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2008-2009 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
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CHAIR:
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Lisa Clare Lerner Miller
Miller Consulting
12003 Hartsook Street, D
Valley Village, CA 91607
818-761-5910
FAX 818-623-8547
lisa@lmillerconsulting.com or
editor@lmillerconsulting.com
Term: 2003 - 2007
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Lisa
Miller was a trial lawyer for many years, and worked as
in-house counsel in a number of settings before becoming the
principal of Miller Consulting, a full-service business development
consultancy in Valley Village, California.
Miller Consulting provides a full suite of business development
services, including on-going public relations (print and
broadcast), strategic marketing planning and advertising campaigns.
Ms. Miller offers crisis communications, Web content, newsletters,
event planning and other support to the legal industry.
Ms. Miller was an editor at the Daily Journal newspapers, and is
now the editor of BIG NEWS for Smaller Firms, the section's
magazine, and the supplement Trial Style, focused on the dispute
resolution experience. She is the editor of the San Fernando Valley
Bar Association newsletter Bar Notes and chairs the San Fernando
Valley Bar Small Firm Section.
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CHAIR ELECT: |
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Marilyn Ann
Monahan
Emmer & Graeber
10810 Cushdon Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90064-3221
310-475-3792
FAX 310-470-3887
mamonahan@earthlink.net
Term: 2005 -2008
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Marilyn Monahan focuses her
practice on employee benefits (with an emphasis on health and
welfare plans) and insurance corporate and regulatory law. She
began her legal career as a litigator after receiving a B.A. in
English from UCLA and her J.D. from Loyola Law School.
Ms. Monahan is currently an attorney with Emmer & Graeber in
West Los Angeles. The firm assists insurance companies, HMOs,
consulting firms, private employers, governmental entities,
and union sponsored health and welfare plans with compliance
obligations under federal and state employee benefit and insurance
laws and regulations. Ms. Monahan advises clients on their
responsibilities under such laws as ERISA, HIPAA, COBRA, and FMLA.
She conducts benefits-related training sessions for clients, is the
author of the firm's legislative newsletters, and has written
articles for industry publications. She is a member of the Los
Angeles County Bar Association, the Association of Business Trial
Lawyers, the Conference of Insurance Counsel, and the International
Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Ms. Monahan is on the Board
of Directors of the Professionals in Human Resources Association,
serving as the Vice President – Legislative Affairs. She is a
frequent lecturer to insurance industry groups and human resource
professionals on federal and state employee benefits and insurance
laws and regulatory compliance. Her article about employee leaves
of absence was published in the California Bar Journal in
July 2006. |
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SECRETARY |
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Carolyn Yellis, ACP
CAPA Board Liaison
619 N. Zeyn Street
Anaheim, CA 92805
714-553-4188
FAX 714-502-9980
cyellis@aol.com
Term: 2002 - 2005
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Carolyn
Yellis has worked with California attorneys in business
litigation, construction defect, product liability, medical
malpractice, environmental, and employment/labor cases by assisting
in the discovery process and sitting second chair at trial. She
received her paralegal certificate from Southern California College
of Business & Law in 1991 and her Certified Paralegal
certification credential (CP) from the National Association of
Legal Assistants (NALA) in 1998 and has been a freelance paralegal
since 2000. In July 2006, she completed the Advanced Paralegal
Certification program in Discovery and earned her Advanced
Certified Paralegal designation (ACP).
Ms. Yellis currently serves on this committee’s Secretary
and Legislative Chair. She was recently elected to the Board of
Directors as Region IX Director for the National Association of
Legal Assistants and has served as Legislative Chair, Board Advisor
and Past President of the California Alliance of Paralegal
Associations. In 2000, as President of the California Alliance of
Paralegal Associations, Ms. Yellis testified before the California
Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees in support of AB 1761,
which was codified as Business & Professions Code 6450, et seq.
representing California paralegals. She is a frequent author for
several legal periodicals regarding the role of paralegals in
discovery issues and trial preparation. In 2004 the Anaheim City
Council unanimously appointed Ms. Yellis as a commissioner on the
city’s Sesquicentennial Commission.
