Pioneer Insurance Defense Lawyers

Civil litigation, maritime and transportation attorney with experience representing cargo handlers, motor carriers, air carriers, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, logistics providers, terminal operators, marinas, warehousemen and vessel operators in both state and federal court throughout California.

Full service law firm handling business, contract, construction, real estate, insurance and labor law and litigation throughout Southern California and Nevada, with extensive experience in civil litigation and the handling of multiple successful trials and arbitrations. Our firm handles all matters for clients aggressively and efficiently, with a clear goal of the bottom line results for its clients.

Marvin J. Straus earned his law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 1997. He is a Partner of Parker Straus LLP’s San Diego and Los Angeles officers. Primarily focusing on areas of complex fraud litigation and insurance defense, he has earned a reputation for his landmark case results and in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry. He has conducted many depositions, mediations, discovery, and examinations in cases ranging from arson, property theft, commercial, cargo, to specialty claims. Passionate about educating others on insurance defense, he frequently presents to insurance companies and organizations on fraud, coverage, and examinations.

My focus is insurance and professional liability law. I have been litigating cases in California state and federal courts for over 10 years. I am an author of a new book called California Legal Malpractice Law published by the ALM.

Ms. Beletsis has a general civil litigation practice with an emphasis on personal injury, legal malpractice, real estate disputes, trust litigation and appeals.

Ms. Beletsis has practiced law in Sonoma County since 1989. She started her career with a one year position as a Research Attorney for the civil judges on the Sonoma County Superior Court. She was an Associate with Boyd, Murray and Wick from 1990-1995. She has been an associate at Perry, Johnson, Anderson, Miller & Moskowitz since 1999.

Ms. Beletsis serves as a settlement conference panelist, discovery referee and arbitrator for the Sonoma County courts and serves as a...

James (Jim) V. Sansone is a litigation and trial associate with CMPR. Jim has been practicing in Northern California since 2006 and holds a Martindale rating of 4.7/5.0. Jim has successfully tried a wide variety of civil and bankruptcy legal disputes over his legal career in both State and Federal Court. A persuasive and successful trial lawyer, Jim captures the respect of clients and judges alike. Jim also holds positions as an adjunct professor at Santa Rosa Junior College teaching Business Law and Introduction to Law for Paralegals in their Business Administration Department and a law professor at Empire College School of...

Raeet (Rita) D. Taddesse is a Partner with Fernandez & Lauby LLP. She has handled a wide variety of complex matters, including quasi class actions, professional liability, securities fraud, intellectual property, trade secrets, unfair competition, slip & fall, construction accidents, construction defect, antitrust, banking, real estate, community association, and insurance litigation. Ms. Taddesse has experience in mediation, arbitration, trial, and appellate practice. Ms. Taddesse graduated with honors from California State University at Long Beach in 1994 and obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from Whittier College School of Law in 1996, where she was on the Dean's Honor List. Ms. Taddesse is admitted...

Nicholas A. Konoske is a member of the firm acting as a business advisor and general counsel for businesses at various stages in their growth cycle, from start ups to mature operating companies, and he has particular expertise in counseling early stage and emerging growth technology companies. Mr. Konoske advises clients in business strategy, start up business formation and structuring, corporate formation and entity selection, corporate governance, the development of funding strategies and the alternatives available to entrepreneurs. He is actively involved in a full range of legal projects, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing (including angel and...

Santino Tropea is a founding partner of Tropea McMillan. A significant portion of his practice includes representation of clients in toxic tort claims, actions brought under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and all phases of CERCLA and the Superfund process. He has successfully represented clients in regulatory disputes and negotiations with both state and federal agencies, and has implemented supplemental environmental projects/pollution prevention plans to reduce or eliminate fines and penalties. He defends Proposition 65 cases and citizen's suits alleging False Claim Act violations and other related matters. Santino's experience includes representation of California municipalities, large chemical,...

Graham J. Baldwin is an associate attorney with Fernandez & Lauby LLP. He has a wide variety of experience in civil litigation encompassing the fields of personal injury, wrongful termination, professional liability, construction accidents, construction defect, and general business, at both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Baldwin has been a past civil litigation arbitrator and is a current member on the Riverside County Fee Arbitration panel. Mr. Baldwin graduated from California State University (Long Beach) with a B.A. in 1971 and obtained his J.D. from Western State University in 1976. He is admitted to practice before the Federal...

Robyn M. McKibbin, Partner, has a broad-based litigation practice representing both corporate and individual plaintiffs and defendants with primary emphasis on employment law including wage and hour, harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination. She represents clients in private mediations and arbitrations, before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts. She provides preventive personnel advice concerning hiring, firing, leaves of absence, internal investigations, and disciplinary action. Robyn prepares and evaluates client personnel manuals, policies and forms, and negotiates and drafts employment, confidentiality, separation, and severance agreements. She also provides anti-harassment, discrimination and retaliation training for supervisors and...

