Darren S. Enenstein focuses on high–stakes business and fraud cases. He has handled a number of complex intra-family disputes and intra-corporate disputes, as well as international civil racketeering cases and Ponzi scheme matters. In these cases Darren has frozen and seized well over $100 million in assets and has successfully obtained the return of funds from around the world including but not limited to the British Virgin Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Canada, and Israel. Darren remains intimately involved with his clients’ growth and exit strategy in forming teams to facilitate acquisitions of companies or selling equity.

Darren is AV rated by his peers, a distinction which is achieved when “a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence” and where he “has usually practiced law for many years and is recognized for the highest level of skill and integrity.” In August 2005, Darren was named a “Rising Star” by Law and Politics, a peer review rating for the top five percent of lawyers in each state, and he was named a “Super Lawyer” from 2011 to present.

Darren enjoys long-term relationships with his clients through a business-minded approach combining not only his skill set and that of the Firm but also the talent of outside trusted advisors. He appreciates being a contributing member to his clients’ management team rather than merely being a crisis lawyer. Darren proudly represents manufacturers, patent-holding companies, inventors, technology companies, printer toner remanufacturers, textile manufacturers and distributors, real estate developers and investment groups, law firms, accounting firms, physicians, temporary staffing firms, retail chains, publicly traded companies, and high net worth individuals.

Darren’s results include:

• • Defending a $60 million bet-the-company dispute by bringing a billion-dollar cross-complaint resolving for a settlement of zero dollars during a six-week jury trial;
  • Defending an $80 million RICO lawsuit with a resolution for less than one percent of the damages;
  • Defending a $13 million commercial services contract by terminating the plaintiff action through a motion for summary judgment;
  • Suing an international accounting giant for tax shelter promotion resulting in a substantial settlement;
  • Defending a company in a multi-million dollar major shareholder/officer termination lawsuit resulting in a share buy-out for only one-fourth the value of the shares;
  • Litigating against trustees in probate court involving a $150 million trust on behalf of beneficiaries resulting in the freezing of all assets and bonding of the trustees;
  • Dismissing through a demurrer a multi-million dollar premarital agreement claim while obtaining $12,000 of sanctions against the plaintiff.

Enenstein’s notable cases include Canon Inc., v. Aster Graphics, Inc., et al., (U.S.D.C. Southern District of New York Case No. 1:14-cv-00537-DLC), Lexmark International, Inc. v. Ink Technologies Printer Supplies, LLC et al. (U.S. District Court, S.D. Ohio, Case No. 1:10-cv-00564-MRB), Center–Point Capital Partners, Inc. et al. v. Minnesota Print Services, Inc. et al. (Minnesota District Court Case 27–CV–09–22590), Lexmark v. Static Control Components Inc. et al. (U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Kentucky Case No. 04–CV–84–GFVT), Atlantis Enterprises v. Adar (U.S.D.C. Southern District of New York Case No. 06–CV–3169–RMB), Peevey v. Arthur Andersen et al. (Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. BC313434), Schwartz v Aura Systems Inc. (Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. BC 299 519), Weinberg et al. v. Pacific Bell DSL (San Diego County Superior Court Case No. JCCP 4151–00003), Barrett et al. v Deluxe Laboratories Inc. et al. (Los Angeles County Superior Court Case No. BC 212 676), Maupintour LLC v Gutsy Women (World International Property Organization Case No. D2003–0151).

His notable interviews include CNN, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily Journal, The Pasadena Star-News, The Monterey Herald, MSNBC.com, and TechNewsWorld.com. He also acted as a contributing source to U.S. News and World Report. Enenstein worked for Judge Harry Pregerson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals where he was twice published.

In addition to litigating matters in New York and the District of Columbia, Enenstein has litigated matters pursuant to pro hac vice in other states and foreign countries including Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, and Tennessee.

Enenstein has led litigation efforts in Switzerland, Israel, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, the British Virgin Islands, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.

Teri Pham is a Shareholder with the firm specializing in complex civil litigation, including business litigation, employment litigation, intellectual property litigation, entertainment litigation, bankruptcy litigation and real estate disputes. Teri handles all aspects of litigation from pre-dispute resolution, to mediation, arbitration, trial and appeals.

Teri received her bachelor’s degree in Social Ecology with a specialization in Criminology, Law and Society, and a minor from the Graduate School of Management from the University of California, Irvine in 1994. She received her law degree (J.D.) from the UCLA School of Law in 1997.  Teri began her career with the Beverly Hills law firm of Reuben & Novicoff. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Partner in the law firms of Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz Sunshine Regenstreif & Taylor LLP and LKP Global LLP.

She is co-author of “Conflicts, Conflicts,” published in the California Lawyer Magazine, August 2002 issue. She has also been engaged as a speaker on a variety of practice issues and litigation topics at a number of events, including the annual conference of the International Bar Association and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Regional Conference, as well as community seminars with the Small Business Development Community, the UCLA Anderson School of Business and the UC Irvine School of Law.

While at UCLA, Teri served on the associated student body board for the law school and as a graduate student representative to ASUCLA. Teri also served as an Associate Justice for the Moot Court Honors Program, and continues to participate in events with the law school, including the annual Law Firm Challenge, as well as the broader UCLA Alumni program.

Teri is a past President and founding member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, and presently serves on its Advisory Board. She is also a past President of the statewide Asian/Pacific Bar of California. She has served on the Los Angeles County Bench and Bar Committee and the California State Bar Committee on Administration of Justice, which reviews, comments upon, and proposes changes to rules and legislation governing civil procedure in the State of California. She is also a past member of the Board of Governors of the National Conference of Vietnamese American Attorneys, and served as Co-Chair of the organization’s annual conference in Las Vegas in 2013.

Teri has been dedicated to providing service to the community throughout her career. She has served on the Board of Directors of East West Players, the premiere Asian Pacific American theater company in the U.S., and is an Executive Committee member for the Asian Pacific American Friends of the Theater, which is dedicated to the development of Asian Pacific American theater artists. She has volunteered her services with the Public Law Center, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, and has served as a Bankruptcy Fellow at Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles. She continues to provide interpretation and other legal services to indigent persons on a pro bono basis. She is an Advisory Board Member for the Asian Pacific American UCLA Alumni Association, and also mentors law students for the UCLA, USC, and Loyola Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Associations.

Teri is admitted to the State Bar of California and all United States District Courts in California, as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Teri is fluent in Vietnamese and has been featured on a number of Vietnamese radio and television programs concerning a variety of legal topics.

David J. Glass is a uniquely qualified family law litigator. He is one of a few, select attorneys who is dually-trained in Law and Clinical Psychology (PhD), and who concentrates on divorce, child custody litigation, and complex asset division. He offers his clients an “inside look” at and understanding of the procedures employed by court-appointed mental health and psychological professionals. He serves as the Chair of the Firm’s Family Law Department.

Although concentrating on child custody litigation, Glass’ practice encompasses the full range of family law and probate matters, including: dissolution/divorce; separation; the characterization, valuation and division of assets; child and spousal support; relocations; attorneys fees and costs; parentage actions; same-sex marriages; pre- and post-nuptial agreements.  Glass is also adept at working with the management teams for his affluent clients.

Glass has been certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist – a distinction held by only a small percentage of the family law practitioners statewide.  He is rated a perfect “10″ on Avvo.com based on peer- and client reviews, and has been voted a Rising Star or Super Lawyer in Los Angeles magazine ten times between 2005 and 2016.  Glass has practiced exclusively in family law for 20 years.

Prior to his law career, Glass worked as a therapist treating adults with anxiety disorders, mood disorders and drug & alcohol addictions, and worked in a psychiatric emergency room.

Notable Experiences:

• Represented a mother who wished to relocate from Los Angeles to the East Coast, and who needed to overcome an adverse child custody evaluation recommendation.
• Represented a father who had been falsely accused of child abuse and drug addiction in his bid to regain custody of his three children.
• Represented a wife who had been an integral part of a burgeoning special effects company in Hollywood, but who had been locked-out of the community business by the husband as of the date of separation.
• Represented a local business owner with a series of restaurants in the negotiation and drafting of his prenuptial agreement.
• Represented the daughter of an entertainment figure who sought to be appointed Conservator of her father’s person and estate over the requests of her father’s former employee who claimed that she had “married’ father.
• Defended the estate of a successful industrialist against claims of breach of fiduciary duty made by the beneficiary.
• Consulted for the defense in an employment discrimination matter and conducted the deposition and cross-examination of the plaintiff’s mental health expert.

Prior to joining EP&G, Mr. Glass was Of Counsel to Feinberg Mindel Brandt and Klein LLP, managed his own three-attorney firm, Glass Family Law, for seven years, practiced with the Beverly Hills matrimonial firm of Kolodny & Anteau, and practiced family law and mental health law for six years at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, a 300+ lawyer firm with the then-largest family law practice group on the East Coast.

He is the author of many articles and book chapters on the intersection of law and psychology including:

• “What the Social Sciences and the Court System Have to Offer Divorcing and Separating Families”
• “The Only Way to Win is Not to Play: A Post-Divorce Case Study”
• Co-Editor of the 2000 Supplement to Ziskin’s Coping with Psychiatric and Psychology Testimony.
• A chapter on Family Law in Practicing Therapeutic Jurisprudence: The Law as a Helping Profession.

Glass serves on the Board of Directors for the Southland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.  Glass is an Adjunct Instructor of Law and Ethics at the American College of Professional Psychology at Argosy University. He is also an Associate Editor of The Los Angeles Psychologist, and is a regular Contributor to Divorce Magazine and Hitched Magazine.

Finally, Glass has published his first book, “Moving On,” which is designed to help divorcees and their families reconstruct their lives after divorce. www.movingonbook.com.

Robert A. Rabbat is a business attorney, counseling his clients in both their disputes and transactions.  Robert has extensive experience handling litigation matters, including real estate litigation, fiduciary litigation, and intellectual property litigation.  Robert has particular experience handling partnership disputes and representing shareholders involved with intra-corporate disputes concerning closely held or family corporations.  Robert also participates in all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisition, development, sale, syndication, fund formation, and related matters.  Additionally, Robert has experience handling substantial family law matters and participates in general corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, finance, and general corporate governance.

Representative Litigation Matters

• Represented alleged guarantor of $5,000,000 construction loan for development of mobile home park in Mesquite, Nevada, in litigation with lender following foreclosure.
• Represented  group of minority shareholders in action for breach of fiduciary duty against controlling shareholder based upon minority shareholder oppression.
• Represented successor trustee in litigation concerning alleged failure to disclose defects in property held by trust.
• Represented real estate investment firm in action for breach of fiduciary duty relating to commercial lease transaction.
• Represented owner in dispute with co-joint venturer concerning development of 35 acres of raw land in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Represented insurer in coverage action concerning alleged environmental contamination of Portland Harbor and Willamette River.
• Represented manufacturer of LED lighting products in litigation over alleged breaches of distribution agreement.
• Represented subcontractor in connection with disputes relating to mixed-use high-rise development in downtown San Diego, California.

Representative Transactions

• Represented owner developing mixed use commercial-industrial project in Las Vegas, NV.
• Represented group forming real estate investment fund for acquisition of mobile home parks and self-storage facilities.
• Represented sponsor in formation of real estate investment fund for acquisition of multi-family real estate assets.
• Represented sponsor/promoter in syndication of multi-family acquisition in Los Angeles, CA.
• $100,000,000 syndicated credit facility for major motion picture production company.
• $10,000,000 sale of the World Poker Tour.

Robert is an author of “Application of Share-Price Discounts and Their Role in Dictating Corporate Behavior,” published in Willamette Law Review in Winter 2007.

Daniel is a fixer. He helps high-net-worth individuals and mid-tier businesses extricate themselves from crises when their financial lives are on the line, and he ensures that his clients safeguard their business and personal assets moving forward. Daniel’s clients put their trust in him to find innovative and efficient solutions to their most pressing obstacles so that they can increase their profitability and sleep better at night.

Daniel serves as outside general counsel for numerous corporate clients across various industries, including real estate, entertainment and media, construction, and food and beverage. Daniel provides companies with day-to-day counseling on a broad range of transactional and governance matters and dedicates much of his practice to helping his clients avoid litigation. Daniel has also overseen and engineered more than $100 million in corporate transactions, including acquisitions, asset sales, stock redemptions, and corporate buyouts.

When litigation is an inevitability, Daniel is at his best. Daniel is an experienced litigator who has tried numerous cases in both state and federal court, as well as before various arbitration tribunals. Daniel represents a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to private equity firms, in a wide range of disputes. Daniel specializes in matters involving business divorces, intellectual property, labor and employment, trusts and estates, real estate, accounting and auditing malpractice, right of publicity, and licensing disputes.

Ruth Lynn Estep has practiced law for over thirty years, the last fifteen of which have been devoted exclusively to the practice of family law. Ruth is the Family Law Department Chair Emeritus. Ruth is also the President and Chair of the Family Law Section of the Santa Monica Bar Association. Her proven excellence and knowledge of the law and thorough preparation and skill in the Courtroom have won the respect of judges throughout the County of Los Angeles. In turn, judges have selected Ruth to assist them in making informed decisions pertaining to custody by appointing her as Minor’s Counsel in a number of high conflict child custody cases.

Ruth has been called upon to assist in Training Programs presented at the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She has made presentations at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on topics helpful to other lawyers. Ruth has written scores of articles for various publications on complex issues in family law.

Ruth is well-known among her colleagues and clients for her high standards, integrity, willingness to accommodate her client’s needs, and for her caring and extremely personable nature.

William S. Small is a nationally recognized real estate lawyer with over thirty-eight years of experience successfully handling a broad range of real property transactions. Bill’s real estate practice heavily emphasizes (1) the representation of community, regional, and national banks and other institution lenders in commercial real estate lending and construction finance; (2) acquisitions and dispositions of commercial real estate (all property types); (3) representation of landlords and tenants in leasing transactions for retail, office, and industrial properties; and (4) commercial real estate development matters, including preparation of construction contracts and agreements with architects and engineers.

Bill has been selected for eight (8) consecutive years by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the specialty of Real Estate Law (2007-2014).

Commercial Real Estate Finance

One of the primary areas of Bill’s real estate practice is the representation of commercial banks (community, regional, and national banks) and other financial institutions (insurance companies, mortgage REITs, and other lenders) in all aspects of commercial real estate lending and construction finance, including loan origination and documentation; loan administration and servicing; loan modifications, workouts and restructuring; and secured loan enforcement. Bill has represented lending institutions with respect to more than of $2.5 billion in construction, bridge, and permanent loans for all property types, including office, retail, industrial, residential subdivisions, condominiums, leasehold estates, and special-use properties (including hotels, mixed-use projects, health care facilities, and leasehold financing).

Bill has extensive experience with the California Finance Lenders Law (“CFLL”), which is an often overlooked California licensing requirement (implemented by the California Department of Business Oversight) generally applicable to any person engaged in the business of making consumer and commercial loans in California, subject to specified exemptions under the CFLL. Bill has successfully guided lenders through the process of obtaining a license under the CFLL, as well as advising lenders with respect to the requirements of available exemptions.

Acquisitions and Dispositions of Commercial Real Estate

Bill has extensive experience in the acquisition and disposition of commercial real estate, including industrial and manufacturing property, office buildings, shopping, and retail centers, hotels, multifamily projects, and other property types, including expertise in the following areas:

• Preparation and negotiation of purchase and sale documentation for the disposition of commercial real estate, including hotels and other projects consisting of mixed real property and personal property assets.
• Due diligence investigations for investors/purchasers of commercial real estate, including review of title reports and underlying title documents, leases, operating information, ALTA surveys, environmental assessments, property and engineering inspections, and land use entitlements.

Commercial Leasing

Bill has extensive experience in retail and commercial leasing, including representation of both shopping center owners and other commercial landlords and nationally and regionally-recognized retail tenants and other lessees in all aspects of leasing transactions (e.g., due diligence, lease negotiation and documentation, complex tenant and landlord work letters and construction agreements, ground leases and build to suit transactions, and lease administration). Bill’s retail leasing experience includes leasing transactions involving a wide variety of retailers, including retailers in the apparel, banking, food and grocery, fitness center and spa, office supply, and specialty retail industries. Bill has also represented owners/landlords of office complexes in their day-to-day office leasing transactions.

Representative Transactions

Bill has handled the following representative real estate transactions:

Finance:

• Represented lenders (commercial banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions) in the origination, documentation, or restructure of more than of $2.5 Billion in construction, bridge, and permanent loans for commercial, industrial, and residential projects.
• Represented lender in $325 million financing for the development of $1.2 billion mixed-use project in downtown Los Angeles, including 500 condominium units, 185 room hotel, and 200,000 square feet of commercial retail space. The lender raised its capital through syndication to foreign investors in China through the USCIS Immigrant Visa EB-5 Program.
• Represented commercial bank in permanent loan secured by 280,000 square foot office building located in San Diego, California.
• Represented commercial bank in construction loan for the development of high rise luxury condominium project on Wilshire Boulevard in West Los Angeles, California.
• Represented one of the largest commercial banks headquartered in Southern California in connection with the restructuring of multiple loans aggregating more than $25,000,000 secured by multiple industrial properties in downtown Los Angeles.