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TREASURER |
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Teresa A.
McQueen
17910 Sky Park Cir., Ste. #105
Irvine, CA 92614
949-260-1181
FAX 949-260-1185
tamcqueen@pedersenlaw.com
Term: 2006 - 2009
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Teresa
McQueen is a skilled communicator, a published author, and a
respected member of the Orange County legal scene. Prior to joining
Pedersen Law & Dispute Resolution Corporation, a small Orange
County law firm in January 2006, Ms. McQueen established her own
solo law practice in 2003 where she developed a strong knowledge
and experience base as a general business counselor. As an
associate at Pederson Law Teresa emphasizes providing transactional
and administrative services to a diverse client base of
corporations and LLCs as well as entrepreneurs, professionals and
other individuals. Ms. McQueen’s outstanding efforts have
resulted in her being named a 2007 Southern California Super
Lawyers "Rising Star" by Law & Politics and the publishers of
Los Angeles Magazine. Teresa practices in the transactional areas
of water law, real property, employment and general business law.
She also litigates both real property and elder abuse matters.
Ms. McQueen earned her J.D. degree from Chapman University
School of Law in Orange, CA and is admitted to practice before all
California state courts.
Professional Affiliations: Orange County Bar Association, State
Bar of California, American Bar Association. Ms. McQueen is very
active in her local bar association serving in such varied
volunteer positions as OCBA Board of Directors (2007-2011), Chair
of the OCBA Young Lawyers Division (2007), Chair of the OCBA
Solo/Small Firm Practitioner Section (2006). Ms. McQueen is also a
member of the OCBA Resolutions Committee, OCBA Bridging the Gap
Committee, and an Executive Board Member of the State Bar of
California Solo and Small Firm Section. Ms. McQueen also serves the
local community as a member of her cities Ad Hoc Traffic Fee
Committee and as a board member of the Orange County VIP Mentors
program.
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IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR:
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Roberta J.
Burnette
Burnette Law Firm
3625 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Ste 209
Westlake Village, CA 91362
805-497-1011
FAX 805-435-3730
roberta@theburnettelawfirm.com
Term: 2004 - 2007
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Roberta J.
Burnette has been representing businesses in all aspects of
labor and employment litigation, business litigation, and computer
and Internet law matters for over 20 years. She is the founder and
managing attorney of the Burnette Law Firm in Westlake Village. Ms.
Burnette formerly practiced law in Los Angeles with the law firms
of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and Musick, Peeler &
Garrett, and served as the labor counsel to the City of Fort
Collins, Colorado, before opening her own law firm in 1997. She
earned her Juris Doctorate with Distinction among the Order of the
Barristers in 1987 from the University of Nebraska College of Law,
completed M.A. coursework and Graduate Teaching Assistantship from
the University of Nebraska in 1984, and B.A. with high honors from
Augustana College in 1982.
Ms. Burnette is an adjunct professor of Business Law and
Cyberspace Law at Moorpark College, President of the East County
Bar, co-chair of the Employment Law Section of the Ventura County
Bar, and a judge pro tem for the Ventura County Superior Court. Ms.
Burnette is a frequent author and speaker on employment, business
and computer law matters for the state bar, local bar associations,
and professional organizations. She is also an avid violist with
the Moorpark Symphony Orchestra.
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MEMBERS:
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Cynthia Elkins
Nancy B. Goldstein
Timothy McGonigle
Matthew C. Mickelson
Michael R. Sohigian
Joseph Urcis
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Cynthia Elkins
Elkins Employment Law
21700 Oxnard Street, Suite 700
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Celkins@employer-law.com
Term: 2006 - 2007
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Cynthia Elkins has a law practice that focuses
on defense of employment-related claims in state court,
arbitrations, and administrative hearings before the Division of
Labor Standards Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Labor, the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Fair
Employment & Housing. Her clients are employers that with her
preventative and proactive approach audit their personnel and human
resource functions for compliance with the state and federal
requirements. Ms. Elkins develops Employee Handbooks, forms,
policies, practices and procedures for the proper implementation of
human resource functions. She conducts State of California required
Harassment and Discrimination Seminars and Training for employers
and their managerial staff, and serves as an outside investigator
for harassment and discrimination claims and allegations.
Ms. Elkins graduated from Southwestern University School of Law
and obtained a B.S. in Business Administration from CSU Northridge.
Ms. Elkins has taught Labor and Employment Law for the CSUN
Extension program. From 1996 through September 1998, Ms. Elkins
formed the Employment Law Litigation & Counseling Department of
Pearlman, Borska & Wax in Encino, California and from 1987
through 1995 was the senior associate at an management side
employment law defense firm in the San Fernando Valley. Ms. Elkins
has served as a trustee for the San Fernando Valley Bar
Association, as co-chair of their litigation & employment law
section, as co-chair of their personnel committee and as past
co-chair of their small firm sectionand is on the Board for the
Valley Cultural Center. Ms. Elkins served as a trustee of the SFVBA
Community Legal Foundation and is general counsel for the Woodland
Hills Chamber of Commerce, and active in the labor & employment
law sections of the state bar and the Los Angeles County Bar
Association. She is frequently asked to speak at seminars for
employers, trade and professional associations.
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Nancy B. Goldstein
3625 E Thousand Oaks Blvd., Ste. 209
Westlake Village, CA 91362
818-707-4573
gr8calilawyer@hotmail.com
Term: 2006 - 2008
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Nancy Goldstein has been working as a civil
practitioner in a solo or small practice since 1984. In the last 10
years, Ms. Goldstein's practice has emphasized business and real
estate matters, with the litigation portion of her practice
predominantly involved with land use disputes.
Ms. Goldstein came to the practice of law from her prior career
as a federal investigator. She believes in promoting access to the
courts for those less able to pay the costs of litigation. In
furtherance of that goal, Ms. Goldstein donates her time to the
Ventura County Self-Help Center; acts as a Fee Arbitrator, a Judge
Pro Tem and an arbitrator in civil cases.
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Timothy
McGonigle
233 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 700
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-478-7110
FAX 310-478-7440
timothymcgonigle@aol.com
Term: 2005-2009
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Timothy D.
McGonigle has practiced law for over 20 years and founded
his own plaintiff firm in 1989. Clients range from corporations to
individual entrepreneurs, professionals and individuals. His firm
handles jury and bench trials, arbitrations, mediations and other
dispute resolution matters all over California and is AV rated. The
firm has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and
settlements on behalf of its clients.
Mr. McGonigle is a graduate of Notre Dame, Pepperdine Law School
and Georgetown University Law Center where he obtained his LLM in
Securities Regulation. His authored, “The Class Action: A
solution to the Dilemma of Certification After Judgment” in
1984. He received the American Jurisprudence Award in Wills and
Trusts. Mr. McGonigle is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of
California and Los Angeles, the Association of Trial Lawyers of
America and the local bar associations for Beverly Hills, Century
City, Los Angeles and Santa Monica.
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Matthew C. Mickelson
16055 Ventura Blvd Ste 1230
Encino CA 91436
818-382-3360
FAX 818-382-3364
mattmickelson@bizla.rr.com
Term: 2007 - 2010
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Matthew C.
Mickelson is a sole practitioner whose practice focuses on
general business litigation, collection matters (both pre- and
post-judgment), and appeals. He has represented attorneys in dozens
of lawsuits against former clients for unpaid fees; his lawyer
clients range from one of the top-25 largest law firms in Los
Angeles County to sole practitioners. He has also defended
attorneys in legal malpractice matters. Mr. Mickelson has expertise
in post-judgment collection litigation, and specializes in dealing
with wealthy individuals who have hidden their assets in family
partnerships and trusts. Mr. Mickelson is active in the appeals
arena, having represented appellants, respondents and writ
petitioners in front of the California and federal courts.
Mr. Mickelson is a graduate of the UCLA. School of Law, where he
was awarded the Order of the Coif. As a civil litigator for several
years at Irell & Manella, he represented clients such as City
of Hope National Medical Center in royalty litigation against
Genentech. He later practiced appellate and post-judgment law at
Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland in Los Angeles. At Greines
Martin, he represented deceased celebrity Anna Nicole Smith in her
fight for a portion of her husband’s estate.
