Best Best & Krieger News Feed

BB&K Attorneys Among Top 70 in Coachella Valley

04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: June 4, 2014
Media Contact: Denise Nix • 213.787.2552 • Denise.Nix@BBKlaw.com

Indian Wells, Calif. _ Six of the 70 top attorneys in California’s Coachella Valley are partners in Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Indian Wells office, according to Palm Springs Life’s June 2014 edition.

The magazine partnered with attorney-ranking service Avvo, which rates and profiles attorneys nationwide, to craft the list. The rankings are based on peer endorsements, experience, education, training, speaking, publishing and awards.

The BB&K attorneys on the list are:

Carlos Campos for State, Local and Municipal Law
David Erwin for State, Local and Municipal Law
Robert Hargreaves for Energy/Utilities
Kira Klatchko for Appeals
Douglas Phillips for State, Local and Municipal Law
Henry Welles for Intellectual Property

Read more about the list in Palm Springs Life.

Best Best & Krieger LLP is a national law firm that focuses on environmental, business, education, municipal and telecommunications law for public agency and private clients. With 200 attorneys, the law firm has nine offices nationwide, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and Washington D.C. For more information, visit www.bbklaw.com or follow @BBKlaw on Twitter.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (April 28)

28 Apr 2014 00:00:00 -0800

California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, pursuant to AB 1825, requires that employers with fifty or more employees in California provide at least two hours of Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training every two years to any employee that has a supervisory role in operations. This presentation is designed to satisfy those requirements.

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference is interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

When:

Monday, April 28
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Registration:

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K offices throughout California.

Indian wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

BB&K Presenter:

Joseph Ortiz, Partner, Labor & Employment Practice Group in Riverside office

QUESTIONS:

Contact Katey Lamke if you have any questions about this event and/or about BB&K upcoming seminars/events.

If you are not currently receiving our Legal Alerts and would like to be added to our email distribution list, please visit our subscription page.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (January 13)

13 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0800

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference was interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K offices throughout California:

Indian wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

BB&K Seminar: Statements of Economic Interests - Legal Requirements of Filing Officers & Officials

13 Nov 2013 00:00:00 -0800

This program addressed the statutory duties of public agency filing officers and officials regarding Form 700 Statements of Economic Interests (SEIs).

What was covered:

Legislative & Regulatory Changes
General Rules – What’s Your Role?
- Types of Public Officials – PRA vs. CIC
- Disclosure Requirements – Full vs. Limited
Guidelines – Notices, Fines & Waivers
SEI Reviews – Facial vs. Full
- What to Look For – Common Errors
SEI Records & Retention
Public Access – Two Days
Enforcement – Reporting Apparent Violations
What February 1 Deadline?

Audience:
City Clerks and Deputy City Clerks, Filing Officers and Filing Officials designated in agency conflict of interest codes; and assistant or backup personnel

Cost Per Person:
$75 for clients who participate in the Public Policy & Ethics program
$125 for non-participants in the Public Policy & Ethics program

BB&K Presenter:
Dianna Valdez, Senior Paralegal, Conflicts of Interest & Ethics Coordinator, Public Policy & Ethics Group

QUESTIONS:
Contact Katey Lamke if you have any questions about this event and/or about BB&K upcoming seminars/events.

If you are not currently receiving our Legal Alerts and would like to be added to our email distribution list, please visit our subscription page.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (August 27)

27 Aug 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference was interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K offices throughout California:

Indian Wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

Eight BB&K Attorneys Named 2013 Southern California Rising Stars

13 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Eight Best Best & Krieger lawyers practicing throughout Southern California have been named among the top up-and-coming attorneys, 40-years-old or younger or practicing law for 10 years or less, in Super Lawyers’ 2013 Southern California Rising Stars. Super Lawyers lists attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and personal achievement. Only 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to Super Lawyers Rising Stars lists.

In the firm’s Irvine office, Matthew “Mal” Richardson was listed for government law, Christopher D. Whyte for general litigation and Alisha M. Winterswyk for environmental law. Richardson assists clients in transactional and litigation issues relating to municipal government, land use and environmental law. Whyte represents public entities and private clients in a variety of litigation matters in federal and state courts. Winterswyk advises clients on state and federal environmental laws, with a specific expertise in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Three attorneys named to the list from the Riverside office were Scott W. Ditfurth and Lowell M. Zeta for business litigation, and Charity B. Schiller for environmental law. Ditfurth's practice focuses on civil litigation, with an emphasis on providing construction, contract and real property related litigation services to clients. Zeta practices labor and employment law and business litigation. Schiller helps clients navigate the maze of environmental laws that apply to development projects, including CEQA, NEPA and related environmental laws.

