Surfside Lawyers

Jonathan Michaels first became licensed in 1995, and since that time has created an exemplary litigation practice. Michaels has challenged some of the largest companies in the world, litigating cases in state and federal courts throughout the U.S. In these endeavors, he has received astounding verdicts and settlements for his clients – achievements that yielded him the “Attorney of the Year” award by his law school alma mater in 2012.

Michaels has also developed a particularly specialized practice in the automotive industry, having become well-known in the U.S. for litigating some of the most important cases in the industry. He is...

Rudolph & Chonoles, LLP is a business law and business litigation boutique. We counsel and represent clients in business entity formation and dissolution, raising venture capital, purchase and sale of businesses, business operation and transactions, contract negotiation and drafting, asset protection, business disputes and lawsuits, wage and hour claims, and employment matters. Stephen J. Chonoles is one of the firm's two founding partners. He counsels and represents clients in all of the firm's practice areas. He is licensed in California, and has appeared by permission of court in Nevada. Mr. Chonoles is a member of...

Mr. Ho received a B.S. degree in business management from California State University, Los Angeles, with a minor in economics and obtained a J.D. degree from University of West Los Angeles, achieving Dean’s List for academic excellence in the second year of law school. The principal attorney, licensed in 2002, is admitted to practice in the State of California, United States District Court, Central District of California and United States District Court, Southern District of California.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Ho had job experience in retail, sales, manufacturing and government. During law school, Mr. Ho clerked for the District...

Mr. Oropallo has been practicing law since 2001 and is a member of the California Applicant’s Attorneys Association (CAAA). Prior to law school at Western State University where he graduated with honors and interned for then Presiding Justice David G. Sills at the California Court of Appeals, 4th District, he attended the California Maritime Academy majoring in Nautical Industrial Technology and California State University, Los Angeles majoring in Finance. Prior to entering the legal profession, he worked in the securities, maritime and real estate industries and spent a number of years living and working overseas in various parts of Asia. His legal...

Mr. August has been practicing corporate and transactional law for over 30 years. He began his legal career in Washington, D.C., at the firm of Lane & Edson, where he was part of the team representing Wesray Capital on leveraged buyout transactions, and subsequently associated with the Washington, D.C. office of Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, where he serviced its telecommunications and other clients with corporate fundraising and strategic transactions. In 1990, he moved to California to serve in the Los Angeles office of Graham & James, handling securities, mergers & acquisitions and other transactions for its primarily international...

Mehrshad Mirkhan has nearly two decades of experience handling business law and civil litigation matters, including matters relating to business litigation, bankruptcy, contracts, banking, and more. He earned his law degree from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in 1998. Known for his strategic, comprehensive, and personalized approach, Mr. Mirkhan is a talented legal professional with a tendency to look outside of the box for sophisticated solutions. Mr. Mirkhan has received several awards for his legal service, including “Commitment to Clients Award” and “Most Patient Advocate Award” from The McGeorge School of Law.

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.

Saul Acherman is an attorney licensed in California. He focuses on intellectual property matters, including patent and trademark prosecution and litigation. Saul is a registered patent attorney licensed to practice in patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (registration number 72,898). He is also involved with other business and civil litigation matters including business formation, contracts, and employment matters, and is admitted to practice in all courts of the State of California as well as the United States District Court for the Central District of California. After receiving a BA in Philosophy from the...

Manbir S. Chowdhary represents employees in all areas of labor and employment law, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, employee misclassification, and unpaid wages claims. Mr. Chowdhary's experience also includes contractual disputes, and the enforcement of partner/shareholder rights. Mr. Chowdhary's business litigation clients include real estate developers, national sportswear manufacturers, Fortune 500 executives, medical organizations, small businesses, and 501(c)(3) corporations. Mr. Chowdhary is a graduate of USC Law School, and a former legislative aide to the Lt. Governor of California. He is licensed to practice law in California, New York, and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Admitted to Bar in 1980. Extensive experience representing employers in the field of immigration law. Broad background in the field in addition to employment based immigration benefits. Now supported by a team of individuals holding skills and experience with a large range of immigration matters.

Are you a victim of workplace sexual harassment or discrimination? Don’t wait to enlist the legal support you need to protect your personal rights. Stan Andrei Grombchevsky is a partner at Harris Grombchevsky LLP, which offers comprehensive legal representation for all types of employment issues. Mr. Grombchevsky is committed to offering compassionate and caring counsel for his clients, no matter what the circumstances are. He graduated from Chapman University School of Law in 1999 and soon began his legal career. Mr. Grombchevsky is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association, allowing him to protect clients dealing with everything form...

Ronald D. MacGregor, Esq. received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pacific's McGeorge School of Law and became licensed to practice law in the state of California in 1973. For nearly the past four decades Mr. MacGregor has appeared before the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, and multiple California Superior Courts. Additionally, he has appeared before the United States District Court zealously representing clients in the Federal arena. Mr. MacGregor represents clients charged with crimes ranging from driving under the influence to Capital Murder charges. His primary focus is on trial advocacy and pre-trial negotiations in...

As the founder of The Law Office of Bruce C. Bridgman, Orange County attorney Bruce C. Bridgman offers legal counsel in criminal defense and civil issues. Since 1974, he has been in the legal field, and he has operated his own practice for over two decades. Before his current firm’s establishment, Attorney Bridgman was a partner at another firm and a deputy district attorney in Orange County. He is a graduate of the UCLA Law School, where he was a Wilson Scholar. Receive a zero-charge case evaluation by contacting his firm.

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”...

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...

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...

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...

Bill Ohlemeyer brings 40 years of experience to Phillips ADR, representing plaintiffs, defendants, and working at Altria Group. He has litigated, arbitrated, mediated, and tried cases in state and federal courts, advising on legal and regulatory challenges. A Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Bill graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri Law School and clerked for Chief Judge Scott O. Wright. He joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon, becoming partner in 1991, then served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Altria (1999–2008), managing litigation for Philip Morris...

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...