Mr. Mickelson’s publications include: Collecting Unpaid
Fees, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2006; Follow the Money: Collecting
Fees Without Triggering Malpractice Claims, San Fernando Valley Bar
Association Bar Notes, 2006; Enforcement of Binding Arbitration
Provisions in Retainers, Los Angeles Lawyer, 2005. He has been a
presenter at the University of California’s Continuing
Education of the Bar Program Series Collecting Unpaid
Attorney’s Fees; and the NBI seminar Collection Law, From
Start to Finish.
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Michael R. Sohigian
11755 Wilshire Blvd Ste 120
Los Angeles CA 90025
310-914-2494
FAX 310-914-2484
msohigian@mrslaw.net
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Michael R. Sohigian is a sole practitioner
based in West Los Angeles. He specializes in civil litigation with
an emphasis on business, real estate, employment, probate,
insurance coverage and public licensing. He represents individuals
and businesses at trials and on appeal in state and federal court,
and in alternative dispute resolution and administrative
proceedings.
Mr. Sohigian is a 1991 graduate of the University of California,
Hastings College of the Law. He earned his undergraduate degree
from U.C. Berkeley. From 2002 through 2006, he was a member of the
City of Los Angeles Police Permit Review Panel, and since 1999 he
has sat as a temporary judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court. He
is also an active member of Westwood Presbyterian Church, where he
has served as a Deacon and an Elder.
Mr. Sohigian has been published in the fields of First Amendment
law, insurance coverage and probate litigation. His work has
appeared in the Los Angeles Times; the Los Angeles County Bar
Association’s monthly magazine, Los Angeles Lawyer; the
Journal of the Consumer Attorneys Associations of Southern
California, the Advocate; and the State Bar Solo and Small Firm
Section’s publication for the State Bar Convention, Big
Meeting.
Mr. Sohigian is active with the Los Angeles County Bar
Association and the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and has served
as a member of the delegation of the Beverly Hills Bar Association
to the State Bar Conference of Delegates. As a member of the
Executive Committee, Ms. Sohigian works to help lawyers in solo and
small firm practices create networks with one another to maximize
resources and level the playing field. He values serving this
practice community and urges members to contact him with their
concerns.
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Joseph
Urcis
920-A West 17Th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
714-558-1166
FAX 714-558-0733
urcis1@juno.com
Term: 2006 - 2009
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Joseph
Urcis is a bilingual attorney in solo practice in Orange
County since 1977. Mr. Urcis current practice consists of
representing primarily personal injury plaintiffs, workers
compensation uninsured employers, and general civil litigation. Mr.
Urcis is also a mediator and arbitrator, both privately and
bro-bono under the judicial arbitration program.
Mr. Urcis was an eleven year old child when his family fled Cuba
to arrive in the Bronx. He learned English there in 6 months, going
on to graduate from the City College of New York, cum laude, and
thereafter from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Politically active in the Hispanic community in Orange County for
the past 30 years, Mr. Urcis has been a member of the Hispanic Bar
Association of Orange County (HBAOC) since 1978 and served as its
president in 2005. During his tenure, the association saw a
significant increase in membership and raised funds for
scholarships for deserving law students.
Mr. Urcis has taken mediation courses at the Pepperdine
University Law School Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution. He
commands a solid grasp of trial techniques and is an associate
member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He has
also been a lecturer at the American College of Law in Anaheim and
has presented Seminars for The State Bar of California and the
HBAOC.
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Anne C. Adams
Hester H. Honda
Richard D. Kaplan
Robert M. Klein
Patricia L. McCabe
Steven G. Mehta
Myer Sankary
Eleanor K. Southers
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Anne C.
