LAndlords
Unlawful Detainer

Our office has been the office of choice for referral from most attorneys throughout San Mateo County who do not handle eviction cases. Because these cases are extremely technical and proceed very fast in comparison with any other type of case it is critical that the attorney be able to immediately take proper action against the tenant in order to bring the case to resolution through either trial or settlement. Delay is usually the goal of the tenant or the opposing attorney in such cases. Unless the attorney for the landlord is experienced in the substantive and procedural aspects of this specialized area of law, the tenant may be able to lengthen and delay the process causing further loss of revenue or further damage to the property. We are aware of virtually every tactical ploy through experience over the past 27 years in landlord-tenant law. A few of our notable cases:

In several cases the landlord of residential and commercial property called upon his or her attorney who did not specialize in general or real estate law practice and had little or no experience in unlawful detainer actions. In all of these cases mistakes and missteps contributed to complications which made the objective of evicting the tenant virtually impossible. When the cases were brought to me, we were able to salvage those cases which were salvageable and re-file those which were not. In both circumstances, the client reached his or her objective in a timely manner. Unlawful Detainer actions must be pursued diligently and competently in order to be successful.

I handled the eviction of an entire apartment building in San Bruno so the new landlord could bring the property up to code and bring the business into the black. The previous owner had failed to collect rent for over a year in some cases and had to deal with health and building inspectors called by the tenants to bolster their defenses. The entire building complex was vacated through individual actions notwithstanding their tenant's union demands and their attorney's demands for compensation. Although some tenants filed appeals not one case was overturned.

Personal Injury Actions

My office has handled hundreds of claims on behalf of injured parties as the result of automobile accidents. One of the most difficult was a case near Bishop, CA, in which my client's car hit a tractor/trailer rig from behind at night on the main highway from Las Vegas to Fresno, CA. Initial conclusions by the California Highway Patrol assigned fault to my client for failure to maintain a proper distance to stop his vehicle. My investigators, with the help of an accident reconstruction expert, determined that the truck's rear tail lights were disconnected and were not visible by my client as the truck pulled onto the highway in front of my client's car. What was viewed as a "no-liability" case on the part of the truck company was proved to be the basis for a significant recovery in a wrongful death settlement in favor of my client's wife and child.
In re Ferris

I have handled numerous child sexual molestation and sexual assault cases against those responsible for committing the acts and their employers. In one such case, a patient at a mental facility was sexually assaulted by a male nurse. It was only after DNA samples proved that the victim was telling the truth about the attack and the District Attorney's Office investigation revealed who committed the act that the case settled in a confidential high six-figure settlement.
Jane S. v. County of San Mateo

I was co-counsel in a three month case tried in federal court which tested and dealt with the interpretation to be given to the 1985 Supplemental Treaty between the United States of America and the United Kingdom relating to the political exception to the then-existing Extradition Treaty between those countries. The outcome of the case settled international law on the subject.
In re-The Requested Extradition of James Joseph Smyth

I was co-counsel in the only reported case involving wrongful death of a pilot in an air crash in general aviation related to the air traffic controller strike.
Moses v. Marlow, et al.

Among the many automobile accident cases I have handled on behalf of the injured party was the case of a woman whose vehicle was struck from the side on the San Mateo Bridge sending it into the retainer wall causing it to explode in flames causing serious injury to my client. The settlement was sealed as confidential but my client was very pleased with the result.
Hopkins v. Doe 1