Acquisitions/Dispositions/Development:

• Represented lender in sale of a portfolio of REO properties consisting of three hotel facilities in Sacramento, California.
• Represented buyer in connection with $27.2 million acquisition of 181 unit apartment complex in Los Angeles, California.
• Represented buyer in connection with $27 million land purchase for development of 152 unit condominium project in Anaheim, California.
• Represented seller in connection with $21 million land sale for development of multifamily apartment complex in Koreatown area of Los Angeles.
• Represented owner of a former oil refinery site in a $26,000,000 phased land sale to an industrial developer, including resolution of complex hazardous waste remediation issues.
• Represented developer in the purchase and development of a $120,000,000 luxury apartment complex in Los Angeles, California, the conversion of the project to residential condominiums, and the marketing and retail sale of the condominium units.
• Represented developer of a residential/mixed-use project consisting of 420-acre master-planned development in Rancho Mirage, California, including negotiation of a 99-year ground lease with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Commercial Leasing:

• Represented developer/landlord in the acquisition, development, and leasing of a retail shopping center in Palm Springs, California, including negotiation and documentation of “build to suit” leases with Staples, Best Buy, Smart&Final, and Starbucks.
• Represented nationally recognized fitness company in California retail lease transactions in over a dozen locations, including retail locations in Hollywood, Fashion Island, Palo Alto, Malibu, and Santa Monica.
• Represented developer of a 230,000 square foot “big box” retail center in the negotiation of “build to suit” leases with multiple national brand tenants (DSW Shoes, PetSmart, David’s Bridal, The Sleep Shop).
• Represented a regional juice and organic food retailer, who is successfully operating over 15 stores in New York, enter the Los Angeles retail market for space in West Hollywood, California.
• Represented one of the largest international luxury diamond and jewelry retailer in the world in $8 million lease transaction for a retail store in San Francisco.
• Represented developer/landlord in the leasing of a 132,000 square foot retail shopping center in Westlake, California, including management of retail leasing program for the center.
• Represented owner/landlord of a medical office building in the leasing of medical office space and surgery center for 27,000 square foot MOB in Santa Monica, California.

Bill is a frequent author and lecturer on various aspects of real property law and finance, including participation in the following programs and activities:

1. Member, Planning Committee and Program Committee, USC Real Estate and Business Law Forum (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
2. Moderator, USC 2015 Real Estate and Business Law Forum, Los Angeles, California. Panel: “Foreign Investment in U.S. Commercial Real Estate.”
3. Moderator, USC 2014 Real Estate and Business Law Forum, Los Angeles, California. Panel: “Global Logistics, e-Commerce, and Transportation Infrastructure: Impacts on the California Real Estate Market.”
4. Speaker, USC 2013 Real Estate and Business Law Forum, Los Angeles, California. Panel: “What’s Working with Loan Workouts: Getting to the Endgame.”
5. Speaker, Best of CLE (Lorman Seminars), January 2011. Presentation: “Selected Issues and Recent Developments in California Real Property Purchase and Sale Agreements.”
6. Speaker, IMN Bank and Special Asset Executive Forum on Distressed Real Estate, September 2010. Panel: “Navigating a Bank’s Special Asset Department.”
7.  Speaker, Lorman Seminars, December 2007. Panel:   “Real Estate Development from Beginning to End.”
8. Speaker, University of California Extension in Association with the Harvard Business School Association of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, October 24, 1991. Panel: “Real Estate Workouts and Turnarounds from the Lender’s Perspective,”
9. Speaker, University of California Extension in Association with the Harvard Business School Association of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, January 28, 1993. Panel: “The Workout Process from the Lender’s Perspective.”
10. Author, California Attorney’s Damages Guide, California Continuing Education of the Bar, Chapter 2: Real Estate Seller-Buyer, Annual Update, 1991-1995.
11. Speaker, Infocast Incorporated, October 1990. Los Angeles, California. Panel:   “Environmental Update for Lenders: Coping with the New Realities.”
12. Speaker, Infocast Incorporated. May 1990. Los Angeles, California. Panel: “The Comprehensive Commercial Construction Lending Course.”
13. Chair (1993-1994), Vice-Chair (1992-1993), Member (1990-1992), Education Committee of the Business Law Section of the California State Bar Association.   Chair of the Business Law Section Annual Spring Program (1991 and 1992); and Chief Editor of the Business Law Section Annual Update of Legal Developments (1993 and 1994).

Ned M. Gelhaar practices in the firm’s offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  He is an experienced business, intellectual property, and insurance coverage trial attorney and litigator.  He has taught trial skills to lawyers and law students as a faculty member of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) since 2004 and previously as an adjunct professor at the University of California at Davis School of Law.

Ned was formerly a shareholder in Boutin Dentino (now Boutin Jones) in Sacramento and Senior Counsel with Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft (now DuaneMorris) in Los Angeles.

He believes the best way to a fair settlement is to be willing and prepared to go to trial.