Adams
Law Offices of Anne C. Adams
7041 Owensmouth Ave., Suite 103
Canoga Park, CA 91303
818-715-0015
FAX 818-715-9895
anneadamslaw@sbcglobal.net
Term started 2002
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Anne C. Adams represents
clients in family law matters as well as individuals and small
businesses that are experiencing financial difficulties. She helps
her collection defense clients resolve their financial problems by
negotiating with their creditors to arrange hardship payment plan
arrangements or settle their debts at a discount as an alternative
to bankruptcy. Ms. Adams represents clients in civil lawsuits
regarding contract disputes and collection matters as well as
bankruptcy.
Ms. Adams graduated from Southwestern University of Law in 1993.
She received her MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University and her
BA in economics from UCLA. Ms. Adams writes articles and speaks at
programs for the State Bar and local organizations about resolving
financial issues and law practice management concerns.
Ms. Adams is past Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Section of
the State Bar. She is past President and a current member of the
Board of Directors of the Valley Community Legal Foundation of the
SFVBA. Ms. Adams served five years on the Board of Trustees for the
San Fernando Valley Bar Association. She currently serves as a
delegate to the Conference of Delegates. Ms. Adams is also an
active member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy
Attorneys and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
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Hester H.
Honda
760 Town & Country Rd.,
Orange, CA 92868
714-835-4540
FAX 714-835-4542
hhhonda@sbcglobal.net
Term started 2004
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Hester H.
Honda has a solo practice based in Orange that emphasizes
Social Security, SSI and health-related issues, including Medi-Cal
planning and appeals, and conservatorships. She advises other
attorneys frequently on the inter-relationship of SSI/Medi-Cal
benefits and personal injury awards, estate planning and
inheritances, dissolution of marriage, worker's compensation
issues, and other practice areas and has served as expert witness
in several cases involving Social Security and SSI issues,
including a family law matter that resolved shortly after her
testimony. Ms. Honda has been a speaker on SSI, Social Security and
disability-related issues for numerous nonprofit organizations,
including at the state bar annual meeting and Section Education
Institute.
Ms. Honda earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law
Center in Washington, D.C. and her undergraduate degree from
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Ms. Honda has served
as chairperson of the Orange County Bar Association's Elder Law and
Social Security Sections, and recently "retired"(after 10 years) as
co-chairperson and member of OCBA's "Bridging the Gap" Committee.
She was a founding director of the Orange County Asian American Bar
Association and has served as its president. Ms. Honda received the
Pro Bono Award from the National Organization of Social Security
Claimants' Representatives in 2000. |
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Richard D.
Kaplan
Kaplan Marino, A.P.C.
9454 Wilshire Boulevard, Ste.500
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310-557-0007
FAX 310-557-0008
kaplan@kaplanmarino.com
Term started 2001
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Richard Kaplan has been representing criminal
defendants facing insurance fraud, medicare fraud, murder, robbery,
embezzlement, domestic violence, sex crimes, environmental crimes,
white collar crimes, multi-kilo narcotic cases, driving under the
influence of drugs and alcohol as well as asset forfeiture matters
in state and federal courts for almost 20 years.
As a partner in the Beverly Hills firm of Kaplan Marino, his
office has represented professional athletes, entertainment
industry professionals, doctors and lawyers. Mr. Kaplan attended
Pepperdine University School of Law and has served as the president
of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers, on its board of
directors until 2001, and is the co-chair of the Beverly Hills Bar
Association Criminal Law Section. Over his many years of
involvement with this executive committee, Mr. Kaplan has served as
chairman and was the force behind forming the new Lawyer 2 Lawyer
directory on this website. Mr. Kaplan speaks regularly on criminal
law and related matters at bar annual meetings, local bar events
and at local colleges.
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Robert M.
Klein
Law Offices of Robert M. Klein
11611 San Vicente Blvd., Ste. 820
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-820-6700
FAX 310-207-4612
rmklein@sbcglobal.net
Term: 2004-2008
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Robert M.
Klein has a civil litigation-oriented solo practice based in
Los Angeles. His clients have personal injury cases due to auto
accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and
falls, bicycle or motorcycle accidents, and dog bites. The injuries
range from tragic accidents resulting in the death of a loved one,
or injuries involving broken bones or permanent scarring, to simple
cases where the victim suffers a neck or back sprain requiring
medical treatment for only six weeks. Mr. Klein also represents
medium-sized businesses in litigation matters.
