Pala Lawyers

Daniel W. Watkins is an experienced litigator and true trial attorney with over 50 Jury and Bench trials to his credit in 30 years of practice. He has successfully represented both large companies and individuals, and achieved substantial victories in well-publicized trials throughout California and Wisconsin.

Mr. Watkins has successfully tried and litigated cases in the areas of Healthcare Compliance, Commercial Litigation, Unfair Business Practices, Fraud, Breach of Contract, Battery, Premises Liability, Product Defect, Medical Malpractice, Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Construction Defect, as well as Unfair Competition, Defamation, and Trade Secret. In December 2003, Mr. Watkins commenced litigation against Health South Surgery...

Attorney Kevin A. Polis is a member of the State Bar of California, the San Diego Family Law Bar Association, North County Bar Association, and is Certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Kevin Polis has dedicated his career exclusively to the practice of divorce & family law. Because of this, he is certified by the State Bar of California as a Divorce & Family Law Specialist, a title that few attorneys in our area have, and one that shows a commitment to the practice of the law and delivering...

Principal Owner
Jack E. Stephens J.D., LL.M. has been practicing law in San Diego since 1990, helping thousands of taxpayers reduce taxes and homeowners protect their property with Trust strategies. Jack Stephens has been designated as Top Lawyer by San Diego Magazine, Best of the Bar, and Avvo on a consistent basis. He has received annual awards including the AV Preeminent Attorney Rating by Martindell-Hubbell, representing the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. As an active contributor to continuing education in Estate Planning, Jack Stephens has authored and edited quarterly newsletters, pamphlets, and contributed articles to the...

Ben Coughlan is an award-winning trial lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for individuals going through the toughest times of their lives. Ben believes that personal attention, and creativity on cases, are what achieve the best results for clients. Ben believes his job is to tell each client's story as he or she sees it, not as others might see it. To do that, he believes in spending the time to get to know every client personally so he can best understand not only how to get the largest financial result, but also how to take as much...

Former CAOC President Former OCTLA President Former Trial Lawyer of the Year Nominee, CAALA Two time Trial Lawyer of the Year for Products Liability OCTLA Trial Attorney of the Year, CAOC 2022 Chair-Elect – OCBA Tort & Trial Section 2023 Best Law Firms in America 2023 Elite Lawyer 2023 Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® 2021 Top Plaintiff Lawyer, Daily Journal

I was born and raised in Lancaster, PA where I attended Franklin & Marshall College. I played outfield on the baseball team for 4 years. At 23, I moved to Florida. After a year there, I moved to Davis, CA and graduated from the King Hall School of Law in 2010.

My upbringing wasn't poor, but we were far from rich. My dad was self-employed and my mom had to work multiple jobs. I witnessed firsthand hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and financial stresses to provide opportunities to me that my parents didn't grow up with.

From my youngest days, I've...

Attorney dedicated to "fighting for the average Joe." Brian W Freeman has been a California Lawyer since 2008 and has continually represented the interests of the working man from the beginning of his practice. I have chosen to specialize in Workers' Compensation law in order to pursue my goal of being the best possible workers' comp attorney serving Riverside County. This is something very few workers' compensation attorneys do due to the time commitment and complexity of earning the specialty certification. Since going into private practice, we've handled well over 1,100 workers' comp cases with employees who were injured at...

As the founder of a luxury immigration law firm, I provide tailored legal services to individuals and businesses navigating complex family and employment-based immigration matters. My clients value a seamless, personalized experience, and I take pride in delivering solutions that align with their unique goals and aspirations. With licenses to practice in both California and Russia, I bring a global perspective to immigration law. My academic background includes an LL.M. from UC Hastings College of the Law, a Master’s degree from Moscow State Law Academy, and a Ph.D. in International Law from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Fluent in Russian...

I am Shaffer Cormell, a highly-rated DUI/DWI criminal defense attorney based in California. With more than 30 years of experience, I have committed my career to defending individuals accused of criminal offenses. Reviews about my services as a California criminal defense lawyer can be found on www.avvo.com, Yelp, and Google. If you require a criminal defense attorney, please reach out to the Law Offices of Shaffer Cormell. You can contact me at 888-922-5051.

Ryan C. Nerney, Esq. is a Senior Associate in the San Diego office of Tully Rinckey PLLC, where he focuses his practice primarily on national security law, with experience in federal employment and military matters. Ryan represents clients who have security clearance issues against agencies such as CIA, NSA, DIA, DOD, NRO, and DOE. He has represented numerous clients in security clearance revocation proceedings and has a proven record of saving clients’ jobs, as well as anticipating and resolving potential future issues with their security clearances.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Ryan spent more than five years representing clients in...