Ned’s representative cases include:

• Lead counsel for the plaintiff in M’Guinness v. Johnson, 243 Cal. App. 4^th 602 (2015), in which the Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s order denying a motion to disqualify opposing counsel in a corporate dissolution/business tort case.
• Co-counsel in B&C Sign Services, LLC v. Stouch (E.D. PA), a contract and business tort case leading to the settlement of a services contract dispute.
• Co-counsel through litigation and two weeks of a jury trial for a remanufacturer defendant leading to settlement in Static Control Components v. Lexmark International (E.D. KY), a patent infringement, copyright infringement, and business tort case involving the application of the evolving “first sale doctrine” to the remanufactured laser toner cartridge industry.
• Co-counsel for defendant in In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation (D.N.J.), a multidistrict antitrust and civil RICO class action involving challenges to certain insurance sales brokerage payment practices.
• Co-counsel for the plaintiff under lead counsel Johnnie Cochran in Stephen Slesinger, Inc. v. Walt Disney Co. (Los Angeles County Superior Court), copyright infringement and breach of contract case involving rights to the Winnie-the-Pooh character.
• Co-counsel for one of the defendants in Vacanti v. State Fund (Los Angeles County Sup. Ct.), an antitrust and civil RICO case involving challenges to insurance industry claims-handling practices.
• Lead counsel for plaintiff through litigation and a two-week jury trial in Decorations for Generations, Inc. v. Home Depot (E.D. CA), a trade dress infringement/unfair competition case involving consumer products, resulting in a $13,580,000 jury verdict (reversed on appeal).
• Co-counsel for defendants through litigation, an eight week bench trial, and appeal in International Billing Services, Inc. v. North American Capital, LLC (Sacramento County Sup. Ct.), a trade secret misappropriation case involving paper processing equipment resulting in a defense judgment and attorney’s fees award of nearly $1,000,000; argued for respondents on appeal of the fee award, published in 87 Cal.App.4th 1175 (2000).
• Lead counsel for plaintiff in CGU Insurance Services v. CGU International, Inc. (E.D. CA), a trademark “reverse infringement” case involving marks used in connection with insurance services; litigated through pleading, motion practice, mediation, and settlement.
• Co-counsel for plaintiff and cross-defendant through litigation and a four week jury trial in Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc. v. Chivers (Alameda County Sup. Ct.), a trade secret and business tort case involving a construction materials recycling process; argued final post-trial motion disposing of a $350,000,000 cross-complaint for slander of title to a patent.
• Co-counsel for plaintiff through a four-week jury trial and appeal in River Valley Fruit Co. v. Campos (Yolo County Sup. Ct.), a partnership dissolution/business fraud case resulting in a plaintiff’s verdict for a full recovery and punitive damages, affirmed on appeal.
• Co-counsel for plaintiffs through litigation and an eight-week bench trial in Snow v. McDonald (Yolo County Sup. Ct.), investment fraud and breach of fiduciary duty case resulting in a plaintiffs’ verdict for a full recovery and attorney’s fees.

Ned is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and its Business Law and State Civil Litigation Sections, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association and its Intellectual Property Law Section. He is also a member of the Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association (“PIPLA”), and is a volunteer attorney with the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s pro bono civil rights panel.

Ned has taught continuing legal education courses in Business Litigation (Lorman Education Services), Protecting Intellectual Property (Lorman), Internet Law (National Business Institute), and Trade Secret Law (Sacramento County Bar Association).

Ryan Del Giorgio is a well-versed corporate transactional lawyer with experience representing the business interests of individuals and private company clients in all areas of industry and commerce, and with various corporate, financial and commercial transactions.

Ryan provides advice on business transactions related to the formation, capitalization and governance of start-up, maturing and mature businesses (including, corporations, LLCs and partnerships), equity and debt financing and commercial lending transactions (including, private offerings, and senior and junior, secured and unsecured loans), mergers and acquisitions (including, stock and asset purchase agreements), corporate governance, various commercial agreements (including, confidentiality, marketing, consulting, manufacturing, lease, distribution, licensing and service agreements), and general corporate and business advice and counseling.  Ryan also takes pride in his ability to help clients negotiate and resolve certain business-related disputes before the need for costly arbitration and/or litigation.

Recent Transactions & Experience

• Represented a limited partnership from inception through a successful $3M capital raise for a popular West Los Angeles restaurant and bar.
• Represented entities and individuals with the equity and/or debt financing of more than 15 successful restaurants and bars.
• Represented a private restaurant corporation in connection with a series of successful private offerings totaling more than $12M.
• Represented various companies with the private offerings totaling more than $25M.
• Represented a 3PL company with a $500K fixed asset acquisition.
• Represented private investor with a series of secured loans to a manufacturing company, totaling more than $1.5M.
• Represented an LLC from inception through a successful $500K capital raise to finance a gourmet food truck.

Prior Experience and Education

Ryan has practiced at law firms in both New York and California, and most recently at RDG Law, Inc., where Ryan provided counsel to small-market privately held companies and individuals with a variety of corporate and commercial transactions. Prior to practicing at RDG Law, Inc., Ryan was an attorney at Richardson & Patel LLP where he started out as a business litigator representing corporations in contract disputes, but he eventually migrated to the transaction department where he advised and represented corporate clients on and through transactions related to private offerings, initial and secondary public offerings and the respective registration statements for each, securities compliance, corporate governance, and various commercial transactions. Prior to working at Richardson & Patel LLP, Ryan was an attorney at Condon & Forsyth (in NY and CA) where he practiced aviation litigation.

Ryan completed his undergraduate degree at Chapman University, where he received a B.A. in both English and Philosophy, and he received his J.D. from the University of San Diego. Ryan is admitted to practice law in all California courts and the Central, Southern, Northern, and Eastern District courts for the State of California.

Professional Affiliations and Charity Work

Ryan is a member of ProVisors, the Santa Monica Bar Association, and he is an Ambassador for the Los Angeles Chapter of The First Tee, a non-profit organization that aims to impact the lives of children in underserved communities by providing educational programs, that build character, and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

Alan Jampol is problem-solver.