A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Klein graduated from the University
of Arizona and Southwestern University School of Law. In addition
to belonging to the California bar, Mr. Klein is admitted to
practice before the U.S. District Court. He is a member of the
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Consumer Attorneys
of California, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the
American Bar Association. He is a board member of a new and
exciting non-profit organization, Hurdle Jumpers, which provides
free cancer care kits to people who are about to start, or are
undergoing, cancer treatment. Mr. Klein is a group leader for the
Professional Network Group.
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Patricia L.
McCabe
7100 Hayvenhurst Ave., #314
Van Nuys, CA 91406
818-907-9726
FAX 818-907-6384
PLMcCabe@aol.com
Term: 2003 - 2007
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Patricia L. McCabe started her
solo practice 10 years ago and has focused on the representation of
the disabled in Federal Court litigation relating to Social
Security benefits, ERISA long term disability benefits, Veteran's
benefits, State benefits and Medicare and Medi-Cal claims. She
handles all levels of administrative appeals as well as litigation
in United State District Court. Ms. McCabe was a partner with a
personal injury litigation firm before she became her own boss. She
is a graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center and has a Master's
Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor's Degree in
Microbiology.
Ms. McCabe chaired the Los Angeles County Bar Association Social
Security section, is a founding member of the Los Angeles Social
Security Attorneys, a not-for-profit educational association, and
president of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. The
Conference of Delegates to the California Conference of Bar
Associations is her longest commitment, having served for 13 years
as a delegate. Ms. McCabe is a member of the board of directors for
Neighborhood Legal Services, one of the largest legal aide programs
in Los Angeles County, and a member of the board of directors for
the San Fernando Valley Mental Health Clinics, Inc. For several
years now, at state bar conferences and events hosted by the
National Organization of Social Security Claimant's
Representatives, Ms. McCabe has spoken about Medi-Cal, social
security, disability laws, Law Office Management and other
issues.
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Steven G.
Mehta
Mediation Offices of Steven G. Mehta
25214 Springfield Ct., #250
Valencia, CA 91355
661-284-1818
FAX 661-284-1811
steve@mehtamann.com
Term started 2001
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Steven G.
Mehta was a busy trial lawyer who has become a full-time
mediator since 2002. He still practices law at his firm with
clients in two main practice groups: consumer law and
business/estate law. Mr. Mehta provides representation in areas
such as major personal injury, wrongful death cases, employment and
harassment law, elder abuse litigation, medical malpractice and
other consumer matters. His partner Michele Mann takes clients with
issues involving business and estate planning, trust and probate
administration.
Mr. Mehta graduated from McGeorge School of Law, order of the
coif (top 10%) and with dean's list honors, and worked as an
associate at various Los Angeles area law firms from the summer of
1992 to the time his law firm was formed. Mehta & Mann has
developed a comprehensive approach to satisfying their clients'
legal needs. The attorneys have represented clients in trials,
arbitrations, mediations, State Court, Probate Court, Federal
Courts and in the Courts of Appeal, on a variety of complex legal
matters. As a result, Mehta & Mann is able to provide our
clients with the experience and training of a large law firm, but
with the personalized service of a boutique firm.
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Myer J.
Sankary
Myer J. Sankary, A Law Corp
12925 Riverside Dr. 3rd Fl
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-2287
818-325-8989
FAX 818-325-8980
myerJ@sankary.com
Term started 2003
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Myer
Sankary has 40 years of practice in probate and estate
planning. In 1996, he trained at Pepperdine Law School to become a
mediator, and has devoted his practice since then to ADR and
mediating a variety of litigated cases, including probate,
employment, real estate, construction, personal injury, family law,
business, intellectual property, and related areas of law. Trained
and certified by Dr. Robert Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at
Arizona State, Mr. Sankary is a leading authority on applying the
science of influence to the art of negotiations and presents
workshops and lectures for mediators, attorneys, corporate legal
departments, consulting firms, corporate executives, human resource
managers, strategic planners, and expert witness associations. A
recent program he presented was "Ethical Advocacy, Applying the
Science of Persuasion in Making Deals, Settling Disputes and
Winning in Court" at the state bar annual meeting.