Thomas Mauriello assists clients with an array of legal matters, including Business, Consumer, Investment, Government, Real Estate, Stock Broker, Investment and Environmental Law disputes. With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Mauriello is committed to delivering quality legal solutions with efficient and personalized representation throughout the State of California.

Mr. Mauriello is dedicated to involvement in his community. This has included coaching youth basketball and volleyball, as well as working with both Volunteers in Parole and the San Diego AIDS Project. Additionally, he has served on the Legal Committee of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club for many years.

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Andrew Cherkasky Andrew Cherkasky is a former federal prosecutor best known for his work as an elite complex litigation attorney with a tremendous range of professional experience. He has become a premier national civil rights attorney through his wide range of legal experience, spanning from complex criminal litigation, to commercial and corporate transactions, to advising Generals in combat, to leading multi-million-dollar federal lawsuits. Andrew is a regular contributor on Fox News, CNN, and other national networks and has also been recognized for his expertise by a wide range of national news outlets, to include: The New York Times, The Washington...

Look no further than San Diego's Premier Criminal Defense Firm. Award-Winning Former Deputy District Attorney & Former Deputy City Attorney. His firm takes pride in handling his clients cases with efficiency and discretion. Free Case evaluation. Serving All San Diego County. Be Proactive and call now.

Arrested for a crime he, admittedly, did commit in 2004, David P. Shapiro experienced firsthand the same fear, uncertainty, and concern for his future and freedom so many of his clients undergo when arrested or under investigation for allegedly committing a crime. That experience motivates him each and every day to provide the best representation possible to any and all who entrust his Firm to handle their criminal defense matter in their time of need.

David has dedicated his career to helping good people get through bad situations and regain control of their future when charged with a crime....

KEVIN C. MURPHY is the co-founder and managing partner of Murphy Jones APC. Mr. Murphy supervises firm administrative duties and coordinates substantive legal services. Prior to joining Murphy Jones APC Mr. Murphy practiced as an associate attorney at Morris Sullivan & Lemkul LLP representing both plaintiff and defendant parties in the areas of construction defect, personal injury and medical malpractice litigation. Currently, Mr. Murphy represents professionals before State Administrative Boards and practices civil litigation in both California and Nevada. Mr. Murphy is an active member of the State Bars of California and Nevada, American Bar Association, San Diego...

Nate has dedicated his career to protecting people accused of crimes. During his practice as a public defender, Nate learned what works to get decent results in the toughest situations and knows how to actually help people. Nate has successfully represented clients on all levels and types of felony cases and trained new lawyers in defender offices. Nate was trained in trial skills at the nationally renowned Colorado State Public Defender system and learned the “Colorado method” of jury selection and the chapter method of cross examination from some of its creators at the State Public Defender. Nate was born...

As managing partner of Sage Law Firm, Dean delivers comprehensive counsel with a focus on tax controversy, business consulting, and nonprofit matters. With his extensive experience, Dean offers clients tailored tax and business solutions to address their unique needs. Dean is dedicated to guiding clients throughout their business journey, from entity formation to dissolution, ensuring they are positioned for success at every stage. Dean’s proficiency in resolving tax matters spans a broad spectrum as he has worked with both individuals and corporate clients. He routinely represents clients before the IRS and state taxation agencies and has counseled clients in sales tax...

WE PROTECT PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS FROM UNFAIR DIVORCE.
Our Law firm is focused exclusively on divorce, child custody, paternity actions, modifications of child support, spousal support, property division, domestic violence and all other issues that fall under the "umbrella" of Family Law. Our passion is our clients. We recognize that while people are going through situations dealing with the breakdown of a marriage or how best to share their children, it is an incredibly challenging and heartbreaking time. It is also very nerve-wracking to have the future of your children, and/or security (financial or otherwise) be unknown or be...

For the past 25 years, Martin Schmidt has dedicated his law practice to helping injured victims secure rightful compensation from insurance companies that prioritize profits over people. Despite graduating in the top 10% of his law school class and winning millions of dollars for his clients, Mr. Schmidt's most profound education came after a severe car accident. "Lying strapped to a stretcher, I thought about all my clients in similar situations. Did they feel this way? Where was I going? How hurt was I? Would I be able to work, pay the bills, or take care of my family?" His recovery took...

Scott Silberman, esq. is a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation. He has also been recognized by the Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers Compensation  as an Arbitrator.  He has experience representing both injured workers as well as employers and insurance companies, but now exclusively represents injured workers and their dependents.

Coming from a family of workers compensation attorneys, and his father being a retired workers' compensation Judge, Scott has literally grown up with workers' compensation. He has written law review articles and lectured to bar associations in regards to changes in workers compensation law.

Prior to becoming one of the founding...

