Santa Barbara County Insurance Defense Lawyers

Mr. Casady is a partner in the firm’s Sacramento, California office. His prior professional experience includes more than 13 years as a claims adjuster for a major property and casualty carrier, as well as more than a decade as an arbitrator resolving liability and damage disputes between insurance carriers. He attended law school while working full-time as an adjuster.

Mr. Casady’s state-wide practice consists of general liability and civil litigation with an emphasis on premises liability, automobile and trucking liability, personal injury, construction-related litigation and subrogation prosecution and defense. His extensive insurance knowledge gives him special insight into first- and third-party...

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,...

See professional experience below.

Gemma L. Mondala's practice is broad but focuses primarily on business litigation, employment law and complex litigation matters. Gemma's experience includes the defense of insureds against claims related to automobile accidents, premises liability, products liability, slip/trip and falls, dog bites, toxic torts and construction defects. She has also represented business clients in enforcing and defending against breach of contract and business tort claims (i.e. intentional interference with contract and business advantage, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and misrepresentation) as well as claims involving breaches of fiduciary duties. Gemma also advises Cities, Counties and...

A seasoned, veteran real estate litigation and transaction attorney and trial lawyer, Nate Bernstein of the LA Real Estate Law Group, serves sophisticated clients in the areas of real estate litigation, business and commercial litigation, and bankruptcy matters and litigation. Nate Bernstein was formerly in house counsel at Fidelity Title Insurance Company and Denley Investment and Management Company, and has been in private practice for 18 years on Southern California.

As a dedicated Rancho Santa Fe attorney at LiMandri & Jonna LLP, Charles LiMandri has had a lot of success. His extensive legal history includes many successful trials and cases. Through hard work, tenacity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence, he has obtained tens of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. He started his legal career at the University of San Diego and went on to Georgetown University Law Center. His list of accolades include inclusion into the Million Dollar Advocates Circle, recognition as one of “San Diego’s Top 120 Top Most Influential, and more. If you want...

Tennant & Ingram, Inc. is a boutique general litigation firm offering legal representation in numerous areas, including but not limited to, real estate, construction, personal injury, insurance, business, and subrogation. We endeavor to resolve our clients' disputes early before the time and expense of litigation becomes overbearing. On the other hand, we prepare arduously and stand ready for trial in the event no other reasonable recourse is available. From our office in Sacramento, we serve clients located throughout Northern California, from Fresno to the Oregon border.

Te’Reisha Graves represents individuals, businesses and public entities as both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of tort and personal injury matters in courts throughout California. Having handled litigation from both sides of the table, she has developed a unique skill set that allows her to quickly analyze claims and develop resolution strategies to meet her client’s needs. Te’Reisha was designated as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, and in 2021, on the plaintiff’s side, she resolved her first 7-figure settlement in a wrongful death matter. Te’Reisha is a 2015 magna cum laude law school graduate from Florida A&M University....

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...

"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...

Kelli G. Hawley is the managing partner of McCathern’s Los Angeles office. Mrs. Hawley concentrates her practice in construction law, with additional expertise in litigation of real estate disclosure, business, contracts, products liability, construction injury, and subrogation disputes.

Mrs. Hawley regularly handles high-exposure defense of developers and general contractors under Owner Controlled Insurance Programs (“OCIP”) and Contractor Controlled Insurance Programs (“CCIP”), better known as wrap-up insurance policies. She has an established track record of early and economic resolution of pre-litigation claims both under SB800 and Calderon statutes. Mrs. Hawley has practiced law since 1985, with both jury and bench trial experience....

Michael Rogers primarily represents national and regional automotive dealership clients in a wide variety of legal matters including consumer actions and complex litigation, federal and state regulatory matters, unfair competition claims, commercial and consumer litigation, labor and employment issues and franchise disputes. He has significant experience in effectively resolving high-stakes litigation and providing counsel for litigation avoidance and regulatory compliance. In addition to automotive dealerships, his clients include automotive affiliated businesses such as finance companies, flooring lenders, automobile service centers, and surety bonding companies. In addition to his extensive understanding of the complexities of the automotive industry, Michael’s particular...

C. Tracy Kayser is an associate attorney who is experienced in civil defense litigation. Ms. Kayser joined Fernandez and Lauby LLP as an associate attorney in 2007. She completed her undergraduate degree from California State University at Pomona. Before attending law school, Ms. Kayser was a real estate agent selling single family residential commercial real estate. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 2001. Since being admitted to the bar, Ms Kayser has defended a wide variety of cases in personal injury, products/premises liability, construction defect, general business law, civil rights cases and has...

Lori Carver Hershorin is a licensed California, Texas and Indiana attorney with over 30 years of experience. Lori's practice focuses on real estate, escrow title, business, insurance and appeals. Ms. Hershorin has prevailed in 39 appeals out of 42. In 1991, Ms. Hershorin began her legal career at McDermott Will & Emery focusing on fraud, real estate, and employment matters. She subsequently joined Lewis Brisbois and focused on mortgage fraud, real estate and breach of contract litigation. In 1995, Lori joined the in-house legal team of Fidelity National Title Insurance Company as an Assistant Vice-President and Associate...

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.

Our firm specializes in litigation including insurance defense/coverage, medical malpractice, and investment suitability law. The firm is managed by seasoned trial, coverage, arbitration, and appellate attorneys.

I was a financial advisor at UBS and Charles Schwab before I attended law school at the University of San Diego. I am a Partner at Hayes Scott Bonino Ellingson Simonson Guslani & Clause, LLP. I moved up to Northern California to join the firm in 2011 leaving a similar firm in Orange County after I had twins.

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...

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,...

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...

Tim Owen is a senior attorney on Varner & Brandt's Riverside office Business Litigation Team. Tim has over 25 years of experience as a trial attorney in state and federal courts in California and New York. His practice and expertise covers employment, labor, complex business disputes, complex litigation, products liability, and professional negligence, as well as appellate matters.

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...

Attorney Steven Blake founded the Blake Law Firm. Steve has over 14 years of experience handling a wide variety of real estate and litigation matters.

Steve has represented clients throughout all stages of dispute resolution and litigation, including mediations, arbitrations, court trials, jury trials, and appeals. In 2018, Steve argued before the California Supreme Court regarding a lawsuit involving a dispute over obligations under a ground lease and sublease of waterfront commercial property.

With Steve you get the quality and expertise of a larger firm attorney, but with the personal attention and care that only a small law firm can provide.

A Minnesota...

Certified Appellate Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization of State Bar of California

Practice Summary: Complex federal and state litigation in contracts, land use, government, administrative, constitutional property and speech, trusts and estates, product liability, land use and insurance law.

Specialties: Appeals, injunctions, writs of mandate, land use administrative proceedings, challenging local, state and federal action and enforcing local, statutory and constitutional law in federal and state courts.

Represents both plaintiffs and defendants; insurance defense; owners and contractors in construction disputes; beneficiaries and administrators