With over fifty trials to verdict or judgment, many arbitrations to award, and favorable settlements for his clients, both insurers and their insureds, Alan has compiled a forty-plus year record of achievement that is the envy of many experienced lawyers. He takes seriously his job to solve the client’s problem in the quickest, most economical, and most efficient manner possible, whether that means negotiation, an aggressive defense, or, if necessary, a trial.

Alan founded and was the managing partner of a boutique litigation firm that at one time grew to twenty-six lawyers in four offices. Most recently, he comes from a large Atlanta-based insurance defense firm of over seventy lawyers which acquired his firm in 2016. He is recognized as a top attorney in California – a Super Lawyer^TM for the last five years – defending professional liability claims against lawyers, insurance brokers and agents, real estate brokers, surveyors and appraisers, and other professionals, resolving disputes in real estate matters, including construction defect and title claims, and in defending long term care facilities against negligence and elder abuse claims. He also has vast experience in counseling insurers regarding coverage and bad faith matters and defending bad faith claims by policyholders.

His diverse background includes serving being an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association for over two decades (handling both small arbitrations and presiding over three-arbitrator panels in larger matters), lecturing on insurance and professional liability matters, authoring articles and a chapter in a book advising insurance brokers and agents how to avoid or deal with professional liability claims, and in writing blog posts about matters of importance to those in the various fields in which he practices.

Alan holds the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He is a member of the ABA (Torts and Insurance Practices Section), Professional Liability Underwriting Society (“PLUS”), the Defense Research Institute, and the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara and the UCLA School of Law. He is rated “AV Pre-eminent®” by Martindale-Hubbell and is admitted to practice before all federal courts in California.

SOME REPRESENTATIVE RECENT RESULTS

Opos v. YB Construction Services, Inc. (Los Angeles Superior Court)

Defense Verdict and Cost Recovery – After an eight-day jury trial, the jury found completely in favor of our general contractor client who was accused of negligence in undermining the neighboring property by the excavation for the construction of a condominium building. Apart from proving that our client did nothing wrong, Alan secured an affirmative judgment for costs and experts fees of around $89,000 which was paid by the plaintiff.

Georgia Hixson v. Gary S. Wolfe et al. (Los Angeles Superior Court and Arbitration before ADRS)

Arbitration Award and Cost Judgment – Our client was one of two lawyers accused of malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty in representing the client in trust, probate and related litigation with her former husband, the former CEO of Amgen. Plaintiff sought over $7 million and attorneys’ fees from the two lawyers. The claim against our client was ordered to arbitration, and after a five-day arbitration, Alan secured an award in favor of our client. Upon confirmation of the award by the court, the client was awarded a judgment for statutory costs, experts’ fees and related costs (after eight years of litigation and arbitration) of over $600,000.

The case against the other lawyer went to trial and resulted in a judgment for nearly $8 million against the other lawyer. That lawyer had filed a separate action against our client for implied indemnity, which, despite the size of the judgment against that lawyer, Alan quickly settled for only $3,000, incurring virtually no attorneys’ fees.

Underwriters v. Thomas Mestmaker & Associates (Kern County Superior Court)

Judgment for Plaintiffs Underwriters for Reimbursement of Defense Fees and Defense Judgment on Cross-Complaint for Bad Faith – Alan represented certain Lloyd’s Underwriters in coverage issues involved in a claim against an insured insurance broker in Colorado. After the broker obtained a judgment in that action, Alan represented Underwriters in suing the broker in Bakersfield for reimbursement of all defense expenses pursuant to the reservation of rights issued by Alan at the outset of the case. After nearly six years of litigation (the action was stayed for three years), Alan obtained a judgment for the entirety of the claimed fees and costs and interest for the entire six-year period and in favor of Underwriters on the insured’s bad faith cross-complaint.

Abolfathi v. Brent (Orange County Superior Court)

Judgment for Lawyer Defendant in Legal Malpractice Case – Alan’s lawyer-client was sued by a high-ranking Boeing employee for legal malpractice and defamation. After several days of trial before an Orange County jury, including testimony by Boeing personnel and the parties, Alan’s motion for nonsuit was granted and a judgment for costs against the plaintiff was entered. The costs were paid and the judgment was not appealed.

Cellular Fantasy, Inc., et al. v. Baghalian (Los Angeles Superior Court)

Judgment For Defendant Insurance Broker in a Negligence Claim – After a seven-day jury trial, Alan obtained a unanimous verdict for our insurance broker client in a professional liability claim. The plaintiffs claimed that the broker negligently failed to procure sufficient insurance to cover their losses resulting from a theft of their merchandise. The jury took only fifteen (the client counted seventeen) minutes to deliberate and reach its unanimous verdict.

Pan v. Hathaway Perrett Webster Powers Chrisman & Gutierrez (Ventura County Super Court)

Judgment for Lawyer in Malpractice Case Affirmed on Appeal with Award Fees – Alan prevailed on anti-SLAPP motion, resulting in dismissal of a legal malpractice claim against Alan’s lawyer/defendant and an award of attorneys’ fees. The judgment was affirmed on appeal and the fees were paid.

Testimonials

“Our construction defect/liability team is pleased with the work you have done on their files. We like attorneys that get to the point of an issue, no matter how complex, boil it down to its points and get it postured for resolution.”

– Charles Wamsley, Claims Adjuster – U.S. Administrator Claims

“I have had the privilege and pleasure of knowing Alan [and his former partner] for the past four years. Their firm is one of the most recognized and acclaimed defense firms in Los Angeles. In addition to being attorneys, both Alan and [the partner] are both authors and speaker on various professional topics. As a firm, they always go beyond what is required of them and it shows in everything they do. They always put their clients first and it is an honor and my pleasure to recommend them.”

