Esm Law Firm

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13 Years

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(925) 827-3300Visit WebsiteMap & Directions2300 Contra Costa BlvdPleasant Hill, CA 94523 Write a Review

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Esm Law Firm

Child Abuse
For over 30 years, James’ practice has emphasized insurance and public entity defense, including the representation of cities, counties, school districts, community college districts, sanitary districts, and BART. He has defended civil rights actions, claims of wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and hostile work environment, police excessive force matters, violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, dangerous condition of public property claims, serious personal injury, and wrongful death actions, child abuse/sexual assault cases, claims brought pursuant to Title IX, IDEA and 504, wage and hour labor violations, complex litigation involving construction defect and asbestos, breach of construction contract/delay claims, stop notice matters and insurance declaratory relief actions. He has also represented local Housing Authorities in unlawful detainer actions.

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Phone: (925) 926-1300

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Attorneys, Accident & Property Damage Attorneys, Business Law Attorneys, Business Litigation Attorneys, Construction Law Attorneys, Criminal Law Attorneys, Employment Discrimination Attorneys, General Practice Attorneys, Landlord & Tenant Attorneys, Personal Injury Law Attorneys, Professional Liability & Negligence Law Attorneys, Real Estate Attorneys, Sexual Harassment Attorneys, Wrongful Death Attorneys

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Phone: (925) 827-3300

Address: 2300 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

Website: http://www.esmlawfirm.com

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Esm Law Firm

Child Abuse
For over 30 years, James’ practice has emphasized insurance and public entity defense, including the representation of cities, counties, school districts, community college districts, sanitary districts, and BART. He has defended civil rights actions, claims of wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and hostile work environment, police excessive force matters, violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, dangerous condition of public property claims, serious personal injury, and wrongful death actions, child abuse/sexual assault cases, claims brought pursuant to Title IX, IDEA and 504, wage and hour labor violations, complex litigation involving construction defect and asbestos, breach of construction contract/delay claims, stop notice matters and insurance declaratory relief actions. He has also represented local Housing Authorities in unlawful detainer actions.

Criminal Defense
Associate - Ms. Saal received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Washington in 2009. She received her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco in 2012. She graduated earning Certificates with Distinction in both Litigation and Criminal Law. She was admitted to the California Bar in 2012. During law school, Ms. Saal participated in Mock Trial, competing in a national competition, and took first place in the Spring 2011 Appellate Advocacy Competition. She also earned several academic awards, including the Witkin Award for the highest grade in Evidence.
Wrongful Death
Li, et al. v. Georgiou, et al. (Nevada County, Superior Court, Case No. NCU14-0001): This wrongful death action arose out of an auto v. pedestrian accident that occurred on Interstate 80 near Soda Springs, California. Roadway conditions were ice and snow. While negotiating a sweeping right turn at 50-60 mph, defendant lost control of his vehicle and slid onto the shoulder of the road. Earlier, another driver had lost control of his car, and collided with a snow embankment on the shoulder of the road. Decedent (female, age 41) was a passenger in that car and was standing on the shoulder. When defendant lost control of his vehicle, he struck decedent, causing her death. The police report concluded that defendant was the primary cause of the accident for traveling too fast for conditions and driving on a suspended driver’s license. The accident was referred to the District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal prosecution. During the civil trial, plaintiffs, the husband and son of decedent, asked the jury to award $6,000,000 in economic damages for loss of financial support, benefits and household services, and $8,000,000 apiece in non-economic damages for a total award of $22,000,000. Mr. Marzan argued that plaintiffs’ economic damages be awarded per the analysis of the defense economist, who opined that the damages ranged from $400,000 to $750,000, depending on work life expectancy tables. As to non-economic damages, Mr. Marzan argued that a like amount would be fair and reasonable. The jury agreed with Mr. Marzan. After set-offs, the net award to plaintiffs was $371,500.
Sex Crimes
Assault
James has substantial trial experience. He has had numerous court and jury trials in Superior Court and briefing and oral argument in the California Court of Appeal. He handled the landmark “Vandal Watch” Wage and Hours Litigation for Fremont Unified School District, obtaining a 12-0 defense verdict. In a clear liability, wrongful death case tried in Nevada County where the plaintiffs’ attorney asked the jury to award $22 million, James obtained a verdict in the low six figures. He also successfully defended a school district employee against allegations of assault and battery by a special education student who demanded $12 million during a jury trial in Fresno County Superior Court.
Murder

