Business Law

I enjoy working with individuals and small- to mid-size businesses, including both start-ups and ongoing businesses.

• Commercial Banks & Loans
• Commercial Leasing

• Business Successions
• Buying & Selling
• Closely Held Businesses
• Corporations
• Directors' & Officers' Liability
• Franchising
• Joint Ventures
• Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
• Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures
• Partnerships
• Shareholders' Rights

• Breach of Contract
• Contract Disputes
• Contract Drafting & Review
• Employment Contracts
• Franchises
• Non-Compete Contracts
• Secured Transactions
• Uniform Commercial Code

CA, Nov 1978
Bar Number: 82015

California State Supreme Court, United States District Court for the Central District of California.

American Bar Association, California State Bar, Los Angeles County Bar Association.

I always exceed the required amount of continuing education hours.

I authored or contributed to a number of articles published between 1985 and 1995, including several articles on recent developments in California Corporate and Securities Law, supporting continuing legal education panel discussions in which I participated as a speaker, primarily for the California State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

I have handled a wide range of issues and transactions for a variety of businesses, including a computer workstation manufacturer, computer software designer, retail auto parts dealer, interior design firm, packager of international travel, insurance companies, and securities brokers and agents, as well as California securities issues for various publicly and privately held companies, including a foreign producer of beer and wine products.

I have handled formation of new businesses and dissolution of old ones, day-to-day contract matters (including, for example, equipment purchase and sale transactions, employment and independent contractor agreements, shareholder voting and buy-sell agreements, software, trademark and product design licensing agreements, and nondisclosure agreements) and mergers and acquisitions.

While I no longer handle public company matters (except as California counsel to another law firm), I spent the first 15 years of my practice as part of large teams of lawyers representing public companies in major business transactions and securities offerings. Having served as general counsel of a franchise company, I have experience with a variety of franchise license matters. Additionally, I have acted as corporate counsel in the context of litigation and bankruptcy matters.

1

California

My solo practice seeks to provide high-quality, personalized service to business clients in non-litigation matters. I enjoy the opportunity to develop a long-term relationship with a client, during which I can come to understand the client's business and history and incorporate that understanding into my advice.

I established my firm in 1993, after practicing for 15 years in several very large law firms (having from 100 to 1,300 lawyers in offices around the world) and in a corporate setting. I wanted to be able to provide more personalized service to clients, free from management pressure to bill extremely high numbers of hours each month.

Vice President and General Counsel, PIP Printing, 1992; Partner and Chair, California Corporate Department, Katten, Muchin & Zavis 1991-92 (established by lawyers from the dissolved firm of Wyman Bautzer Kuchel & Silbert); Partner, Corporate Department, Wyman Bautzer Kuchel & Silbert 1987-91 (when the firm dissolved); Partner 1987 and Associate 1982-87, Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue; Associate, Tuttle & Taylor 1978-82.

Member, Corporate Securities Law Advisory Committee, California Department of Corporations 1993-94; Los Angeles County Bar Association (Member, Business and Corporations Section 1978-present); American Bar Association (Member, Business Law Section 1978-present, Franchise Law Forum 1992-96); State Bar of California (Member, Business Law Section 1978-present, Executive Committee 1993-94, Corporations Committee 1990-93, Chair 1992-93, Vice-Chair 1991-92, Legislative Liaison 1990-91); Women Lawyers' Association of Los Angeles (Member, Board of Governors, 1980-84; Recording Secretary 1983-84, Treasurer 1982-83); Loyola Law School Alumni Association (Member, Board of Governors, 1978-84; President, 1982-83, Vice-President, 1981-82, Chair, Career Planning and Placement, 1978-82).

(323) 935-5435

Monday through Friday
9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Other times, including weekends, by appointment.

I frequently check my voicemail and e-mail and return messages left outside regular business hours promptly.

No

I don't generally offer fixed price services, particularly when the client relationship is new. The time involved on most transactions can vary too greatly based on a number of factors, including the client's level of preparation and the reasonableness of the other parties involved in the transactions. I am willing, on occasion, though, to consider fixed fees for certain more predictable services, such as the incorporation of a new business.

$260 per hour plus costs.

I offer a free initial consultation of one-half hour, by telephone only, primarily to determine whether I can handle the matter and the client wishes to work with me; this free consultation does not include the review of documents or specific discussion of recommendations for the client's transaction.

If the client wishes a further limited consultation, including review of documents, before formally retaining me, that consultation can be arranged, by appointment, upon receipt of prepayment of the estimated time to review and discuss those documents (up to two hours at $300 per hour, inclusive of any costs that may be incurred).

I require a retainer in an amount that is anticipated to cover the first month's services, generally ranging from $1,500 to $5,000. Particularly if the matter is complex or expected to continue over a period of months, I will require that the retainer be replenished at the end of each month.