Practice Areas

Our lawyers are well aware that the road to future business is paved with successful and cost-effective results from past and ongoing cases. We understand that the more expeditiously and effectively we are able to resolve cases, the more satisfied our clients will be.

Steve Soltman and Harriet Hoffler have extensive experience in the area of employment matters including wage and hour laws, wrongful discharge, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, employee discipline and termination, contracts, personnel policies, and employee benefit matters such as executive compensation, pension, profit sharing, retirement and medical and welfare benefit programs. These individuals have handled numerous hearings and lawsuits on behalf of a wide variety of large and small employers, and have extensive experience in DFEH, EEOC and Labor Board hearings in both state and federal court actions.

The Professional Liability Department is led by Daniel Emanuel, Ralph Palmer and Stephen Flaherty. Either through direct representation or through the engagement by the professional’s insurance carrier, the firm represents, among others, attorneys, insurance agents and brokers, architects, financial planners, accountants, realtors, mortgage brokers, home inspectors, receivers, health care providers and other professionals through trial, arbitration and mediation. The extent of the firm’s representation of attorneys, physicians, and nursing facilities is broad. The firm has worked for major underwriters of legal and medical malpractice insurance policies and has successfully defended attorneys, physicians, nurses, and physical therapists charged with professional negligence.

The Professional Liability Department is lead by Daniel Emanuel, Ralph Palmer and Stephen Flaherty. Either through direct representation or through the engagement by the professional’s insurance carrier, the firm represents, among others, attorneys, insurance agents and brokers, architects, financial planners, accountants, realtors, mortgage brokers, home inspectors, receivers, health care providers and other professionals through trial, arbitration and mediation. The extent of the firm’s representation of attorneys, physicians, and nursing facilities is broad. The firm has worked for major underwriters of legal and medical malpractice insurance policies and has successfully defended attorneys, physicians, nurses, and physical therapists charged with professional negligence.

Daniel Emanuel, Ralph Palmer and Robert Morris lead the Insurance Litigation and Coverage Department. We represent insurers in complex, large exposure coverage disputes, providing coverage analyses, opinions and litigation services. We pride ourselves on vigorous and efficient advocacy as well as a cost-efficient results oriented approach, well suited to our clients' needs. Steve, Ralph Palmer and Bob have more than eighty years of combined experience in litigation and coverage matters, which includes the representation of insureds, insurance companies, professionals, insurance brokers, and underwriters in both the first and third party contexts. We represent insurers in coverage and bad faith litigation and provide opinions and advice involving insurance coverage and litigation in all lines, including general liability, professional liability, homeowners, title, disability, accident and health, motor truck cargo, inland marine, multi-peril business, customized (“manuscript”) and excess policies. We represent insurers in claims arising under first party property policies, including concurrent causation issues, as well as losses due to mold, pollution, soils subsidence, fire, theft and fraud. The firm has substantial experience in the handling of general liability claims, cargo and physical damage claims, habitability claims, homeowners’ association claims and all areas of business and real estate litigation.

All members of the firm have litigated and defended hundreds of third party actions in areas such as medical malpractice, premises liability, mold exposure, automobile, slip and fall, employment, insurance bad faith, subsidence, wrongful evictions, child abuse, business matters and many other areas.

Daniel Emanuel, Ralph Palmer and Harriet Hoffler have extensive experience in the area of insurance subrogation and indemnity, both in defending insureds in those matters and pursuing such actions against third parties. Between them, they have handled over 350 subrogation and indemnity matters on behalf of insurance carriers and their insureds.