Coto de Caza Lawyers

Michael Oberbeck is a senior counsel focusing on business litigation issues. At BKCG, Mr. Oberbeck has extensively litigated employment disputes, commercial and real property disputes, international manufacturing and distribution litigation, and trademark and franchise issues. Mr. Oberbeck has litigated cases throughout California in both state and federal courts, and he has obtained many client-favorable results at trial, arbitration, and mediation. Mr. Oberbeck also has authored and successfully argued several matters before the California Courts of Appeals for BKCG clients. Born in Evansville, Indiana, Mr. Oberbeck graduated, cum laude, from Purdue University in 1993 with a double major in Psychology...

Daniel Kessler is the head of the firm’s litigation department and one of the firm’s founding partners. Mr. Kessler has litigated and tried a wide variety of business cases ranging from employment terminations to real estate development disputes to fraud and conspiracy to water rights. Mr. Kessler has secured multiple million-dollar jury verdicts for his clients, including significant punitive damage awards. Mr. Kessler has successfully defended clients before, during and at trial, including prevailing on several motions to dismiss the opposition’s case in its entirety, saving the expense of further trial. Mr. Kessler is a strong advocate for alternative dispute...

Gregory M. Clement's practice focuses on corporate, real estate and other transactional matters, as well as a wide array of employment law issues. Mr. Clement has handled the purchase and sale of numerous companies, including several multimillion dollar acquisitions by publicly traded companies and represents clients in a wide variety of fields including transportation, software, entertainment, insurance, Internet and telecommunications. Mr. Clement began his legal career as a business litigator in Washington, D.C. before joining the business litigation firm of Whitcombe, Makin & Pentis in Long Beach. Before joining BKCG in 2000, he was general counsel of Golden Eagle...

Mr. Burkhalter is the founding partner of BKCG. He is an AV Preeminent rated lawyer, the top ranking in ability and ethics by Martindale- Hubbell. He has been selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer for Business Litigation every year since 2007. Mr. Burkhalter is a seasoned business trial lawyer who has successfully prosecuted and defended a wide array of cases. He has received multiple “8 figure” jury trial awards, including a Nashville jury verdict of $30.4 million. In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Burkhalter advises and represents clients in a wide variety of business settings, such as...

Mark A. Irwin is a Family Law Attorney and founding partner of IRWIN & IRWIN, LLP, with offices in Fullerton and Newport Beach, California. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. Mr. Irwin earned his Juris Doctor in Law from Western State University College of Law. He graduated from law school second in his class. Mr. Irwin worked as a Family Law Attorney for another prominent firm before starting his own practice in 2011 with his wife, Kelly McGrane-Irwin.

Mr. Irwin is a member of the California State...

Asif Arif Esq. is an extremely skilled attorney specializing in Immigration and Global Mobility. Asif is admitted to Paris and California Bar. With more than 10 years of experience representing clients between France and the United States, he is a key player in the French-American legal market.

I have been practicing exclusively Criminal Defense at the trial court level since June of 1997. During that time, I have had periods where I worked for several Criminal Defense firms and I have had period where I was court appointed on several thousand Indigent Criminal Defense matters. After the first years of my practice, I transitioned into handling privately retained matters and I have handled (almost) the entire range of Criminal Defense charges. I have tried cases as serious as Drug Manufacturing Labs and 3-Strikes Life cases and as minor as Petty Theft cases. I do not back down...

Elliott H. Stone is the founder and managing attorney of the STONE LLP.

John Thornton Greenway founded Guardian Litigation Group in 2018 to address the needs and interests of under-represented debtors across the country. In doing so John was able to quickly create one of the largest consumer advocacy firms in the United States. Following this success, the firm position expanded to include employment, personal injury, and estate planning services in order to provide a more holistic client experience that appealed to a larger audience. John has an aptitude for system design and controls that keeps the firm operating in an extremely efficient and effective manner despite the explosive growth. John grew up in...

As a Partner at Ferruzzo, Dustin Sichon has played a crucial role in developing the Trust and Probate Litigation Group into its current form. He joined Ferruzzo in 2014, bringing with him a diverse range of experience that has equipped him to adapt to the evolving needs of his clients. Throughout his career, his practice areas has expanded, yet his primary focus has always been on providing guidance and support to families, estates, and businesses. Mr. Sichon has a broad background in advising clients on various legal matters to address both their personal and business concerns. His areas of practice include...