Amy L. Gostanian Esq., Attorney and Founder of The Estate Lawyers, formerly known as Gostanian Law Group, PC. “Amy was able to take over handling my parent’s estate from another attorney and I am very grateful for all of her and her staff’s support and help. Amy is very kind and caring and helped me through some tough spots in the process. Billing was very fair and accurate. Communication was timely and greatly appreciated. I’ll be returning to have my own trust done. Thank you, Amy!” — Lisa

Mr. Morrell has more than 40 years of experience as an accident & personal injury attorney. He represents those who have lost loved ones in a fatal accident, and those injured in car, truck & motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, hit-and-run cases, dog bites, slip & fall accidents, elder abuse and neglect, and claims against public entities and insurance companies. He holds those responsible for transmitting an STD without warning financially accountable.

"I have often seen, in my many years, too many attorneys who have not done their client the justice that they deserve. Too many attorneys take cases in which they...

Although our whole firm prides itself on being "warriors in court," I believe that I have a calling to spread the word to folks that there are alternatives to going to court. There are alternatives like mediation, collaborative law and cooperative law. People in our firm, and myself, had to take extra training, often at substantial expense and in other states, to be able to offer those alternative dispute methods for our clients. Now I have hobbies of "spreading the word" about those alternatives. I appear on TV, often with other members of our firm....

Born in Wisconsin, raised in L.A., moved to the Desert in 1977. 39 year experience in civil litigation, contract law, real estate (licensed broker), personal injury, alternative dispute resolution (Mediations and Arbitrations) and more. Active hiker, swimmer and singer.

Carrie Block, the managing partner at Holstrom, Block & Parke's Orange County office, brings over 25 years of family law expertise from premier firms. Specializing in high-asset family divorces, collaborative divorce, and mediation in Orange County, she guides clients with compassion to achieve favorable legal outcomes. Carrie, a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) expert, efficiently handles complexities related to 401(k)s, pensions, and benefits in divorce cases without external experts, streamlining negotiations early in the process. Her practice spans divorce, custody, child and spousal support, paternity, and premarital rights. Carrie prioritizes accessibility, aiding clients through the challenging transition of divorce for a...

Alreen Haeggquist is on a mission to stand up with individuals to enrich their lives and inspire change by dismantling fear and shame and empowering those who have faced discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and sexual assault to stand up and demand accountability. Today, the overwhelming majority of Alreen’s clients are women who have suffered egregious wrongs at the hands of their employers. No defendant is too large or powerful for her to tackle: she has recently represented plaintiffs in employment claims against such major corporations as Trader Joe’s, Sharp Healthcare, Wyndham, Kaiser Permanente, and the Grand Del Mar. ...

With each individual case, Catherine A. Schwartz brings the knowledge of over twenty years of experience practicing family law and criminal defense in California. Ms. Schwartz's undergraduate studies were in sociology at Philadelphia Christian College. She graduated with a B.S degree in law and a JD at Western State University College of Law, San Diego, in 1991. After passing the California State Bar in 1991, Ms. Schwartz practiced family law, juvenile dependency, and juvenile delinquency law in both San Diego and Riverside, CA. She has been involved in the areas of family law and criminal defense for the past 20...

What makes me unique is that I am both a Business Owner and a Corporate & Business Law Attorney. I actually started my first business at age 8 when I launched “Dan’s Bird Farm.” As the owner of the Kehr Business Law PC, I provide business, corporate general counsel, technology, Internet, e-commerce and tax law, as well as trust, will, estate and succession planning legal services. I founded, managed and have run my own law firm for over 17 years. My experience as a business owner makes me uniquely suited to approach legal representation from the business owner’s perspective. I...

Orange County personal injury lawyer Aria Miran has successfully settled hundreds of personal injury claims since being admitted to the California State Bar in 2012. He focuses his practice on handling serious personal injury matters, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, dog bites, and slip and fall cases. Attorney Miran also devotes his practice to holding large insurance companies responsible for bad faith insurance claims. Combining personal experience with an in-depth knowledge of the law, Aria is dedicated, aggressive, and caring. He has been recognized by top legal organizations, such as Super Lawyers, for his client service. In addition,...

B. Robert Farzad is the managing partner of Farzad & Ochoa Family Law Attorneys, LLP. Farzad & Ochoa is a premier divorce and family law firm with offices in Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego. The firm represents husbands and wives in complex or high conflict cases, including those that include complex financial and/or child custody issues. Mr. Farzad is a respected divorce attorney. He has presented seminars for the Orange County Bar Association and Continuing Education for the Bar (CEB). His work is featured in Orange County Lawyer Magazine, The Huffington Post, Yahoo Parenting and more. B. Robert Farzad is a...