Laura L. Crane, based in the firm’s Ontario office, was named in the government law category. Crane is a trial lawyer who has been the lead trial attorney in more than twenty trials in both state and federal courts. She also has significant experience in aggressively negotiating the resolution of disputes before trial and even before a case is ever filed.

From the Indian Wells office, Kira L. Klatchko was recognized in the appellate law category for the fifth straight year. Klatchko is the only certified appellate law specialist in Riverside County. She handles both state and federal appeals arising from all areas of civil practice. In 2009, Klatchko was appointed to the State Bar of California’s Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, and is currently its acting chair.

About Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers rates outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. In the United States, Super Lawyers Magazine is published in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., reaching more than 13 million readers. Super Lawyers is published by Thomson Reuters.

AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Avoidance Training (May 16)

16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Joseph Ortiz presented the training from the Riverside office. All other BB&K offices participated in the training via state-of-the-art video conferencing. The video conference was interactive, allowing attendees to ask questions and participate in other ways.

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private Business Professionals with 50 or More Employees

The training was also held via video conference at the following BB&K Offices throughout CA:

Indian Wells
Irvine
Los Angeles
Ontario
Riverside – Joseph Ortiz presented from the Riverside office
Sacramento
San Diego
Walnut Creek

BB&K Seminar: AB 1825 - How To Avoid Sexual Harassment Claims

19 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0800

What was covered:

What constitutes sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace
How to recognize and avoid it
What procedures to follow if you witness harassment or are harassed yourself
The potential consequences - including personal liability - of sexual harassment

Audience:

Supervisors
Human Resources Professionals
Public Officials
Managers & Private business professionals with 50 or more employees

When/Where:

BB&K Riverside office
Wednesday, March 20th

BB&K Indian Wells office
Thursday, March 21st

BB&K San Diego office
Wednesday, April 3rd

BB&K Sacramento office
Thursday, April 18th

BB&K Presenters:

Joseph T. Ortiz, Partner, Labor & Employment Practice Group in Riverside office
Stacey Sheston, Partner, Labor & Employment Practice Group in Sacramento office
Joey Sanchez, Partner, Labor & Employment Practice Group in San Diego office

QUESTIONS:

Contact Katey Lamke if you have any questions about this event and/or about BB&K upcoming seminars/events.

If you are not currently receiving our Legal Alerts and would like to be added to our email distribution list, please visit our subscription page.

BB&K Welcomes Ten Attorneys Across Southern California Into the Partnership

30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2013
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. _ Best Best & Krieger LLP promoted ten attorneys based in Southern California to partner for 2013, the law firm announced.

“We are pleased to welcome into the partnership a group of attorneys with diverse legal experience, which will continue to provide a strong foundation of legal knowledge for our clients,” said Eric Garner, BB&K’s managing partner.

The new partners are based in Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Ontario and Indian Wells, and focus on a wide range of legal fields including environmental, labor, municipal and business law.

In all, BB&K has nearly 200 attorneys based at nine offices in California and Washington, D.C., who work with public agencies and private clients.

In the Riverside office, the new partners are:

Charity B. Schiller, whose environmental law practice focuses on helping public and private clients navigate through the maze of state and federal environmental laws that apply to transportation, infrastructure and other development projects as they undergo the proposal and approval processes. With a focus on the California Environmental Quality Act, Schiller is a member of the firm’s environmental and natural resources practice group. She is currently the chair of the Riverside Downtown Partnership, a not-for-profit organization that partners with the city’s businesses and others to sponsor or organize summer concerts, festivals, book signings and outdoor movies designed to attract visitors to downtown Riverside. Schiller joined BB&K in 2004 after receiving her law degree from Pepperdine University.

