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Many of our clients want to know not only about the firm, but also about the person who will be handling their case. Here are a few facts about me:
My path to the law was a more gradual, well-rounded, perhaps more “scenic” route, if you will. While a lot of attorneys take a typical, undergrad to law school path, mine was a little different.
I graduated UCLA Summa Cum Laude, and jumped into the business world. Even though I’m a Bruin, Trojans are still always welcome at the firm. I have extensive business experience and truthfully, my business career was going great. I managed multi-million dollar projects all over California, overseeing Commercial Property Acquisition, Development, and Syndication. I have managed over 500 employees in my tenure, and have negotiated consistently with some of the largest companies.
However, a few years into my career, I knew I could make a bigger social impact with the law. A lot of this comes from my own experience.
When I was younger, my father passed away after suffering complications from a slip and fall accident. Unfortunately, his attorneys could not get him justice or proper treatment, and my heart broke witnessing the emotional and physical toll it took on my mom. The truth is, for many years, I had a different opinion of the law. Growing up, it felt like everyone won but my family. I will admit it, I had a chip on my shoulder. I buried my feelings on the law and instead threw myself into my business career.
What began to change my perspective happened a few years down the road. A kind, beloved woman by all, my brother’s in-law, was killed by a city garbage truck. She was going about her normal day, and the truck recklessly backed into her as she crossed the street. Even though there was a settlement, no amount of money can bring her back. I again was reminded of how much the insurance companies tried to get away with during the settlement process. Seeing how they tried to devalue her life and her worth became the wake-up call I needed to get into the legal profession.
I realized that there was a great purpose with the law and that I had the power to help others with it. This became my true calling and I set out onto my path. I enrolled in law school and did not look back. I passed Law School and the California State Bar while running a full-time business that employed many families, and in my practice, I have been able to combine my business negotiation skills with my legal knowledge.
Other attorneys are simply looking to take a quick payout, settle cases for less than they should just for cash flow, I want to pursue justice. I take on the insurance companies that make a living from taking advantage of others. I have seen first hand how they use any trick of the trade to waive their responsibility. This passion of mine usually results in higher settlements.
My business experience gives me a unique advantage in dealing with Insurance companies because all they are is just another business. Settling a claim is often akin to negotiating a contract. Inevitably, insurance companies are going to present their lowest offer and try to make you think there is nothing more on the table.
95% of cases are settled without a trial, experience in negotiations is crucial. Anyone can settle a case, what matters is HOW much they can get out of these guys. Most attorneys boast how much they recovered, but how much COULD they have recovered? I wake up at 5:30 everyday, work out, work until 7, 6 days a week. I work hard for my health and I will work twice as hard for you. My firm takes on your case because we believe in you, your cause and getting you the best settlement possible, we will not leave anything on the table, unlike many other attorneys.
My firm is here to hit the ground running, to keep pushing for the settlement you deserve and to be your advocate. Our results will speak for themselves. I have below a few of the associations I am proudly involved in. These will hopefully give you a better perspective on who I am.
Also you will notice that I don’t shamelessly display any prior settlement verdicts, unlike most other attorneys. Firstly, these can be misleading because they don’t portray how much could have, or should have, been received. Secondly, I find it distasteful to advertise and benefit off the misery of others. These are often some of the most traumatic moments in peoples’ lives, our job as attorneys should not be to use their pain and suffering to attract more clients. The only ones I will speak of are my own, and I have come to learn that our clients genuinely appreciate that. Our quality of work is our advertisement.
MENSA: I am a member of MENSA—A Global community composed of highly intelligent individuals. Mensa allows individuals who have I.Q.’s in the 98th percentile or higher to share ideas, help each other, and participate in research. Some notable Mensa members include Donald Petersen, former Chairman of Ford Motor Company; Martin Cooper, inventor of the mobile phone; and John N. Moore, a brilliant Virginia Law Professor who has counseled the US Government. However, my team is not in the business of elitism, displaying my membership is just to show my clients the depth of knowledge I have access to.
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles: This is another great organization that I am proud to be a member of. CAALA is the nation’s largest association of Plaintiff’s attorneys. This is an organization where like-minded attorneys can confer and discuss topics to help each other out on certain issues, providing invaluable collective expertise on matters. With CAALA behind us, you will get the experience of 4000 attorneys in pursuing your case.
The Nature Conservancy: This is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. We really need to do a better job at protecting and preserving this beautiful land that we have been blessed with, and this is just one, but I think the best, organization leading that effort. They have so far protected over 119 million acres of land and thousands of miles of rivers, and will hopefully continue to do more. Feel free to visit their site and donate any amount, every penny helps.
