Jee Young You is our Latest Featured Speaker!

jee young you

Our latest Featured Speaker is Jee Young You from Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP!

We are pleased to have Jee Young You speak again at our upcoming 14th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp in San Francisco on May 18, 2018. Jee Young has spoken at several of our past Federal Court Boot Camps and seminar love her insight and handouts!

Jee Young You is a litigator who represents institutional and individual clients in class actions and other high-stakes commercial lawsuits. For more than ten years, Ms. You has represented a wide range of clients, including large financial institutions, corporate officers, high technology companies, and food and beverage companies. Ms. You has broad experience in a variety of areas, including securities fraud, consumer protection and banking regulations (Fair Lending, TILA/Regulation Z, FCRA, FDCPA, BSA/AML, and GLBA), class actions, and civil rights. Additionally, she has experience with regulatory, compliance, and investigative matters involving the OCC, the CFPB, the DOJ, and state attorneys general.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. You was counsel at an international law firm, and was seconded to the in-house legal department of JPMorgan Chase Consumer & Community Banking, where she was a member of the Chase Initiatives investigations and regulatory enforcement group.

At the firm, Ms. You has helped cultivate the WomenConnect program, which provides a forum for San Francisco Bay Area women lawyers and senior-level clients to network and learn from each other. She is also a member of the board of the Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco.

Ms. You also maintains an active pro bono practice representing indigent individuals and public interest groups in civil rights matters, with a focus on LGBTQ, immigration, and benefits rights. She filed several amicus briefs in high-profile cases such as In re Marriage Cases and Perry v. Schwarzenegger before the California Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and the US District Court for the District of California. Recently, she filed an action to enjoin the disruption of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamp) benefits in the event of a government shutdown.

Ms. You is proficient in spoken and written Korean.

Alaina Fotiu-Wojtowicz is our Latest Featured Speaker!

alaina

Our latest featured speaker is Alaina Fotiu-Wojtowicz, Esq. of Brodsky Fotiu-Wojtowicz!

Alaina Fotiu-Wojtowicz will speak at our Circuit Court Boot Camp in Fort Lauderdale on June 1, 2018.

Ms. Fotiu-Wojtowicz is a founding shareholder of BFW, is an experienced trial lawyer, and has tried cases in federal and state court. She has won numerous multi-million dollar jury verdicts for her clients in both commercial and personal injury cases. She represents corporations, business entities, and individuals in a variety of complex commercial business disputes, and routinely represents individuals who have suffered life altering personal injuries.

Prior to founding the firm, she was a partner at the litigation boutique, Michael S. Olin, P.A., where she focused her practice on personal injury and complex commercial litigation. Ms. Fotiu-Wojtowicz began her career by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Ms. Fotiu-Wojtowicz serves on the Adjunct Faculty at the University of Miami School of Law where she teaches an upper level course on Florida Civil Procedure and a seminar on Voting Rights and Election Law.

Ms. Fotiu-Wojtowicz is active in the South Florida community. She currently serves on the board of directors of the South Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, sits on the Leadership Counsel for POSSE Miami, chairs the board of directors for Seraphic Fire, and captains numerous tennis teams in leagues sanctioned by the USTA and WTT.

John Killacky is Our Latest Featured Speaker!

featured speaker

Our latest featured speaker is John Killacky, Esq. of Momkus McCluskey LLC!

John is experienced in litigation and transactions, and will speak at our Federal Court Boot Camp in Chicago on April 6, 2018.

We are happy to have John speak for us again. He was on the Chicago panels for our Advanced Litigation Techniques seminar, and our 7th and 8th Annual Federal Court Boot Camps. Attendees appreciated his effective use of personal experiences in the cases presented.

John has served in senior positions as both in-house and outside counsel. This potent combination has instilled in John a broad appreciation for how to best partner with clients to achieve their objectives.

Before joining Momkus McCluskey, John spent over eight years as General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel of a publicly-traded property and casualty insurance holding company. While in-house, John oversaw a number of high-stakes litigation matters and guided the company through several large M&A and financing transactions. John also served as the company’s Privacy and Chief Compliance Officer, charged with ensuring compliance with SEC and NASDAQ regulations, state insurance laws, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and other requirements. John has substantial experience providing practical legal and business advice to clients on a variety of substantive issues.

Prior to working in-house, John was a litigation partner with a large international law firm where he gained first and second chair trial experience in commercial, securities, employment, products liability and other complex litigation matters. John has considerable experience conducting internal investigations and has also represented clients responding to subpoenas and investigations by government agencies. John was also a partner with an entrepreneurial litigation boutique in Chicago.