Mr. Sankary is a graduate of Harvard Law School and is A.V. rated
by Martindale & Hubbell. He teaches MBA students at USC about
negotiation and lectured at the 14 th Annual Dispute Resolution
Conference, U of Washington School of Law in Seattle. Having served
on this committee for many years including as its chairman, the
section created the annual Myer Sankary Award in his honor for a
solo/small firm practitioner who demonstrates outstanding
leadership and dedication. Mr. Sankary is also a recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement Award from the General and Solo Section of the
American Bar Association. Mr. Sankary has served as an arbitrator
for the American Arbitration Association, Kaiser Permanente, and
Los Angeles Superior Court Arbitration and Mediation panel since
1996 and is currently on the Probate Court Panel for Los Angeles
County. Mr. Sankary represents the San Fernando Valley Bar
Association to ADR Committee of the LA Superior Court - Judicial
Education Subcommittee and a trustee of that b ar association.
Mr.Sankary is also treasurer of the Southern California Mediation
Association. |
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Eleanor K.
Southers
1362 Pacific Ave., #216
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-466-9132
FAX 831-466-9456
esouther@aol.com
Term started: 2003
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Eleanor Southers has been a personal
injury and workers compensation attorney for 23 years and a sole
practitioner since 1987. Over the years, Ms. Southers has
spoken before many groups including at state bar annual meetings
and written for legal newspapers. She co-authored a handbook
about med-legal issues that is a required text used at many
chiropractic colleges. As a litigator, she recently obtained a
$1.4 million verdict for a personal injury client. Ms.
Southers recently added immigration to her practice and is a member
of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Ms. Southers is also skilled in the practice of mediation. She
has served as an arbitrator and mediator for the E.E.O.C., the Los
Angeles County Bar Association, and as a judge pro tem and
settlement officer for Los Angeles courts. Ms. Southers is a member
of the Los Angeles County Bar and its ADR section, Los Angeles
Trial Attorneys and Consumer Attorneys of California, the
California Applicant's Attorneys Association, and the Southern
California Mediation Association. She is a member of numerous civic
organizations, Chairman of Women's Referral Service "Mentor
Program" and president of the board of directors of the Halcyon
Center for Child Studies.
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BOARD
LIAISON
Michael D.
Marcus
ADR Services, Inc.
1900 Avenue of the Stars, Ste. 250
Los Angeles, CA 90067
310-201-0010
FAX 310-201-0016
ethicsinlaw@earthlink.net
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Mary A. Gerber
Continuing Education of the Bar
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, #410
Oakland, CA 94612-2001
510-302-2175
FAX 510-302-2001
mary.gerber@ceb.ucop.edu
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SECTION LEGISLATIVE
REPRESENTATIVES:
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Saul Bercovitch
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco CA 94104-1639
415-538-2306-
FAX 415-538-2515
Saul.bercovitch@calbar.ca.gov
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Saul Bercovitch is the State
Bar’s Legislative Counsel. He joined the State Bar’s
Office of Governmental Affairs in 2001. Saul practiced civil
litigation at Pettit & Martin from 1985 to 1995 and at
Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman) from 1995 to 1998.
From 1998 to 2001, Saul was a Principal Legislative Analyst for
the University of California, Office of the President.
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SECTION
STAFF:
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Manager of Sections
Tricia Horan
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1639
415-538-2223
FAX 415-538-2368
tricia.horan@calbar.ca.gov
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Section Coordinator

Mitch Wood
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, , CA 94105-1639
415-538-2594
FAX 415-538-2368
mitch.wood@calbar.ca.gov
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Section Administrative Assistant
Ana Castillo
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-538-2071
FAX 415-538-2368
ana.castillo@calbar.ca.gov
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Director of Sections

Pam Wilson
The State Bar of California
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-1639
415-538-2467
FAX 415-538-2368
pam.wilson@calbar.ca.gov
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