Lawyers

Jennifer E. Acheson is a member of the Appellate, Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Department at Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley. Ms. Acheson also serves as Discovery Referee in San Mateo County.

Sonia M. Agee practices in the firm’s Business and Transactions Group. She focuses on tax-oriented planning for businesses, corporations, and individuals. Her clients include closely held businesses and corporations, individuals, and start-up companies.

Lisa E. Aguiar advises clients on handling day-to-day employment issues, planning and implementing layoffs and other terminations, dealing with discrimination and harassment issues, and offers company-wide employment law training.

Ms. Almassi’s practice focuses on business and employment related matters. She has extensive litigation experience in claims of wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation, invasion of privacy and breach of contract.

Mr. Anastassiou is certified as an appellate specialist by the State Bar of California's Board of Legal Specialization and his work is focused in appeals and writs in state and Federal courts.

Lael Andara is a partner in RMKB’s Redwood City office. His practice focuses on intellectual property litigation including patent, trademark, copyright, entertainment and trade secret matters.

Allan E. Anderson is the Resident Director of the Los Angeles office. Mr. Anderson is a litigation partner licensed in California, New York and Washington D.C.

Robert P. Andris is a partner in the Firm’s Redwood City office. Mr. Andris’ practice focuses on the litigation and trial of intellectual property disputes arising in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, product liability and license agreements.

Civil and business litigation; insurance coverage and bad faith; construction; fire protection; contract/UCC; employment law; and products liability matters are the areas of emphasis for Stephan A. Barber

 Mr. Beckeman's practice focuses on corporate and transactional matters

John M. Bentley has practiced law for more than 45 years, during which time he has emphasized trial work. His experience has included trials in a variety of fields with a major emphasis during that time on professional liability.

Mr. Borys has expertise in the litigated fields of Professional Liability (with particular emphasis on Insurance Agents and Attorneys), Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith, Product Liability, Employer Liability and Construction Defect matters.

A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Michael J. Brady has been with the firm of Ropers, Majeski, Kohn and Bentley for 40 years.

 Rachael Brown graduated cum laude from Santa Clara University.

Mr. Burgos has extensive transactional experience in the entertainment industry, working for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and the MCM talent management company.

 Enedina’s practice includes a broad range of civil and business litigation matters, including disputes arising from contract and products liability.

Mr. Chan was born in Taipei, Taiwan. His practice focuses on contracts, international matters, real estate and immigration.

Trial attorney Richard Charnley has practiced law for thirty-two years. He is admitted in all California courts, the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Court of Claims.

Blaise U. Chow concentrates his practice in the areas of directors and officers, commercial insurance, professional liability and corporate law.

Kristina Chung's current practice focuses exclusively on employment litigation, and she represents a variety of companies in employment related matters including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and severance issues.

Thomas H. Clarke, Jr., joined RMKB in 1991 and is Chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice Group. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been listed for several years in Northern California Super Lawyers® magazine.

Kevin P. Cody represents a wide range of clients including real estate developers, architects, engineers, contractors, product manufacturers,and commercial and residential property owners.

Pamela Cogan specializes in the representation of insurance carriers in bad faith and coverage litigation, including liability, property, disability and workers compensation insurance and bonds.

Devin Courteau has extensive experience in handling complex commercial litigation matters, with an emphasis on trade secret actions.

Tino Do specializes in the representation of insurance carriers in bad faith, coverage and ERISA litigation.

John G. Dooling's practice consists of general trial work and transactional work for business and real estate entities.

Adrian G. Driscoll  has a broad spectrum of experience, including general business and commercial litigation in state and federal courts, professional liability, employment, constitutional and civil rights claims, personal injury, trust litigation, and appellate services.

Kathleen Duggan is Of Counsel in the Firm’s San Francisco office where her litigation practice focuses on dental malpractice defense and actions before the Dental Board of California.

Stephen J. Erigero specializes in commercial litigation, including defense of professional liability claims, insurance bad faith and coverage litigation, complex construction litigation involving design professionals, and environmental and toxic torts.

Ms. Fazzolari handles matters involving legal malpractice, professional liability, directors and officers, and commercial general liability. 