– Angelo Gioia, Executive Director at Agents of America (Founder and first President of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society).

“Alan [and his former partner]: On behalf of my mother…and the entire family, thank you for being real professionals during our trying legal and emotional ordeal. . . . We are and will be forever grateful to you and your firm for your kindness and generosity. “

– Client (real estate professional liability lawsuit).

“Alan, You remain almost unique from any other lawyer that we deal with, in respect of your generous and honest advice. You are never seeking to hide information, only to inform and advise. I do not yet recall having spoken with you about a matter without coming away with questions answered, but also better informed, and equipped to handle a similar issue in the future. I also thought that your presentation of the open claims was well produced, concise and frankly was one of the best summaries we have seen since we began asking lawyers to make such presentations.”
– Neil Riddington, Chief of Claims for Atrium Underwriters Ltd. Lloyd’s syndicate

“Finally, I got the chance to send you a thank you note for all of the efforts you put in my case. Your closing argument was amazing. Your expertise and professionalism in the final day delivered the decisive victory for all of us. The seventeen-minute jury deliberation is unforgettable. You are truly the master in the law business. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

– Allen Baghalian, Insurance broker and client after a unanimous jury verdict in his favor

Jesse turns himself into whatever type of lawyer his clients need.  His achievements range from obtaining quick, cheap, and confidential settlements to litigating highly complex cases all the way to trial.  For the latter, Jesse’s trial teams are undefeated, obtaining verdicts in representation of plaintiffs and defendants that total more than $300,000,000.  His clients include high-net-worth individuals, private and public businesses of all sizes, law firms, and a variety of public and semi-public entities.  Some of his past successes include:

• Member of trial team in fraud action against international car manufacturer on behalf of dealership owner.  Jury awarded client $256,000,000 in compensatory and punitive damages.
• Member of trial team in lender-liability litigation for negligence and breach of contract against national bank.  Jury awarded client a full defense verdict on $20,000,000 claim and $7,000,000 in compensatory damages.
• Member of trial team in breach of contract and fiduciary duties action in connection with client’s $30,000,000 acquisition of another business.  Jury awarded client approximately $3,000,000 in compensatory and punitive damages and a full defense verdict.
• Represented Los Angeles County in the prosecution of a public-nuisance action against Southern California Gas Company.  After discovery and motion practice, the utility company agreed to settle for $119,500,000.
• Represented multinational telecommunications company in defense of $20,000,000 negligence action.  After discovery and motion practice, the plaintiffs agreed to settle for $250,000.
• Represented music manager in lawsuit against former client, an internationally renowned musician.  Client received favorable settlement early in the litigation without incurring significant legal fees.
• Obtained summary judgment for national insurer in defense of class action related to background checks during hiring process.
• Represented NBA consultant in copyright infringement case brought by owners of broadcast copyrights.
• Represented California-based law firm with 150+ attorneys in defense of $600,000,000 malpractice suit arising from trust and estate plan created for the founders of the Alta Dena Dairy empire.

Chris Pacetti is an accomplished litigator with a proven track record. For over 14 years he has successfully represented the interests of Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, partnerships, and individuals in high-stakes litigation involving business and shareholder disputes, products liability, employment, and insurance. He has extensive experience counseling and representing national and international clients from pre-litigation matters through trial and appeals. He has tried multiple bench and jury trials to verdict. His achievements include several multimillion-dollar verdicts and favorable settlements. Recent representations include:

• Suing a national hair care corporation related to a minority shareholder squeeze-out, resulting in a verdict in excess of $1 million;
• Obtaining a defense verdict after a three-week jury trial on behalf of an employer against claims of wrongful termination in violation of public policy brought by several employees;
• Obtaining a favorable settlement at trial on behalf of a national fabrics distributor involving claims under the Fair Employment and Housing Act;
• Successfully defending a leading off-highway vehicle manufacturer against products liability and wrongful death claims, resulting in a defense verdict after a jury trial;
• Representing an international tire company and successfully settling products liability claims in multiple states;
• Representing a Fortune 150 oil refining and marketing company in a multimillion-dollar fraud and breach of contract dispute with a fuels wholesaler;
• Negotiating a pre-litigation settlement for a national trucking company against a wrongful death claim;
• Obtaining a seven-figure settlement on behalf of a policyholder against a major insurer in a bad faith and ERISA action; and
• Representing partners of a leading Los Angeles architectural firm involving partnership dissolution.

Chris received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he participated in the William Minor Lile Moot Court. He has a B.A. in Business Economics from the University of California, Riverside, where he graduated magna cum laude. Prior to joining Enenstein Pham & Glass, Chris worked for a notable trial firm representing major manufacturers in products liability actions in state and federal courts. He also worked for a boutique firm representing clients in both corporate and business litigation matters. He started his career at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted numerous misdemeanor and civil infraction cases for the City of San Diego.

In 2011, Chris was awarded one of the Top 10 winning trial verdicts in California by The Daily Journal. He also has been chosen as a presenter for various industry seminars and conferences, including the Product Safety & Liability Prevention Conference.

Courtney Havens obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from the UCLA School of Law. In her time at UCLA, she served as a research assistant for Professor Malloy, Faculty Director of the UCLA Sustainable Technology and Policy Program, and she volunteered with UCLA’s El Centro Legal Clinics. Ms. Havens was also an extern for Justice Bigelow of California’s Second Appellate District.

Prior to attending law school, Courtney attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a B.A. in Neuroscience and a minor in Chemistry. Courtney was a founding member of USC’s chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society of Neuroscience.

Michael L. Abrams is Of Counsel to EP&G’s Family Law Department.