Business and Corporate Law

Business Disputes
Ms. Saal has conducted several lectures and presentations regarding the Unruh Act and its application to public schools, most recently for Pepperdine University, Graziadio Business School, business law class (Political, Regulatory, Ethical and Legal Issues of Business).
Business Transactions

Wrongful Termination
Our law firm emphasizes casualty defense for public entities, businesses, individuals, and school districts. The principals of the firm have greater than one hundred years of litigation experience, defending public entities in cases involving dangerous conditions of public property, police excessive force, race and sex discrimination and harassment, employment discrimination, civil rights and inverse condemnation. We also represent insureds in cases involving products liability, complex construction defects, construction site accidents, wrongful death, automobile collisions, premises liability, wrongful termination, real estate transactions, bad faith litigation, commercial transactions and contracts.
Employment Discrimination
As an attorney, Ms. Saal’s practice emphasizes public entity defense in state and federal court, primarily on behalf of public school districts, handling cases involving personal injury, sexual abuse, alleged civil rights violations, cases involving special education issues, negligent supervision, dangerous condition of public property, and employment discrimination/retaliation/harassment.
Sexual Harassment
Partner emeritus - Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, University of California at Los Angeles, 1972. Juris Doctor Degree, Hastings College of Law, University of California, 1976. Mr. Edrington's practice is in public entity defense throughout the greater Bay Area, including counties, cities, school districts, BART, East Bay MUD, sanitary and water districts, park and recreation districts, housing authorities and utility districts. He has handled numerous high profile and politically sensitive cases. Cases tried to verdict include wrongful death claims, catastrophic automobile accidents, dangerous condition claims against numerous public entities, civil rights, landslide, property damage, construction, discrimination as to employment, hostile work environment as well as gender/race/sexual preference, whistleblower claims and cases alleging violations of FAPE, 401 Plans, IEPs as well as IDEA. He has represented police departments throughout the Bay Area as well as state and county law enforcement agencies. He has provided advanced officer training to police in the area of civil liability, excessive force, racial discrimination, high-speed pursuits, report writing, and has taught at the Los Medanos Police Academy. He has represented numerous public officials, including Superior Court Judges, School Superintendents and Board Members, the District Attorney, Chiefs of Police, Mayors and Councilpersons. He has lectured at the annual Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) Conference on developments in recent case law concerning county, municipal and school district liability. He has spoken before the Association of Bay Area Governments, County Risk Managers and Public Works Directors as well as East Bay Adjusters on dangerous condition of public roads, highways and sidewalks. He has addressed Northern California PARMA on a variety of litigation issues, and has been the featured speaker for the Bay Area City Attorneys (BACA) and the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO). He has lectured county department heads on sexual harassment in the workplace as well as hostile work environment. Mr. Edrington has tried numerous cases to juries in both State and Federal courts and has had hundreds of court trials and judicial arbitrations. He has argued cases in both State and Federal Courts of Appeal. He has an AV Preeminent rating through Martindale-Hubbell and, for many consecutive years prior to his retirement, was honored as a Northern California Super Lawyer, a distinction limited to only 5% of lawyers in Northern California.

