Stephen's range of litigation experience provides those clients he serves—primarily commercial, insurer and business clients—with the results and security they need in the high-stakes situations they face. He practices almost exclusively in the areas of commercial litigation and toxic tort litigation.
Commercial Litigation
Stephen’s commercial litigation practice is focused on real estate, real property, title insurance, wholesale mortgage contract, and commercial contract litigation. His success is reflected in the positive outcomes he gets for his clients.
Improved Processes Lead to Improved Return and Results on Litigated Cases Stephen’s client, a secondary market mortgage wholesaler, faced significant operating expenses related to ongoing commercial contract litigation. Stephen established cost effective pre-litigation and litigation protocol as well as worked closely with the client to conduct a cost benefit analysis for each potential matter. Because of processes put in place, Stephen has successfully maximized the client’s return and results on litigated cases, while also saving the client money on the legal services rendered.
Positive Verdict in Contract Fraud Case
Stephen brought an action on behalf of his client, a property owner, against a public adjuster retained by the client to assist in negotiating payment from their insurer with respect to a fire insurance loss on a rental property. Stephen’s client asserted the defendant breached his public adjuster contract by wrongfully and fraudulently withholding insurance proceeds due to them from the insurer. The jury returned a 12-0 verdict in favor of the property owner on all counts, and awarded punitive damages in an amount over two times the contract damages.
Toxic Tort Litigation
Stephen's practice emphasis in toxic tort litigation includes asbestos, products and environmental tort liability, including defense of mass tort claims. Examples of his success in toxic tort litigation include:
Summary Judgment in High Exposure Asbestos Injury Action
In a high exposure asbestos injury action, Stephen defended his client against the plaintiff who alleged exposure to asbestos. The plaintiff’s alleged exposure occurred during prior ownership of the company. Stephen obtained summary judgment by establishing that his client had no liability for the exposure under an asset purchase agreement entered into between the client and the prior entity.
Multi-Million Dollar Environmental Remediation Subrogation Case Settlement
Stephen substituted in mid-case as counsel to defend a multi-million dollar environmental remediation subrogation case brought by the property owner’s insurer. The action involved ground contamination by various organic solvents used in a dry cleaning operation. The plaintiff asserted that the defendant negligently failed to remediate the contaminated property by utilizing unproven technology, and failed to meet contractual guarantees that the remediated contamination levels would meet State standards. Stephen’s raising and vigorous pursuit of the client’s causation and contract defenses resulted in the action settling for 1/8th of the plaintiff’s claimed damages.
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Los Angeles County Bar Association
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Mortgage Bankers Association
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University of California at Davis School of Law, 1985, JD
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California State University, Fresno, 1982, BS, Finance
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