Responsible for the overall management and direction of Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS). This includes grant management, regulatory compliance with all funders; personnel management and budgets.

I was responsible for carrying out company wide directives, the professional development of the legal staff, in-house training and executive operations.

As the manager of this unit I was responsible for supervising one attorney, four paralegals and two intake screeners. The unit was responsible for staffing the housing hotline and overseeing two court based projects. that represents low-income clients in civil poverty law, primarily housing issues. The hotline handled approximately 2,500 calls a year. Through the Tenant Landlord Assistance Program (TLAP) represented over 950 clients in court on eviction proceedings.

Focused law practice on estate planning. Obtained a license to sell life insurance from the State of California, as well as series 6 and 63 licenses from the NASD. On the Riverside County Superior Court’s approved list for appointment to contested guardianship and Conservatorship cases. Able to resolve most of these court appointed cases without the need for a trial, however, did conduct three contested bench trials during this time. Of the three matters that proceeded to trial: represented a father trying to defeat a claim of abandonment/severance of parental relationship; a mother seeking to terminate a guardianship and an elderly man attempting to defeat being placed into a Conservatorship. Maintained an independent contractor relationship with the Public Service Law Corporation (PSLC) working two days a month in the Hemet Court assisting low-income clients with their guardianship petitions/packets. Completed client paperwork and represented them in court in the hearing of the Petition. Conducted three civil jury trials to verdict. The first trial concerned real estate broker fraud, the second concerned a claim of assault and battery and the third was a nuisance case.

Firm focused on insurance defense of personal injury claims. Conducted/ defended hundreds of depositions, prepared for and conducted an estimated 30 arbitrations and made numerous court appearances at status conferences.

Emphasis on employment law. Served on the Legal Aid Society of Orange County’s referral panel for discrimination and wrongful termination cases receiving on average 50 referrals a month. Conducted two jury trials to verdict, both with favorable results for clients. In first jury trial represented a waitress in claims of sexual harassment against her manager/employer. In the second jury trial represented a Doctor accused of sexual harassment. Case was appealed on a procedural matter by the plaintiff that resulted in a published opinion, ultimately obtained a defense verdict on behalf of my client. Argame v. Werasophon (1997) 57 Cal App 4th 616.

Reviewed pending law and motion matters, conducted the necessary legal research to resolve the issues presented by the motion, summarized the parties’ arguments and recommend a ruling for the Judge’s consideration. On average assigned eight motions a day. During this time the department prepared an in-house manual that established the key considerations of evaluating motions from the judges’ perspective and prepared the chapter for the pre-judgment right to attach orders.

Associate attorney for a firm that focused upon insurance defense conducting depositions, prepared responses to written discovery and attended court appearances.

Firm represented Alta Dena Certified Dairy. Worked on food products liability cases and testified in the matter of “Consumers Union v. Alta Dena Certified Dairy.” Case eventually went all the way to the California State Supreme Court. It is a landmark case in the law regarding false advertisement, Business and Professions Code §§ 17200 and 17500.

I served as an airborne infantryman (paratrooper) for four years. After basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri I completed both Advanced Infantry and Jump school at Ft. Benning Georgia. My first permanent duty station was Ft. Wainwright, Alaska where I was stationed for two years. I then transferred to Vicenza, Italy where I completed my tour of military service. I received an Honorable Discharge, the Good Conduct Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon.