I like to think of myself as a "strategic" lawyer, attempting to assist my clients in determining what they really want to accomplish, and then developing strategies to achieve those goals at an acceptable cost and with an appreciation of all of the risks involved.I am a trial lawyer, and have practiced law since 1989. My practice has focused primarily on seeking insurance recoveries for policyholders with environmental or toxic tort claims against them. That means I have asked insurance companies to pay the claims of these policyholders and, when necessary, have filed lawsuits against these companies to pay the claims. Most recently I have been acting as co-lead trial counsel on behalf of the State of California, obtaining a jury verdict after a two-month trial on behalf of the State for its liabilities relating to the Stringfellow Acid Pits located near Riverside, California. Since that jury verdict win, after two successful appeals on two critical issues, the case returned to the trial court. Along the way, we negotiated settlements with the thirty-plus insurance company defendants totaling more than $170 million for our client. I have also represented clients in constitutional tax and civil rights matters, have represented clients in entertainment, real estate, franchise and general business disputes, and have advised a variety of clients on trade secret and other intellectual property transactional matters.I have also been fortunate to have been able to use my intelligence and security training and knowledge to develop successful investigative and litigation strategies to quietly resolve sensitive employment disputes without negative publicity for my clients. Most significantly, I have been fortunate to have been mentored by attorneys with a wealth of experience and good common sense, and to them I am grateful.