wilson, Mr. Dunn worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Orange County. He spent most of his time in the courtroom, first-chairing numerous jury trials, court trials and preliminary hearings. Outside the office, Gordon enjoys golfing, attending sporting events, and seeing the latest movies.

I received my J.D. cum laude from Southwestern Law School, having earned my Bachelor of Science in International Business cum laude from the University of Southern California. Prior to opening my practice in the South Bay areas, I externed with the United States District Court Judge Dean D. Pregerson, interned with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, Career Criminal Division, and practiced at Lawrence, Beach, Allen & Choi PC (Santa Ana, California) and Escandari & Michon APC (Beverly Hills, California). I am admitted to practice before the state bar of California, the United States District Court for the Central District of...

Jacqueline Mandel is an attorney at Sanders Law Group and is a member of the Copyright Infringement team. Prior to joining the team, she avidly defended her clients in contract disputes, evictions, criminal defense actions, and other civil matters. She has trial and litigation experience and is now looking forward to bringing those skills to defend the intellectual property rights of our clients.

Nicola C. Richards Nicola C. Richards is an associate attorney at the Sanders Law Group and is currently focused on advocating for her clients in consumer protection through the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”). Prior to joining Sanders Law Group Ms. Richards worked as a paralegal handling insurance claims for credit cards, mortgages and loans. Ms. Richards went on to intern at Nassau County’s social services department where she managed cases for daily Fair Hearings. Moreover, Ms. Richards used her time to work with Lawyers Helping Our Community (LHOC) to increase business production for companies in Chicago IL for the Asian...

Joshua D. Vera is an associate attorney in the Intellectual Property Division of Sanders Law Group with a focus on copyright infringement. Mr. Vera takes great pride in advocating on behalf of his clients and ensuring the rights of intellectual property owners are respected.

PUBLISHED OPINIONS Phyllis P. v. Superior Court, Civ. No. B018861, Court of Appeal California, Second Appellate District, Division Five. 183 Cal.App.3d 1193, July 30, 1986, John M. Polakovic and Robert W. Scott for Petitioner. Dixon v. Superior Court, No. G005278, Court of Appeal California, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, 195 Cal.App.3d 758, October 22, 1987. Petitioner’s Application for Review by the Supreme Court was denied January 6, 1988. Mariellen Ross and Robert W. Scott for Real Parties in Interest. Creditors Collection Serv. v. Castaldi, Civ. A. No. 665881., APPELLATE DEPARTMENT, SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, 23 Cal. App. 4th Supp. 1; January...

Carin Johnson is a passionate defender of parents’ rights and has practiced dependency and juvenile law for over 27 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Chico State University and is a graduate of Golden Gate University, School of Law, 1993.

In September 2010, Carin presented oral argument in the California First District Court of Appeal, involving a case where the dependency court denied her client reunification services and sought to terminate her parental rights. Carin fought hard for the mother and won a rare REVERSAL, of the lower court’s ruling. This changed California law.

Again, Carin argued a wrongfully-accused...

Certified by the California State Bar as a Criminal Law Specialist. Over 20 years trial experience. Practice devoted to criminal defense. Top-Rated Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer (Rated Superb 10/10 by Avvo.com; Rated A.V. by Lawyers.com.) The law firm of Eisner Gorin LLP is Rated a Top 5% US Law Firm.

Floyd J Fernandez is founder and managing attorney of Pacifica Legal Services. His breadth of experience in this field has included individual visa applications, family-based and employer-based, non-immigrant work, travel, and study visas (both domestic adjustment of status and consular applications), deportation defense and appellate work (before BIA, AAO, U.S. 9th & 7th Circuits, and U.S. Supreme Court). My clientele has included individuals both from within all of Southern California, several other U.S. states, and several additional nations.

He has strong writing and research skills from his work in appellate law along with a rich cultural experience...

Spolin Law P.C.’s founder, Aaron Spolin, is a former prosecutor and award-winning criminal appeals attorney. He has achieved successful outcomes on hundreds of criminal cases, including numerous dismissals of major felony cases; non-criminal resolutions to complex fraud and insurance fraud defense cases; successful appellate outcomes from various appellate courts; and multiple not-guilty jury verdicts at trial. Innocent Spolin Law clients wrongfully accused of murder and other serious crimes are now free because of his work. Aaron is the recipient of various awards for his advocacy, including the American College of Trial Lawyer’s Medal for Excellence in Oral Advocacy as well as...