Mr. Abrams’ flourishing family law practice is dedicated to achieving excellent results through trial, negotiation and/or mediation, in whatever combination is most effective for the client’s goals.

He has extensive knowledge of financial institutions and small businesses from his prior work as founder and director of a regional bank. This gives Mr. Abrams, who has practiced law for 50 years, the ability to understand clients with complicated financial issues. An experienced martial arts student of more than 40 years, he applies his martial arts focus to both his life and his law practice.

Published decisions include In re Marriage of Philbin and In re Marriage of Jackson.

Larry M. Carlin, Of Counsel in the Family Law Department of Enenstein Pham & Glass, has practiced matrimonial law for over 40 years in New York City.  Mr. Carlin handles cases concerning all aspects of divorce, as well as pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements.  Although a seasoned and aggressive litigator, Mr. Carlin believes that the best service he can provide is to keep his clients out of court. Mr. Carlin has represented sitting Justices of the New York State Supreme Court and individuals listed on the Forbes 1000.

Mr. Carlin has his BA from the University of Bridgeport and graduated cum laude from New York Law School.

Ruth Dayan Eget, Esq. is a tireless advocate for her clients and their families. She has extensive experience in the family law field and provides comprehensive strategies to resolve all family law matters including dissolution, characterization, and division of assets, spousal support, child support, child custody, paternity matters, domestic violence, pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Her ability to assess and anticipate various scenarios allows her to devise specific and imaginative strategies to help clients reach their goals, protect their rights, and avoid future litigation. Ruth is known for her empathetic yet firm approach to what are often tumultuous times in her clients’ lives.

Ruth earned her J.D. from University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law in 2014 and her B.A. in Political Science and Hebrew and Jewish Studies (minor), cum laude, from University of California, Los Angeles in 2010. During law school. Ruth served as co-Vice President of the UCLA Law Mock Trial Team, and she won first place with her trial team in the 2014 Estrella Advocacy Competition. Ruth also served as a law clerk with Riverside District Attorney’s Office in 2012 and 2013, where she second chaired two felony trials and conducted preliminary hearings in the Domestic Violence Unity with a 100% success rate. In 2014, Ruth served as a law clerk with the Los Angeles Country District Attorney’s Office in the Public Integrity Division.

Prior to joining Enenstein Pham & Glass, Ruth practiced family law with Susan E. Wiesner, A Law Corporation. She is admitted to practice law before the California State Bar and is a member of the Santa Monica Bar Association. Ruth is conversationally fluent in Hebrew.

Howard Kern has over 30 years of broad corporate law experience, including over 8 years at major law firms in New York and Los Angeles and over 3 years as Assistant General Counsel for a public merchant banking company located in California. Mr. Kern also has strong business and strategic experience working as outside general counsel for early-stage companies and as a key member of the team for several hedge funds.

Mr. Kern has extensive experience negotiating and documenting mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, venture capital transactions, and a broad range of corporate agreements, including operating agreements, strategic partnership agreements, shareholder agreements, joint venture agreements, and employment and consulting agreements.

In addition to general corporate representation, Mr. Kern has represented people and companies involved in the entertainment industry over the course of his career. The transactions include representation of independent studios, merger and IPO transactions, booking agreements in connection with appearances by celebrities regarding promotional appearances, location agreements, audio and video releases, and private financing transactions. The issues that arise in connection with entertainment transactions are different from other contracts in that the focus may be on the individual stars as opposed to companies. When reviewing these agreements, Mr. Kern tries to focus on the contingencies that may not be spelled out in the proposed term sheet but may nonetheless have some likelihood to occur.

Mr. Kern graduated from Rutgers College (B.A.), and Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (J.D.), where he was an editor on the Law Review, graduating with High Honors. Mr. Kern is the recipient of an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Ritsa Gountoumas obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from the UC Davis School of Law. During her time at UC Davis, she published an academic article on the UC Davis Business Law Journal, served as an editor on the Business Law Journal, and was a staff member of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society.

Prior to attending law school, Ritsa attended the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with a B.A. in English.

Nima Kamali is an associate in the Los Angeles office. He has experience representing clients in business disputes involving breach-of-contract, fraud, and unfair competition claims, and he has experience litigating in both state and federal court.

Prior to joining Enenstein Pham & Glass, Nima developed business and intellectual-property litigation experience at boutique law firms across Los Angeles. He has successfully argued motions in court, skillfully negotiated numerous settlements, and diligently drafted successful briefs in both the California Court of Appeal and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

After graduating magna cum laude from UC Santa Barbara, Nima earned his Juris Doctor from the UC Irvine School of Law as a member of the program’s second-ever class. He served as a Style Editor on the UC Irvine Law Review, and he was Chapter Director of the International Refugee Assistance Project. During law school, Nima traveled to Northern Ireland to perform research on international humanitarian law, and he traveled to Jordan to perform research on refugee rights. Nima is conversational in Spanish and Farsi.

Aja is an associate in the firm’s Family Law Department. Having exclusively dedicated her practice to family law, Aja has substantial experience representing clients with issues involving marital property, spousal/partner support, child custody and visitation, child support, attorneys’ fees and costs, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, among other issues. A “child of divorce” herself, Aja is a zealous advocate for her family law clients.

Aja obtained her law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2013. Aja began her family law career in her second year of law school, as a clerk for a boutique family law firm in Los Angeles, and she has been exclusively practicing family law ever since. While in law school, Aja was also an editor of the Southern California Review of Law and Social Justice.

Prior to law school, Aja graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine. Aja has a Bachelor’s Degree from UCI’s School of Social Ecology in Psychology and Social Behavior. While in college, Aja clerked part-time for a civil litigation firm in Irvine and she volunteered as a supervisor at the Orange County Youth Leadership Academy.