Mona M. Nemat, an eminent domain attorney who advises public entity clients on project planning and right-of-way acquisition through the various stages of complex, high-stakes litigation. Although her practice largely involves the public sector, she also represents individuals and businesses as a member of BB&K’s eminent domain and business services practice groups. Nemat is a founding member of Project Graduate, a pilot program comprised of members of the Riverside County legal community that helps foster kids in local high schools to graduate. She received her law degree from the University of California, Davis, in 2004, and has been with BB&K since 2007.

Joseph T. Ortiz, who provides advice to private and public agency employers on such issues as wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, and related claims of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract. As part of the firm’s labor and employment practice, Ortiz also litigates employment matters before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitration tribunals. Ortiz is chair of the Downtown Business Council, which is part of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce in Riverside; president of the Greater Riverside Dollars for Scholars; and a commissioner on the Riverside Community Police Review Commission. Ortiz received his law degree from the University of Minnesota in 2001, and joined BB&K in 2008.

In Los Angeles, the new partners are:

Scott H. Campbell, who serves as city attorney to Avalon on Catalina Island and as general counsel to the Lake Arrowhead Community Services District in the San Bernardino mountains. A member of the firm’s municipal law and litigation practice groups, Campbell’s work concentrates on municipal and public entity representation, construction management and litigation, and business and commercial litigation. Campbell is the former president of the City Attorneys Association of Los Angeles County and currently sits on the board of directors for St. Anne’s Maternity Home, which provides a home for pregnant or parenting teen-agers in Los Angeles County. Campbell received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1987, and joined BB&K in 2005.

John H. Holloway, a litigator and transactional attorney who represents public agencies and businesses in real estate, eminent domain, environmental and land use matters. His experience includes acquisition of property for several public projects, including the right of way property for construction of the Los Angeles to Pasadena Gold Line, and representation of clients in environmental matters, including Los Angeles County in negotiations with regulators and potentially responsible parties in the investigation and clean-up of the former BKK Main Landfill in Carson. Holloway also is currently working with the Los Angeles Community College District on a number of projects, including development of a new satellite college campus and a major telecommunications initiative aimed at connecting the district’s nine campuses and its headquarters through a fiber optic ring and wireless transmission network to improve the district's data security and communication abilities. Holloway received his law degree in 1995 from Tulane University in New Orleans, and joined BB&K in 2005.

In San Diego, the new partners are:

Shannon M. Erickson, who represents a variety of clients in business and general civil litigation matters, with a focus on real property and title insurance issues. Her clients include title insurance and escrow companies, banks, religious organizations, public and private entities, and individuals. Erickson provides pro bono legal services as a volunteer for the Casa Cornelia Law Center, a San Diego-based nonprofit that assists victims of human and civil rights violations. Last year, she and another BB&K attorney won a significant victory when they helped secure political asylum for a young African woman seeking protection from religious persecution in her native country of Eritrea. Erickson received her law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2004 and joined BB&K in 2006.

Lindsay D. Puckett, whose practice focuses on environmental and land use law. She represents public and private clients in transactional and litigation matters involving the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, state and federal endangered species laws, coastal development, alternative energy, water issues and American Indian law issues. She served for four years on the board of the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, a nonprofit in Encinitas that provides educational outreach on recycling, composting, pollution prevention, sustainable living, conservation and habitat protection to businesses, schools and others in San Diego County. Puckett received her law degree in 2004 from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. She joined BB&K in 2006.

In Ontario, the new partner is:

G. Ross Trindle, III, who works on police-related legal issues and assists cities in developing consolidated, shared services and regionalization agreements for public safety services. His public safety litigation experience involves Pitchess motion defense, sex offender registration issues, and state and federal civil rights defense. As part of the firm’s municipal law practice and as leader of its police services team, Trindle serves as deputy city attorney for Arcadia, Azusa, Claremont, Covina, Colton and Shafter for public safety and public liability issues. In addition, his practice focuses on municipal defense litigation. Trindle volunteers with California high school mock trial, including as an attorney coach for Claremont High School in Los Angeles County, and previously with Upland High School in San Bernardino County. He earned his law degree in 2003 from Santa Clara University School of Law and joined BB&K in 2007.