Premises Liability
Cum laude, from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1985. During law school, Mr. Murphy earned membership in the prestigious McAuliffe Honor Society and was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for the highest grade in Constitutional Law. He was admitted to the California Bar in December 1985. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Northern, Central and Eastern Districts. Mr. Murphy's practice emphasizes defense litigation, representing public entities, businesses, and individuals. His scope of practice includes civil rights litigation, dangerous conditions of public property, alleged excessive force by police and correctional officers, employment discrimination, sexual abuse claims, premises liability, including commercial establishments and public accommodations, construction site accidents, automobile accidents, and representation of landlords in tenancy disputes. He regularly represents public school districts and their employees in cases involving employment discrimination and harassment, school site injuries, negligent supervision, dangerous conditions of public property, sexual abuse by students or staff, FAPE, IDEA, and cases involving 504 Plans, IEPs and/or failures of plaintiffs to exhaust administrative remedies related to special education issues. He has represented the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation and its employees as well as cities, contractors, developers, and individuals involved in civil litigation. He represents clients throughout the State and has successfully resolved cases in jury trials in State and Federal courts, in court trials, through dispositive motions, in binding arbitration, in mediation, and through direct negotiations. Mr. Murphy has successfully briefed cases in the California Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court and has argued before panels of the California Court of Appeal. He has lectured and provided training to various groups based on his areas of practice, including recent presentations concerning the firm’s success in the Court of Appeal and California Supreme Court, wherein it was determined that California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act is not applicable to public school districts. The decision has far-reaching implications and protects public school districts from the Unruh Act’s remedies, including treble damages and attorney’s fees.
Construction Litigation
Founding partner - Bachelor of Arts Degree, Stanford University, 1976. Juris Doctor Degree, University of San Diego, 1979. Admitted to California Bar, 1979. Mr. Schirmer’s practice emphasizes the defense of serious personal injury, commercial liability, construction defect, and public entity actions. His public entity practice includes defense of claims of the dangerous condition of public property involving wrongful death, claims of civil rights violations against public employees, claims of alleged excessive force against police officers, including police shooting cases, and claims against municipalities for alleged dangerous daycare practices. His practice includes all Bay Area Superior courts, resolving hundreds of cases through mediation and arbitration, including complex, multi-party mediation work with special masters, with over fifteen jury trials and briefing and oral argument in the California Court of Appeal. Mr. Schirmer has been an invited presenter at the annual NorCal ReLiEF Defense Counsel Summit on the topic of school district molestation claims. His volunteer work has included sitting as a Trial Judge for the local high school moot court competitions. Mr. Schirmer has also served as Judge Pro Tem, Contra Costa Superior Court, and as Arbitrator for the Contra Costa Superior Court.
Real Estate Transactions
Landlord-Tenant Disputes
Of counsel - Bachelor of Science Degree, cum laude, Saint Mary's College of California, 1986. Master in Business Administration, University of Southern California, 1988. Chancellor, Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity. Juris Doctor Degree, John F. Kennedy School of Law, 1992. American Jurisprudence Award Constitutional Law. Admitted to California Bar, 1993. Mr. Williams’ practice emphasizes insurance defense, public entity defense, and landlord-tenant law. This includes personal injury, premises liability, construction defect litigation, and landlord-tenant disputes. His practice includes trials, arbitration, and mediation in California court actions. Mr. Williams also acts as an arbitrator for the California Better Business Bureau.
Property Damage
Associate - Native of Contra Costa County- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 2002. Juris Doctorate, with Highest Honors from Golden Gate University in 2006. Admitted to the California Bar in 2007. Ms. Symonds clerked for Justices Patricia Sepulveda and Maria Rivera, State of California, First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco. Ms. Symonds has over ten years’ experience as an insurance defense attorney, representing Corporate entities and public agencies. For the past three years, Ms. Symonds was one of the managing attorneys of the Law Offices of Santana, Vierra & Symonds. As part of her practice, Ms. Symonds has successfully won several motions for summary judgment in third party criminal conduct cases, premises liability and products liability cases. Ms. Symonds has successfully tried cases to verdict as a first chair. Ms. Symonds obtained a defense verdict in a binding arbitration, wherein her client was accused of causing millions of dollars in property damage. Currently, Ms. Symonds handles insurance defense and public entity defense primarily on behalf of cities and school districts.

Personal Injury
This personal injury action arose out of an automobile versus pedestrian accident which occurred while plaintiff was crossing a street within a marked crosswalk at an uncontrolled intersection, while pulling a wagon in which her grandson, aged 2, was riding. Plaintiff suffered catastrophic injuries; exposure may well have exceeded Twenty Million Dollars. The grandson was also injured. Plaintiffs alleged the intersection was dangerous by having a marked crosswalk at a busy, uncontrolled intersection crossing multiple lanes of travel.

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