Executive Committee Focus
Congrats on being elected as next year’s co-chair for our real property section…can you explain why you ran as a co-chair?
I APPRECIATE THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR VALUABLE TIME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AND POSITIVE WAYS TO IT. I GET A GREAT DEAL OF SATISFACTION FROM BEING AROUND AND LEADING THE PHENOMENAL PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE REAL PROPERTY SECTION. I WANT TO FACILITATE ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS EFFORTS TO REACH OUR GOALS AND EXCEED THEM.
What plans do you have for our section this year?
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR EDUCATIONAL AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP, BRINGING IN NEW MEMBERS ALONG THE WAY, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ENSURING DIVERSITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPATION.
What do you think we can do to improve what our group does for real estate attorneys across California?
WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON OUR PRIOR SUCCESSES, SUCH AS OUR ANNUAL REAL PROPERTY SYMPOSIUM, AND REGIONAL SYMPOSIUMS ON VARIOUS REAL ESTATE TOPICS, AS WELL AS INCREASING THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF MCLE AND NETWORKING EVENTS. OF COURSE, WE ALREADY HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE LIBRARY OF MCLE’S ANY MEMBER CAN ACCESS. WE ALSO HAVE THE REAL PROPERTY JOURNAL. TO THE POINT, I ALSO WANT TO IMPROVE OUR MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS TO EDUCATE ALL OUR MEMBERS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL MEMBERS ON THE AMAZING MCLE AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE!
Tell me about what you/your firm does.
WE ARE A DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES BOUTIQUE BUSINESS LITIGATION FIRM WHICH HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 2000 SPECIALIZING IN REAL ESTATE LITIGATION.
Who’s your favorite attorney in your firm? Just kidding, what do you like about your firm’s size and the people who work there?
BEING IN A SMALL BOUTIQUE CREATES A TEAM ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY. OUR TEAM IS COMPRISED OF PEOPLE WHO DO SUPERIOR WORK, ENJOY THE COMRADERY AND BRING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO THE OFFICE, MAKING IT A GREAT ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL LAWYERS AND STAFF.
What is your favorite area of real property law?
I CANNOT NARROW IT DOWN TO ONE AND THAT IS WHAT I ENJOY ABOUT MY PRACTICE. I HAVE LITIGATED PURCHASE AND SALE, COMMERCIAL LEASING, FINANCE, CONSTRUCTION AND JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER TYPE OF SUIT THAT COMMERCIAL REAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND OPERATORS EXPERIENCE.
Are there any parts of your business you are trying to grow?
WE BELIEVE IN STABLE ORGANIC BUSINESS GROWTH AND I STRIVE TO CONTINUE TO GROW MY PRACTICE IN THE FIELD I AM ALREADY ESTABLISHED, WHICH IS PRIMARILY REPRESENTING REAL ESTATE OWNERS AND OPERATORS, FROM REITS TO FAMILY OWNED COMPANIES.
Tell me about your favorite case of all time and what happened that made it so interesting.
I HAD A CASE I TRIED BEFORE A JURY IN MALIBU FOR A WEEK. THE CASE ITSELF WAS NOT SO INTERESTING, BUT THE LOCATION WAS DEFINITELY A NOVELTY! COME TO THINK OF IT, I TRIED ANOTHER JURY IN AN ANNEX COURT IN SAN PEDRO THAT WAS A REAL NOVELTY. IT WAS AN OLD BUILDING BUILT IN THE 20’s THAT USED TO SERVE AS A JAIL AND COURT AND WAS RIGHT ON THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO SAN PEDRO HARBOR. PERRY MASON COURT SCENES WERE ACTUALLY FILMED THERE. MY COURTROOM WAS LIKE A TIME WARP THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE OPENED AS THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING AND WE HAD TO STOP AS SHIPS WENT BY DUE TO ENGINE NOISE AND BLARING HORNS. THAT CASE WAS ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I REPRESENTED A SMALL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS IN A REAL ESTATE DISPUTE THAT WOULD BE BANKRUPTED IF THE TRIAL WAS LOST. WE WON TRIAL AND APPEALS THAT FOLLOWED. IT GAVE ME GREAT SATISFACTION TO KNOW I MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN MY CLIENTS’ LIVES.
What were the challenges in the beachfront apartment building collapse case referenced on your website?
THAT WAS A UNIQUE CASE. ADJACENT EXCAVATION DONE IMPROPERLY CAUSED THE COLLAPSE. TURNS OUT THE EXCAVATORS HIT THE FOUNDATION OF AN ABANDONED AND CAPPED OIL WELL, DEMOLISHED IT AND HAULED IT OFF WITHOUT ADEQUATE SUBAJECENT SUPPORT! WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK OIL WELLS ON THE BEACH, BUT WHERE THIS WAS THERE USED TO BE HUNDREDS!
Whittier or UCSB, which is better? UCSB Why? BEACH
What do you do to help balance your life with work?
I MAKE SURE TO TAKE BREAKS TO PARTICIPATE IN MY KIDS SPORTING EVENTS AND TAKE TIME FOR MY FAMILY. I ALSO MAINTAIN A SATELLITE OFFICE NEAR MY HOME WHICH MAKES ME MUCH MORE EFFICIENT RATHER THAN SPENDING MORE TIME COMMUTING TO WORK AT PEAK TRAFFIC HOURS.
What areas of real estate law interest you the most?
I ENJOY ALL AREAS THAT AFFECT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE OWNERS AND OPERATORS.
What CLE’s would you like to see in the future?
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CLE’S FOCUSED ON THE LOS ANGELES REAL ESTATE SCENE…COINCIDENTALLY THE RPLS IS PUTTING ON A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SYMPOSIUM ON OCTOBER 4 AT THE JONATHAN CLUB IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. I HEAR IT WILL BE FEATURING PANELS ON CREATIVE LEASING, REDEVELOPMENT IN THE ARTS DISTRICT / LA RIVER AREA AND REAL ESTATE FINANCE TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS.
Having the real property retreat, is that a good idea?
MOST CERTAINLY IS AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE IT FIRSTHAND! IT IS A TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY TO EARN MCLES AND MEET FELLOW REAL ESTATE PRACTITIONERS. WE ALSO WELCOME ALL ATTENDEES TO MEET THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE RPLS. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET INVOLVED!
What was your favorite CLE in the 2018 retreat?
THE 8TH FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE’S ROUNDTABLE. DYNAMIC SPEAKERS, INDUSTRY EXPERTS, INFORMATIVE AND LOTS OF BANTER BETWEEN THEM. THIS ANNUAL PRESENTATION HAS BECOME ONE NOT TO MISS.
What was your overall impression of the retreat?
I ENJOYED IT TREMENDOUSLY. I THOUGHT SAN FRANCISCO WAS A GOOD VENUE BECAUSE IT PROVIDED SUCH GOOD ACCESS TO THE EVENT BEING SITUATED IN THE CITY. THE PROGRAMMING WAS PHENOMENAL, INCLUDING SOME PLENARY SESSIONS FEATURING “BALANCING THE SCALES” DOCUMENTARY AND “REAL ESTATE REIMAGINED- WHEN TECH AND REAL ESTATE MEET”. THE FEEDBACK WAS TREMENDOUS ON BOTH THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
Have you ever given or attended a webinar?
I HAVE ONLY GIVEN A LIVE-CAST. I WILL BE DOING WEBINAR SOON AND LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING HOW TO DO IT. I AM TOLD IT IS VERY EASY, SO I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS AN INTEREST TO CONTACT US AND WE CAN HELP YOU MAKE IT A REALITY! I HAVE ATTENDED PLENTY.