Elliot Brown, a Phillips ADR neutral, is the former managing partner of Irell & Manella LLP. He spent nearly 30 years in IP litigation, counseling, and licensing at a top IP practice. Elliot graduated cum laude from Harvard College (1985), earning Phi Beta Kappa and a John Harvard Scholar award. He studied philosophy of science at Princeton, receiving an MA (1987) and a Mellon Fellowship, where game theory and Daniel Kahneman’s work on bargaining and cognitive bias shaped his approach to dispute resolution. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School (1990), serving as a Harvard Law Review...

Layn R. Phillips, founder of Phillips ADR Enterprises (PADRE), is a former U.S. Attorney and U.S. District Judge. Appointed at age 35 by President Reagan, he presided over 140+ trials in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, and sat by designation on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Earlier, Judge Phillips served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, and at age 31, was nominated as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma. After leaving the bench, he spent 23 years at Irell & Manella, focusing on complex civil litigation, internal investigations, and alternative dispute resolution. He later founded PADRE, specializing...

Margaret B. Seymour, a retired U.S. District Judge (District of South Carolina, 1998–2022), was the first African American woman federal judge and chief federal judge in South Carolina. She served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge (1996–1998) before her district court appointment. Over 26 years, Judge Seymour presided over complex securities, contract, class action, commercial, banking, bankruptcy, employment, discrimination, and environmental cases, as well as criminal matters like drug conspiracies, white-collar crime, and Ponzi schemes. She sat by designation on the Fourth Circuit and participated in two three-judge-panel redistricting cases. She served twice on the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administration of...

Seth Aronson joined Phillips ADR in 2023, mediating disputes up to ten figures in securities, consumer class actions, privacy, false claims, shareholder derivative, antitrust, RMBS fraud, and complex litigation. He serves on the ADR panel for the U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Retiring from O’Melveny & Myers LLP in 2022 after 40 years as a trial and appellate lawyer, Seth was managing partner of O’Melveny’s Los Angeles office and chaired its Securities Litigation practice. Ranked by Chambers USA for 20 years, he was named California Securities Litigation Attorney of the Year twice by Benchmark Litigation, a “Top 100 Lawyer”...

Clay joined Judge Phillips’ ADR practice in 2011. He graduated cum laude from Pepperdine University (B.A., History, 2006) and earned his J.D. from Fordham Law School (2011). He is admitted to the New York and California State Bars. Clay began mediating small claims in Bronx County Civil Court during law school. With over a decade at Phillips ADR, he now mediates complex disputes involving major companies in areas like antitrust, class actions, intellectual property, environmental, mass tort, insurance, securities, and contract disputes. He has worked on over 500 mediations, assisting Judge Phillips before, during, and after sessions, and directly engaging parties...

Andra Greene, a Phillips ADR neutral, has mediated OR COMEDIATED disputes from seven to 11 figures in NUMEROUS AREAS INCLUDING mass torts, class actions, EMPLOYMENT, securities, sexual misconduct, insurance, and intellectual property. She spent 35 years at Irell & Manella LLP, leading the Class Action Defense practice and serving as managing partner of the Newport Beach office and on the Executive Committee. A seasoned trial lawyer, Andra handled complex litigation in class actions, professional liability, employment, business torts, securities, and intellectual property in state and federal courts. She often represented lawyers and law firms. Recognized as a “Top Woman Lawyer in...

Gregory P. Lindstrom, a Phillips ADR neutral since 2014, brings extensive litigation and business experience from his roles as a Latham & Watkins litigation partner and General Counsel of The Irvine Company. A full-time mediator and arbitrator since 2012, he specializes in complex disputes, including antitrust, securities, intellectual property, and commercial matters. Born in California, Greg graduated summa cum laude from UCLA (Economics, 1975) and earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School (1978), working with Professor Richard Posner. At Latham & Watkins (1978–2008), he became a partner in 1986, managed the San Francisco office, and served on the...

Niki, a Phillips ADR neutral for six years, brings 25 years of experience in complex litigation, claims administration, mediation, arbitration, and special master roles. A protégé of Judge Layn Phillips, she has co-mediated hundreds of cases, applying his innovative practices in mediations she leads and in court-appointed special master roles nationwide. Before Phillips ADR, Niki was Vice President of Client Strategy & Development at a national class action claims administrator. For nearly 15 years, she litigated securities fraud and complex commercial cases at a national class action law firm, securing court-approved settlements in high-profile matters. She also represented defendants in insurance...