Ms. McGuinness has extensive experience in all phases of litigation, including pleading, pre-trial discovery, depositions, motion practice, mediation, and trial practice, in both state and federal court. Ms. McGuinness also has experience litigating in other state jurisdictions. Ms. McGuinness’s primary areas of practice include labor & employment law (including wage and hour, retaliation and discrimination), civil and business litigation, construction, breach of contract, tort law and entertainment related litigation. Ms. McGuinness has represented Fortune 500 companies both prosecuting and defending against major construction defect claims and cross-claims. Prior to working at McGuinness & Associates, Ms. McGuinness practiced at a plaintiffs’ class...

Kristi W. Dean, Managing Partner, is a skilled trial lawyer who represents clients in business disputes. Kristi was named a 2013 Trusted Advisor by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. She has been consistently named a "Southern California Super Lawyer" and recognized as "one of the top" lawyers in Southern California by her peers in Los Angeles Magazine, Law & Politics Media, Inc., and Super Lawyer publications. Kristi represents corporations and business organizations in various litigation disputes, including breach of contract, shareholder disputes, unfair business competition, trade secret misappropriation, tortious interference, wage & hour, shareholder derivative actions, and breach of...

I have extensive experience in all phases of litigation and trial. Before going into private practice, I have served as Deputy Attorney General in California. I've worked with individuals in major class actions and other cases with state and nationwide ramifications. I've also successfully handled a wide range of civil rights matters, especially cases involving police misconduct and employment issues.

Robert W. Harrison Partner robert.harrison@wilsonelser.com San Diego p 619.321.6200 c 619.787.8388 f 619.321.6201 Robert W. Harrison is the Regional Managing Partner of the WILSON, ELSER, MOSKOWITZ, EDELMAN & DICKER LLP office in San Diego. He has extensive experience in civil litigation with emphasis in the defense of professional liability (health care, lawyers, accountants and brokers), business litigation, employment law and products liability matters. He has tried over 100 cases to jury verdict and also has considerable experience in administrative hearings before the professional licensing boards of the State of California. Robert Harrison is a past president of California Defense Counsel (the lobbying arm of...

Robert C. Martinez is an experienced trial attorney with almost 20 years in the profession and a diverse trial practice. Robert has represented private clients and government entities in state and federal court. Robert has tried both jury and bench trials throughout Southern California and he has also handled numerous arbitrations and mediations.

Representing property owners, developers, general contractors, design professionals, and subcontractors, in business litigation, construction law, premises liability, contractual disputes, and real estate matters. Mr. Stohl’s practice has included various litigation matters including mechanic’s lien, design professional’s lien, stop notice, payment bond, breach of contract, and Miller Act causes of action. He has represented the firm’s clients in a wide range of matters including: Transactional work for general corporate counsel in drafting and negotiating contracts/ subcontracts to include innovative contractual arrangements for clients. Representation of municipalities in litigation on claims for premises liability arising in connection with highway/roadway design...

"In addition to being an attorney, I am a mom, a grandmother, and was a professor of law. While I consider my three daughters to be my greatest accomplishments, I am very proud of my students, and I also now have grand children! Teaching law, and raising children, means that I am always learning and able to approach family law matters involving children with a special sensitivity. I came to the practice of law a little bit later in life, after having other jobs (including being a medic for 10 years) which is how I...

Terrance J. Evans is a partner in the Trial Practice Group of Duane Morris in San Francisco. He concentrates his practice in representing the financial services industry, which includes international, national and community banks; loan service companies; and insurance companies.

With respect to the insurance industry, Mr. Evans concentrates his practice in complex commercial litigation and policy interpretation and analysis. He has represented commercial primary, excess and umbrella insurers in a wide range of multimillion-dollar cases, including declaratory relief, bad faith, rescission, subrogation, indemnity, additional insurance, interpleader and reformation actions.

In relation to the banking industry, Mr. Evans has represented international,...

James Olson is an associate in the Riverside office of Fernandez & Lauby. Mr. Olson graduated from University of California, San Diego in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. In 2008, he received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Olson volunteered for the San Diego County Public Defender's Office and received recognition for honors in Advanced Legal Writing and Negotiations. Also while in law school, Mr. Olson clerked for Kolod Wager Law Offices. Mr. Olson has worked as an associate attorney at...

Michael Tam is an associate in the Riverside office of Fernandez & Lauby. Mr. Tam graduated from University of California, San Diego in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Science. In 2008 he received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. While in law school Mr. Tam received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Professional Responsibility. Additionally, during his time in law school, Mr. Tam was a research assistant for a renowned corporate law professor and participated in the Tax Clinic for low income tax payers. He also...

Criminal Defense and DUI attorney Richard A. Madsen, Jr. (a former Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney) has represented thousands of first-time offenders who have been arrested or charged with driving under the influence throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. Mr. Madsen's impeccable reputation speaks for itself. Recognized as a highly skilled trial lawyer and negotiator, and well seasoned in the intricacies of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Mr. Madsen works tirelessly to protect his clients' rights and achieve superior results. Mr. Madsen knows the system. For nearly twenty years, Mr. Madsen has utilized his reputation and long-standing relationships...

Born and raised in the Central Valley of California. Experienced litigator in civil litigation. Licensed in State and Federal Courts. Providing legal services to all of California.