Jesse Young is a Senior Shareholder at Sommers Schwartz who represents clients in serious employment disputes, including but not limited to issues of severance negotiations, discrimination, retaliation, whistleblowing activity, employment contracts, terminations, and compliance. His clients include individuals and businesses. As a founding member of the firm's national wage-and-hour practice, Jesse has appeared in hundreds of wage-and-hour lawsuits and hundreds more arbitrations arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and similar state laws. In this regard, he represents clients nationwide dealing with the payment of minimum wages and/or overtime, classification of employees, “off the clock” work, meal breaks, donning and...

Since my admission to the California State Bar in 2002, I have dedicated my legal career exclusively to criminal defense. Over the years, I have gained extensive experience in diverse areas of criminal law. My representation includes negotiations, from pre-complaint filings to post-complaint filings, motions to dismiss, preliminary hearings and up through jury trials...all with an outstanding record. Throughout my career, I have worked diligently to ensure that my clients receive the best possible outcome in their cases. I am passionate about providing quality legal advocacy and am committed to achieving the very best results for each of my clients.

Aaron M. Olsen is a partner in the employment law and complex consumer litigation departments of Haeggquist & Eck. Aaron has resolved hundreds of individual labor and employment law cases on behalf of employees. He has recovered millions of dollars in damages. Notably, Aaron was on the trial team in a unique associational disability discrimination matter against Kaiser Permanente that resulted in one of the top 50 largest labor and employment verdicts in California in 2017 on TopVerdict.com. Aaron has served as co-lead counsel prosecuting class action suits, including consumer fraud actions, product defect cases, wage and hour actions, and unfair...

Ian Pike is an associate at Haeggquist & Eck, LLP and focuses his practice on representing employees in a wide range of matters throughout California for claims including wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wage theft. A former columnist whose career included a lengthy stint at the San Diego Reader covering food, theatre, and the arts, Ian graduated summa cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law. While at USD, he received CALI Awards for the highest grades in contracts, legal writing and research, evidence, remedies, civil rights theories, administrative law, and discrimination law. Ian was the...

Jenna M. Rangel is a partner with Haeggquist & Eck and represents employees in claims involving wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour violations at work. To Jenna, every detail matters — and she prides herself on developing and nurturing open, trusting relationships with her clients. Jenna approaches every day as an opportunity to stand up for employees, to help right the wrongs perpetrated by employers, and to provide closure to her clients so they can move forward with their lives. She has represented clients against such employers as the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Herbalife, and Wyndham, and...

Michele B. Brown is an attorney licensed in the State of California and the United States District Court for the Southern District. She is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and the head of the Procopio Family Law Group. Ms. Brown has been practicing family law for approximately 25 years. She handles complex family law matters, including dissolution of marriage actions with business valuations, income analysis and financial litigation, custody, move-away and psychological evaluations, as well as pre-marital agreements, post-marital agreements, post judgment matters and enforcement actions. Ms. Brown cares deeply about the law and her clients....

Jeremy N. Roark brings over a decade of exclusive expertise in family law within the Inland Empire. His practice covers diverse facets of divorce cases, including child custody and support, asset division, spousal support, custody jurisdiction, and matters involving domestic violence and restraining orders. Certified as a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS) by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Jeremy stands out for his demonstrated excellence in the field. He is also honored as the recipient of the Terry D. Bridges Outstanding Attorney Award from the Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court Board of Directors and Members. As a...

Vik Monder has put together a team of experienced trial lawyers with a legal focus in the area of Criminal & DUI Defense throughout San Diego County. Attorney Vik Monder has handled several high profile criminal cases throughout San Diego. He is continually achieving the highest results for his clients and has been named the Top Attorney with The Union Tribune and Superlawyers. These listings identify top-tier attorneys within San Diego County. Having achieved a Masters in Law (LL.M.) in the area of Criminal Trial Advocacy, Vik Monder has been able to obtain great results for his clients facing both...

Attorney Maureen Lyons focuses on Elder Law and Estate Planning including Medi-Cal & Veterans Long Term Care Planning and Special Needs Planning. Maureen is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles. Maureen also holds an MS in Applied Biometry from the University of Southern California; an MA in Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles; and a BA in English from the University of California, Riverside. Maureen is a Past President of the Estate Planning Council of Riverside County, Past President of the Southern California Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys...

Attorney Caitlin Dukes is a former prosecutor who handles criminal appeals, writs, and other post-conviction relief for the criminal appeals firm Spolin & Dukes P.C. She has a wide array of experience in state and federal courts. Besides having served as a Deputy District Attorney, her background includes work for multiple judges and government entities (including Federal District Court Judge James Knoll Gardner and the United States Department of Homeland Security) as well as private sector experience defending clients wrongfully accused of crimes. Ms. Dukes’s primary goal on any given case is to identify the strongest arguments, clearly and succinctly present...