Robert M. Forni, Jr. is a partner in the firm’s Redwood City office. He specializes in the representation of insurance carriers in bad faith and coverage litigation, including appeals.

Pascale Gagnon practice has focused primarily in the areas of professional liability, directors and officers liability and business litigation (including contract, defamation/libel, publicity and privacy rights), funeral services and premises liability.

Gregory M. Gentile is experienced in business and construction defect litigation includes the representation of insurance agents, real estate agents, home inspectors, general contractors and subcontractors.

Susan H. Handelman specializes in civil appeals in state and federal appeals courts in addition to handling civil litigation matters.

For over twenty years, Geoffrey W. Heineman has focused his practice in the area of business counseling with extensive experience litigating actions involving coverage disputes, commercial contracts, securities laws, employment practices, and intellectual property issues.

James C. Hyde's practice focuses on tort litigation defense with particular emphasis on catastrophic injury claims, products liability, construction site accidents, and commercial torts

Michael J. Ioannou's practice focuses on representing offshore and U.S.-based public and private high technology software and hardware design, development, manufacturing and information technology companies.

Kim Karelis represents insurance companies in contractual / extra-contractual litigation concerning insurance coverage disputes arising from all types of commercial and personal lines policies.

Alexis' practice focuses in the representation of insurance carriers in coverage, bad faith and ERISA litigation.

Considered one of the industry’s preeminent experts in fee dispute matters for over 15 years, Gerald Knapton has not only served as an expert on the reasonableness and necessity of legal fees, ethics and prevailing market rates, but has been designated to prepare a binding report on fees in disputes by opponents.

John A. Koeppel’s litigation practice includes commercial litigation, catastrophic injury, product liability, earth movement and construction defect along with general casualty matters.

Wendy Krog is an associate in the firm's San Francisco office. She is a member of the litigation team and focuses on business banking issues.

 Ms. Kurtz’s practice areas include Intellectual Property and Business Litigation.  

Mr. Lassart’s practice focuses on general business litigation, legal malpractice, employment litigation, fraud, defense of actions involving the Civil Rights Act, and white collar crime defense.

Francois is a corporate transactions and international attorney who specializes in technology transactions while still advising clients in commercial litigation and dispute resolution.

  Kirsten M. Lee concentrates her practice in the areas of commercial litigation as well as complex insurance coverage and defense.  Ms. Lee handles matters involving coverage disputes, legal malpractice, professional liability, and commercial general liability. 

Amber W. Locklear concentrates her practice and assists her clients in the areas of complex insurance coverage with an emphasis on directors and officers, errors and omissions, complex property policies, commercial insurance and corporate law.

Jesshill Love's practice focuses on commercial litigation, and he has experience in litigating a wide range of real property issues in both State and Federal courts.

Brock R. Lyle's primary focus is commercial litigation, with particular specializations in employment-related matters, insurance defense, intellectual property, and legal research.

Tara Mahmoudian was a structural engineer for several years before going to law school. She worked on retrofitting projects on older commercial buildings to ensure compliance with the seismic codes.

Eugene J. Majeski has been practicing law in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 50 years. He has tried in excess of 200 jury trials in state and federal courts.

Andrew L. Margulis handles a broad range of commercial litigation and insurance coverage matters, with an expertise in directors and officers and professional liability litigation and coverage including coverage litigation.

Enrique Marinez handles a broad range of complex commercial litigation involving products liability, unfair competition law, misappropriation of trade secrets, real estate transactions, insurance coverage and bad faith.

Spencer Martinez  has represented major retailers, services providers and other businesses in commercial litigation involving alleged fraud, unfair business practices, breach of contract, negligence and protection of intellectual property rights and trade secrets.

Daniel McKinnon's practice focuses on business and intellectual property litigation in both federal and state courts, including disputes arising from contract, defamation, copyright and trademark infringement, unfair competition, and misappropriation of trade secrets.

David McLaughlin  has a diverse commercial litigation and trial practice which focuses on employment, product liability, intellectual property and real estate matters.

 Ramon Miyar's  practice focuses on employment and intellectual property litigation. 