In addition to his litigation practice, John provides insurance regulatory and corporate transactional services. Before pursuing a career in law, John attended the United States Naval Academy and served for five years as a surface warfare officer.

Lauriann Wright is our latest Featured Speaker

lauriann wright

Our latest featured speaker is Lauriann Wright of Wright Kim Douglas ALC!

Lauriann is an experienced probate litigator and estate planner who will speak at our Professional Fiduciaries: The Nuts and Bolts seminar in Los Angeles on March 9, 2018.

Lauriann first spoke for us last year at the Probate Litigation seminar. Attendees praised her excellent insight, humor, and engaging presentation.

Lauriann has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation for the past 20 years. Her experience includes conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties. She was named a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for six consecutive years, from 2012 through 2018. In 2016, Best Lawyers listed Lauriann as one of “The Best Lawyers in America” in Litigation. National Advocates recently named Lauriann as a member of the Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers.

Jim Allen is our latest Featured Speaker

Jim Allen is our latest Featured Speaker!

Jim is a retired Assistant County Attorney for Miami Dade County and has been sharing his experience with our attendees since 2014, when he first spoke at our Circuit Court Boot Camp in Ft. Lauderdale. Since then, Jim has been a frequent speakers at many of our litigation programs. Most recently, he spoke at Mastering the Deposition and Brief Writing in Ft. Lauderdale. Next year, Jim will join us again for our 5th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp in Ft. Lauderdale.

In addition to providing excellent tips and litigation strategies, Jim always provides thorough handouts and additional materials that attendees rave about.

Jim Allen
Former Assistant County Attorney, Miami-Dade County

Jim was Chief of Training and Development, while continuing to maintain a full caseload in state personal injury and federal civil rights actions.

As a litigator, Jim has practiced extensively in federal and state court at both trial and appellate levels. He has litigated and tried numerous cases involving serious wrongful death and civil rights allegations, including a taking action claiming in excess of 100 million dollars in damages. Jim has also handled numerous state and federal appeals, including a case filed in the U.S. Supreme Court.

After law school, Jim clerked for the Honorable James R. Jorgenson, Florida Third District Court of Appeals.  Jim is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, J.D., Cum Laude, 1980.

Harry Chamberlain is our Newest Featured Speaker

Harry Chamberlain of Buchalter Nemer P.C. is our latest Featured Speaker!

Harry is another Appellate Specialist who will be speaking at the upcoming Advanced Appellate Conference in January.

Harry first spoke for us back in 2012. Harry was a joy to work with and attendees loved his presentation. He has been back to speak at multiple appellate seminars, including our 2016 and 2017 Advanced Appellate Conferences and our 2017 Exam Prep course in Appellate law.

Harry Chamberlain II
Buchalter Nemer P.C.

Harry Chamberlain co-chairs the Appellate and Complex Litigation Practice Group at Buchalter Nemer, P.C. with regional offices across California. Harry is an experienced litigator who has represented Fortune 500 companies, public and private sector clients in complex litigation for 35 years. His trial and arbitration practice focuses on the representation of business, professional and public entity clients with special concentration in post-trial remedies, writs and appeals.

He is certified as an Appellate Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, having argued hundreds of appeals in state and federal courts around the country, including numerous cases before the California Supreme Court and the highest courts of other jurisdictions.

Before joining Buchalter Nemer, Harry’s experience included in-house corporate practice as general counsel, and managing the law department of major market U.S. liability insurers and financial service companies.

Harry serves on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is past president of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and California Defense Counsel, preeminent regional associations of civil defense trial attorneys.

Robin Meadow is our Newest Featured Speaker

Robin Meadow of Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP is our latest Featured Speaker!

Robin first spoke at one of our appellate seminars in 2008 and has been a regular ever since. Seminar attendees continually rave about his teaching style and the excellent handouts he provides.

In addition to being a Certified Appellate Specialist, Robin is also well-versed in the use of technology during an appeal. Attendees always appreciate his discussion about technology during our seminars. Robin has spoken at The Complete Appeal and the Advanced Appellate Roundtable multiple times. Coming up in January, Robin will be at our Third Annual Advanced Appellate Conference, where he has spoken each year.

Robin Meadow
Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP

Few appellate specialists have successfully tried a jury case. Robin Meadow tried jury cases for over 20 years at a major commercial firm, while also handling appeals, in many fields of law. Over time, he realized that it’s nearly impossible to excel at both trials and appeals, because the skill sets and practice rhythms differ completely and often clash. Concluding that his greatest strengths lay in appellate work, Robin joined GMSR in 1994, handling his last trial late that year.