Dr. Tarassoly is an attorney, a registered engineer, and a licensed contractor in the State of California. She holds a Ph.D. in structural engineering from the University of Southern California. With over 20 years of practical experience in engineering and construction of a wide spectrum of projects for the private and public sectors, Dr. Tarassoly is uniquely qualified to take on cases involving construction defects and claims in a dual capacity of an attorney and a technical expert. Simultaneous with legal evaluation of each dispute, Dr. Tarassoly performs a technical assessment of the issues to determine the strength of her clients’ claims...

General practitioner who personally provides exemplary consultation and representation for families and businesses in Minnesota (Eagan) and California (Orange.) Business attorney who provides superior legal leadership for established companies, as well as startup endeavors. Institutes policies and procedures to ensure compliance with municipal, state and federal laws and regulations. Clients include medical service providers, security firms, restaurants, local organizations (not for profit,) home improvement contractors, etc. I pride myself on understanding a business’ needs and responding promptly, efficiently and effectively. Family attorney who provides compassionate legal guidance for empty nesters, as well as young couples. Focuses on ensuring a benevolent future...

Barry R. Ostrager, a retired New York State Supreme Court Justice (Commercial Division, 2015–2023), presided over numerous trials and resolved hundreds of commercial cases. Before his judicial role, he was a litigation partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, leading its 300+ attorney Litigation Department and serving on the management committee. As lead trial counsel, Ostrager handled high-profile securities, antitrust, and insurance cases, including Swiss Re’s World Trade Center dispute and Travelers’ environmental coverage case against Shell Oil, both resulting in jury verdicts. He tried five cases involving $1 billion+ disputes and led major arbitrations, such as Andersen Consulting’s $14 billion...

Attorney Tom Martin serves as the Orange County workers’ compensation lawyer and founder at Thomas F. Martin, PLC. He boasts more than 25 years of experience, all dedicated to helping injured workers seek the compensation and benefits they deserve. If you are in need of help filing a workers’ compensation claim, Attorney Martin is relentless in his pursuit of the benefits each client deserves. Due to his legal ability and professionalism, he has been awarded and recognized by numerous professional organizations. Call Thomas F. Martin, PLC to speak with Attorney Martin about your case and learn how he can help...

Charles W Daff is a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist by The State Bar of California with over 43 years of experience as an attorney for debtors and creditors.  Charles represents clients in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California in all of its Divisions. Charles Daff is currently a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee in the Riverside Division with over 33 years experience.   Designated a “Super Lawyer”, an award granted to the top 5% of attorneys in Southern California. Charles is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, National Association of Consumer...

Dr. Harrison is an experienced patent attorney and founding partner of Barcelo, Harrison & Walker, LLP (BHW). His practice as a patent attorney includes patent infringement litigation, post-grant procedings, e.g., inter-partes review, before the US Patent & Trademark Office, and patent preparation and patent prosecution. Before co-founding BHW, Dr. Harrison served as an in-house counsel for Western Digital Corp., and as a litigation associate at Irell & Manella, LLP. Dr. Harrison also has many years of prior professional engineering experience in industry and academia. He was formerly employed as an R&D Manager at Seagate Technology, served on the...

Tim is a Southern California attorney who boasts over 35 years of legal experience in asset protection, estate planning, zero tax planning and business succession law. He is a true leader in his field, and is a regular speaker at industry events. Tim has helped a large spectrum of clients, from successful small business owners to companies worth over $200 million dollars create a custom wealth protection plan. He is also the developer of a financial planning software called vBlueprint.com that helps other financial professionals and estate planning professionals create a customized solution to move their assets in line with their...

Rabia is a seasoned real estate attorney at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, a full-service law firm with a global reach and a reputation for excellence. She has over 10 years of experience in advising clients on a full range of real estate transactions. Investors, property owners, developers and landlords rely on her counsel when buying, selling and leasing real property across the United States. She is experienced at handling all asset classes, including retail, office, industrial, storage and multifamily properties. She is adept at leasing, sale-leasebacks, purchases and sales, management agreements, CC&Rs and other real estate matters. She...

Before my association with Corporate Securities Legal LLP, I served as an associate in the Banking and Finance and Capital Markets group at Cariola Diez Perez-Cotapos. Prior to that, I was also an associate at Carey & Allende Abogados in Chile from 2010 to 2014.