Gemma L. Mondala's practice focuses primarily on insurance defense, business litigation, and complex litigation matters.

Michael Ohira’s practice is primarily devoted to litigating insurance coverage disputes arising under both commercial and personal lines insurance policies.

Frank Pagliaro is a partner who practices in California and New York and specializes in the legal fields of construction and design defect, products liability and surety bonds. He also serves as a mediator in those fields.

Dean A. Pappas's practice is devoted to providing assistance to insurance companies in the analysis of property and liability insurance coverage issues and assistance in the investigation and handling of insurance claims.

Julian Pardo de Zela  handles civil litigation, focusing on premises liability, products liability, commercial torts, and catastrophic injury claims.

Ms. Park handles a broad range of commercial litigation, including antitrust, unfair business practices, complex coverage and bad faith litigation, employment, professional malpractice, product liability, construction defect, along with general litigation matters.

Jeff Pollak  brings a unique perspective to his practice, resulting from a nearly thirty year career almost evenly split between private law practice and employment within insurance company claims departments.

Ms. Reidenbach specializes in the defense of insurers. Her practice concerns complex coverage questions.

Ms. Rian’s practice areas include entertainment law, business litigation, intellectual property litigation and real estate litigation.

Ms. Rice’s practice areas include Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, and Entertainment Law.

Mr. Roberts specializes in institutional defense and complex litigation involving employment disputes, insurance and contracts, business torts, anti-trust, real estate, and indemnity agreements.

Kirsten Schmidt's practice focused on business litigation and product liability.

Timothy L. Skelton's practice covers a wide spectrum of counseling and litigation involving intellectual property and other business matters.

With over 30 years of experience, Arnold E. Sklar's practice is devoted to intellectual property, franchise and distribution, business transactions and litigation, and related matters.

 Ms. Smith obtained the first published decision on the doctrine of superior equities in nearly 70 years.

Mr. Spitzer practice concentrates in areas of professional liability defense,  complex commercial litigation, employment law and insurance coverage analysis. 

Kathleen Strickland has been a trial attorney for more than 29 years. She has tried over 30 civil cases in 14 states, all to a defense verdict. Before turning to civil law, Ms. Strickland prosecuted more than 150 criminal trials.

J. Mark Thacker has extensive experience in the areas of product liability, environmental liability, commercial litigation, including intellectual property and professional liability.

Stacy Tucker practice focuses in the representation of insurance carriers in bad faith and ERISA litigation.

Elise Vasquez’ practice focuses on employment and intellectual property matters. Elise represents a variety of companies in claims involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, overtime and severance issues.

Lita M. Verrier specializes in complex business and high technology litigation, intellectual property litigation including patent, trademark and copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition, as well as real estate transactions and professional malpractice.

Dennis J. Ward's trial experience includes over 20 jury trials to verdict in the areas of professional liability, products liability, premises liability, general personal injury litigation, and construction defect litigation, including matters resulting from toxic mold claims.

Mr. Weickhardt is an expert in litigation involving consumer financial services, including credit cards, automotive finance and residential real estate loans.

Eric C. Weissman represents domestic and international clients in insurance disputes and complex commercial litigation.

Mr. Wenzel's practice is in real estate litigation and transactions, landlord-tenant disputes, construction litigation, and business transactions and disputes.

John has extensive experience in a wide-range of litigation matters involving copyrights, trademarks, business torts, contract disputes, securities regulations, rights of publicity, defamation and false advertising. 

Kimberly Whitfield primary practice areas include general and civil litigation, focusing on personal injury, premises liability, products liability, insurance coverage matters as well as commercial, environmental, corporate and business litigation.

Richard K. Wilson has been the Managing Partner of Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley since January of 1997. His practice commencing in 1990 focused primarily on the area of defense of insurance companies in coverage matters, with an emphasis on environmental coverage.

 Mr. Zimmermann's practice includes a broad range of business, intellectual property, and civil rights litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Zucker interned with the legal division of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Matt Zumstein's practice focused on products liability and toxic tort litigation, with an emphasis on defending asbestos-related lawsuits. He represented a broad variety of clients, including manufacturers of complex industrial equipment, general contractors and premises owners.