Konstantine "Kosta" Demiris is a partner at the law firm of Demiris & Moore, located in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, in the center of Contra Costa County. His practice focuses on litigation involving elder abuse (financial and physical), will and trust litigation, conservatorships, guardianships, HOA's, and appeals. Kosta is actively involved in the Contra Costa County legal community. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Bar Association's Elder Law Section. He serves as court-appointed counsel in Conservatorship cases in Contra Costa County. Kosta is dedicated to helping...

I assist clients and/or their trial counsel in California's appellate courts, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. I am a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. I am one of about 300 certified specialists in this practice area in the State of California.

Recent statistics published by California's Judicial Council show that civil appeals are reversed about 17% of the time. When I represent an appellant, over the course of almost 30 years of handling civil appeals my reversal rate is over 3 times that.

For almost...

If you are trying to obtain disability benefits because you are unable to do your job as a result of an illness or injury, my law firm can assist you. We can also help with any type of insurance claim that has been wrongfully denied whether it be medical insurance, homeowner’s claims, property damage or personal injury claims. Mr. Kalkin has practiced in the areas of Long Term Disability, ERISA Litigation, Personal Injury, Civil Appeals and Insurance Bad Faith for over thirty-five years. In 1989 he was elected to the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and...

Attorney Michael McKneely with Michael McKneely, Criminal Defense Lawyer is a compassionate and dedicated litigator who provides criminal defense for good people in central California and in federal courts across the country. He puts his extensive experience to work in difficult cases involving cutting edge technology and the most complex legal issues at the forefront of criminal law.

Call (800) 274-4290 for your free private consultation today and put my knowledge and experience to work for you.
Criminal Defense - Appeals / Appellate law - Federal Criminal Defense


Shaun Khojayan and Associates, a Criminal Defense Law Firm, based in Los Angeles will help you early in your criminal defense matter. We provide criminal defense representation in California State Courts and all United States Federal Courts.

Mr. Khojayan earned his J.D., with Distinction, from the University of the Pacific. He has conducted complex federal felony trials with most resulting in not guilty verdicts. Mr. Khojayan has also written and argued appeals...

I am an Appellate Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and I spearhead my firm’s Appeals and Writs group. I have handled appeals and writs in anti-SLAPP, civil-rights, commercial-litigation, employment, ERISA, family-law, personal-injury, probate, real estate and trust cases. I have briefed and orally argued writs and appeals before all manner of appellate courts, from the California Court of Appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. I have also successfully settled multiple cases in appellate mediation. As judicial clerk for both state and federal appellate courts, I have reviewed and analyzed literally hundreds of...

Scott Tillett co-founded Pine Tillett Pine LLP in 2016 where he handles civil appeals, specializing in plaintiff-side appeals with an emphasis on employment matters. Mr. Tillett is recognized as a Certified Appellate Law Specialist by the State Bar of California and he has been named to the Super Lawyers Southern California Rising Stars list consecutively since 2016. He was selected as one of five finalists for the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles's (CAALA) Appellate Attorney of the Year Award in 2019. Along with his partner, Norman Pine, Mr. Tillett was a recipient of the Daily Journal's 2020 California Lawyer...

For nearly 25 years, Sa'id Vakili has represented businesses and individuals in litigation matters involving complex business and contract disputes, business torts, direct and derivative shareholder disputes, intellectual property disputes, and all forms of employment claims. He has also handled a variety of serious injury tort claims including those arising under maritime and aviation law. Mr. Vakili is admitted in California, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. and has handled cases in various other jurisdictions such as Florida, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, and Virginia through associations with local law firms in those locations. Mr. Vakili has also served...

Criminal Defense Lawyer and Civil Litigator for over 40 years in Santa Barbara, California; Certified Criminal Law Specialist (The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization); Past President of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (CACJ).

Mr. Sanger has handled numerous high profile cases, death penalty and other homicide cases as well as complex criminal white collar and civil litigation in state and federal courts.

Mr. Sanger is also a Professor of Law and Forensic Science at the Santa Barbara College of Law and consults on forensic issues on a selected basis. He is an opponent of the death penalty...

Ms. Russell was raised in Northern California and attended California State University, Fresno as a member of the Smittcamp Family Honors College. She competed for four years as a member of the Fresno State Mock Trial team, completing over one hundred trials and winning numerous awards for her performance as a student attorney and witness. She graduated in 2012 with her B.A. in Political Science, cum laude and her B.S. in Criminology, cum laude and with department honors. She received her J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law in 2015.

During law school, Ms. Russell served as...

Attorney Richard M. Oberto is committed to providing clients the best legal representation in cases where people have the most at stake.