Robin’s trial-court experience gives him a unique perspective on appellate work. He understands the demands and pressures trial lawyers face and the many ways that things can go wrong in the trial court. And he is very much at home consulting with trial lawyers during trial, helping them protect their appellate record so they’re well positioned to either preserve a victory or overturn a defeat.

Robin’s practice at GMSR continues the substantive focus he developed in his earlier years business disputes, real estate, partnerships, and probate and entertainment law.  But, like most appellate lawyers, he is a generalist and at GMSR has also handled multiple significant appeals involving healthcare, family law, personal injury and bankruptcy.

He is also an expert in technology for appellate lawyers and courts. A pioneer in the use of electronic records and briefs, Robin co-authored the California Second District Court of Appeals first protocol for electronic briefs (since adopted by other California Courts of Appeal), and he filed the first electronic brief ever accepted by a California appellate court.

When he isn’t practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading about history and playing bass guitar in a rock band.

 

Philip Talmadge is our latest Featured Speaker!

Philip Talmadge is our latest Featured Speaker!

Phil first spoke for us at our Advanced Appellate Roundtable in Seattle back in 2013 and then again in 2016.  As a former Washington State Supreme Court justice, Phil offers attendees great insight, which was very much appreciated by them.

Coming up, Phil will be at our 2nd Annual Appellate Conference to share his unique perspective.  Thanks, Phil for coming back to speak again and again – we all appreciate it!

Philip Talmadge, Esq.
Talmadge/Fitzpatrick/Tribe

Phil Talmadge is a former Washington Supreme Court Justice.

He is a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and the Washington State Appellate Lawyers Association.  Phil has been named Super Lawyer in Washington Law & Politics and was a Washington State Senator.

He practices exclusively in the areas of Appellate Law and Attorney Ethics.  Phil received his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from the University of Washington and has been an attorney since 1976.

Efrat Cogan is our latest Featured Speaker!

Efrat Cogan is our latest Featured Speaker!

Effie first spoke for us at our first Appellate Law Specialist Exam Prep Course in 2013 and again in 2015.  Effie is highly experienced in appellate law and provides valuable insight for our attendees.

Recently Effie spoke at our Advanced Appellate Program in Los Angeles.  Coming up, Effie will be speaking at our Appellate Law Specialist Exam Prep program coming up in Los Angeles.

Efrat Cogan
Buchalter Nemer

Ms. Cogan is a California State Bar Certified Appellate Specialist.

Efrat M. Cogan is Senior Counsel in the firm’s Litigation and Appellate Practice Groups in Los Angeles. Ms. Cogan is certified as an Appellate Specialist by the California State Bar of Legal Specialization. Her practice areas encompass appellate, real estate and construction, copyright and unfair competition, class actions, professional liability, governmental and constitutional law.

Ms. Cogan has written “Executive Nonacquiescence: Problems of Statutory Interpretation and Separation of Powers,” 60 Southern California Law Review 1143, 1987. She has contributed to the California Municipal Law Handbook, published by the California League of Cities, and has co-authored “The ‘Empire’ Strikes Back: Effective Use of the False Claims Act” (2005).

Ms. Cogan has been selected as one of Southern California’s Super Lawyers nine times (2004-2006 and 2008-2013) and was also selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer, Corporate Counsel Edition from 2009 to 2010. She currently serves on the California State Bar’s Advisory Commission.

Ms. Cogan earned her J.D. at the University of Southern California, where she was a staff member and articles editor for the Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif. She received her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Jennifer Post named one of the 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in Los Angeles

Congratulations to our friend Jennifer Post of Thompson Coburn, LLP, for her recognition as one of the 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in Los Angeles!

Jennifer is a long-time friend of Faith Pincus’ and a top-notch attorney.  We’re excited to see her recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal.  You can learn more about Jennifer here.

As a Partner in the firm’s Corporate and Securities practice, Jennifer Post serves as primary outside counsel to a variety of individuals, institutions and companies, including entrepreneurs, startups and investors, as well as domestic and international public companies.

Jennifer represents companies and investors in a wide range of corporate transactions, among them mergers and acquisitions, capital raising transactions, secured lending, debt and equity restructuring and intellectual property protection.

A prolific speaker and media commentator, Jennifer was recently profiled in the California Lawyer’s M&A Roundtable. Additionally, Jennifer has presented at the Metropole Global Crowdfunding Conference, NextGen’s Entrepreneurship & Global Crowdfunding Forum, Digital Hollywood events, the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the American Bar Association, among others.

Prior to joining Thompson Coburn, Jennifer was a partner with Raines Feldman, a partner at Edwards & Angell (now Locke Lord), an international law firm, and began her career with Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, a leading high tech and venture capital firm in Boston. She also previously founded Post Law Group, PC, a boutique corporate and securities law firm.