In Indian Wells, the new partners are:

Kira L. Klatchko, who chairs the firm’s appellate practice and handles civil appeals in state and federal courts for cities, businesses and families. Klatchko is the only appellate law specialist in Riverside County certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Among other notable cases, Klatchko is handling a high-profile case before the California Supreme Court on behalf of a city client involving the use of red-light cameras at traffic intersections. Klatchko is acting chair of the State Bar of California’s Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, and she sits on the Riverside County Bar Association’s executive board. She is a board member of Angel View, a nonprofit based in the Coachella Valley that is dedicated to serving disabled children and adults throughout the Inland region. Klatchko received her law degree from the University of California, Davis in 2004, and joined BB&K the following year. She also holds an executive master's degree in business administration from the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

Carlos L. Campos, who serves as city attorney for Coachella and represents Palm Desert and Indian Wells in various capacities. He is also general counsel to the Desert Healthcare District and the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone. A member of the firm’s municipal and special district practice groups, Campos' practice focuses on open meeting laws, conflicts of interest, land use and planning, and the Public Records Act. Campos serves as a trustee of the Desert Bar Association and sits on the board of directors of the Dr. Carreon Foundation, which seeks to increase educational opportunities for Mexican-American youth in the Coachella Valley. Fluent in Spanish, Campos earned his law degree in 2002 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. He joined the firm in 2002.

Three BB&K Attorneys Make Top 25 Municipal Lawyers List for California

05 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Dec. 5, 2012
Media Contact: Jennifer Bowles • 951.826.8480 • jennifer.bowles@BBKlaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. _ The Daily Journal today named three Best Best & Krieger LLP attorneys among its Top 25 municipal lawyers in California for 2012.

“We are thrilled to have our municipal law practice group recognized so prominently by the Daily Journal. The honor reflects the commitment our firm has made to doing outstanding work for our municipal clients,” said Eric Garner, BB&K’s managing partner.

The firm’s lawyers act as city attorney to more than 30 cities across California and provide special counsel to several more.

The attorneys named to the list include John D. Higginbotham, a litigator based in Riverside who has scored a series of legal victories for municipal clients; Iris P. Yang, who serves as city attorney to Paso Robles and is active in court battles involving the wind-down of redevelopment; and Sonia R. Carvalho, the first Hispanic woman to be named as city attorney to Santa Ana, Orange County’s second-largest city.

The Daily Journal Corp., publisher of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals, issued its list of the top 25 municipal lawyers in California in a special supplement to today’s editions.

Higginbotham was recognized for his civil trial victories for cities, including a jury trial in a contentious case pitting the City of Colton against its former police chief who alleged he was wrongfully terminated for reporting corruption. Higginbotham was able to prove that a former police chief, Kenneth Rulon, was actually aware of the corruption before any of the city’s top officials became aware but failed to act on it for a year, and that his claims related to such information had nothing to do with his termination.

In addition, Higginbotham won a ruling for Inglewood in Goldsmith v. Inglewood on the use of red-light cameras at traffic intersections. The case went on to the appellate court, which published the first-ever decision in California upholding red-light camera enforcement and declaring that photographs of drivers running red lights are legitimate evidence in court. That case, People v. Goldsmith, is scheduled to go before the state Supreme Court in 2013.

Yang, based in BB&K's Sacramento office, has served as the city attorney to Paso Robles since 1994. More recently, she has been heavily involved in litigation focused on the fall-out from the end of redevelopment agencies in California.

In League of California cities et al. v. Ana J. Matosantos, et al, she is representing the League of California Cities in challenging the penalty provisions of AB 1484 on constitutional grounds. AB 1484 was intended to clean up last year's redevelopment agency dissolution bill but instead has created additional widespread confusion and spawned dozens of lawsuits.

In another case, Yang obtained a preliminary injunction against the state from imposing any penalties on the Town of Apple Valley for the redevelopment successor agency's refusal to make a payment that the successor agency said it didn't owe the state.

She also represented Galt in a case where the state agreed that Sacramento County could release money to Galt's redevelopment successor agency to make bond payments. Yang also represents the Morgan Hill Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit corporation established by the city of Morgan Hill, in challenging the state controller's determination that the corporation should return certain properties and money to the Morgan Hill successor agency.

Carvalho became city attorney for Santa Ana in April under a unique hybrid city attorney role. Carvalho became a contract employee with the city but performs all the duties of an in-house city attorney, a move that was aimed to save the city from paying her health and retirement benefits. Carvalho, who has served as city attorney to several cities across Southern California during a 20-year legal career, remained a BB&K partner.