San Diego Magazine / April 2007 / Best Lawyers - 2007

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Best Lawyers - 2007

More than 300 Top Attorneys, as Voted by Their Peers

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A Note from Woodward/White

THIS LIST IS EXCERPTED from the 2007 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the preeminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. Published since 1983, Best Lawyers lists attorneys in 77 specialties, representing all 50 states, who have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the nation’s top lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2007 edition of Best Lawyers is based on more than 1.7 million evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

The method used to compile Best Lawyers remains unchanged since the first edition was compiled more than 20 years ago. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion based solely on a vote of their peers. Listings cannot be bought, and no purchase is required to be included. In this regard, Best Lawyers remains the gold standard of reliability and integrity in lawyer ratings.

The nomination pool for the 2007 edition consisted of all lawyers whose names appeared in the previous edition of Best Lawyers, lawyers who were nominated since the previous survey, and new nominees solicited from listed attorneys. In general, lawyers were asked to vote only on nominees in their own specialty in their own jurisdiction. Lawyers in closely related specialties were asked to vote across specialties, as were lawyers in smaller jurisdictions. Where specialties are national or international in nature, lawyers were asked to vote nationally as well as locally. Voting lawyers were also given an opportunity to offer more detailed comments on nominees. Each year, half of the voting pool receives fax or e-mail ballots; the other half is polled by phone.

Voting lawyers were provided this general guideline for determining if a nominee should be listed among “the best”: “If you had a close friend or relative who needed a real estate lawyer (for example), and you could not handle the case yourself, to whom would you refer them?” All votes and comments were solicited with a guarantee of confidentiality—a critical factor in the viability and validity of Best Lawyers® surveys. To ensure the rigor of the selection process, lawyers were urged to use only their highest standards when voting, and to evaluate each nominee based only on his or her individual merits. The additional comments were used to make more accurate comparisons between voting patterns and weight votes accordingly. Best Lawyers uses various methodological tools to identify and correct for anomalies in both the nomination and voting process.

Ultimately, of course, a lawyer’s inclusion is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow attorneys. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, the breadth of the survey, the candor of the respondents and the sophistication of the polling methodology largely correct for any biases.

For all these reasons, Best Lawyers lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful guide to the best lawyers in the United States available anywhere.

Best Lawyers lists are available at bestlawyers.com. “Best Lawyers” and “The Best Lawyers in America” are registered trademarks of Woodward/White, Inc.

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ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Nancy O. Dix
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Scott S. Markus
Markus Kruis Mediation
402 West Broadway, Suite 700
San Diego, CA 92101
619-239-2020

Thomas E. Sharkey
Sharkey, Roberts & Chodzko
501 West Broadway, Suite 540
San Diego, CA 92101
619-239-8499

Maureen A. Summers
Summers & Shives
8755 Aero Drive, Suite 230
San Diego, CA 92123
858-874-1800

ANTITRUST LAW

Jeffery M. Shohet
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

APPELLATE LAW

Charles A. Bird
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps
600 West Broadway, Suite 2600
San Diego, CA 92101
619-236-1414

Kathryn E. Karcher
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

Lynda Ann Romero
5173 Waring Road, Suite 220
San Diego, CA 92120
619-286-6992

Charles M. Sevilla
The Law Office of Charles Sevilla
1010 Second Avenue, Suite 1825
San Diego, CA 92101-4902
619-232-2222

Lewis A. Wenzell
5070 Narragansett Avenue, Suite 303
San Diego, CA 92107
619-224-9422

BANKING LAW

Kurt L. Kicklighter
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps
600 West Broadway, Suite 2600
San Diego, CA 92101
619-236-1414

BANKRUPTCY & CREDITOR-DEBTOR RIGHTS LAW

Michael T. Andrew
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps
600 West Broadway, Suite 2600
San Diego, CA 92101
619-236-1414

Mikel R. Bistrow
Duane Morris
101 West Broadway, Suite 900
San Diego, CA 92101-8285
619-744-2200

Jeffry A. Davis
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo
9255 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 600
San Diego, CA 92121
858-320-3000

Margaret M. Mann
Heller Ehrman
4350 La Jolla Village Drive, Seventh Floor
San Diego, CA 92122-1246
858-450-8400

David L. Osias
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory
501 West Broadway, 15th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-1155

Victor A. Vilaplana
Foley & Lardner LLP
402 West Broadway, Suite 2100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-6655

Dennis J. Wickham
Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek
Symphony Towers, 750 B Street, Suite 2100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-685-3003

BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION

Robert S. Brewer Jr.
McKenna Long & Aldridge
750 B Street, Suite 3300
San Diego, CA 92101
619-595-5400

Gerald L. McMahon
Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek
Symphony Towers, 750 B Street, Suite 2100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-685-3003

David J. Noonan
Kirby, Noonan, Lance & Hoge
600 West Broadway, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-8666

Michael J. Weaver
Latham & Watkins
600 West Broadway, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101-3375
619-238-3012

BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW

L. Kay Chandler
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Thomas A. Coll
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Lisa A. Haile
DLA Piper
4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92121-2133
858-677-1400

Anthony M. Insogna
Jones Day
12265 El Camino Real, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92130-2083
858-314-1200

Richard A. Kaufman
Heller Ehrman
4350 La Jolla Village Drive, Seventh Floor
San Diego, CA 92122-1246
858-450-8400

Kate H. Murashige
Morrison & Foerster
12531 High Bluff Drive, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92130-2040
858-720-5100

Frederick T. Muto
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Faye H. Russell
Latham & Watkins
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92130
858-523-5400

CIVIL RIGHTS LAW

Michael R. Marrinan
614 Fifth Avenue, Suite D
San Diego, CA 92101
619-238-6900

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

William S. Boggs
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

Robert S. Brewer Jr.
McKenna Long & Aldridge
750 B Street, Suite 3300
San Diego, CA 92101
619-595-5400

Douglas M. Butz
Butz, Dunn, DeSantis & Bingham
101 West Broadway, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-4777

Luke R. Corbett
Butz, Dunn, DeSantis & Bingham
101 West Broadway, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-4777

Charles H. Dick Jr.
Baker & McKenzie
101 West Broadway, 12th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
619-236-1441

William E. Grauer
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Michael L. Kirby
Kirby, Noonan, Lance & Hoge
600 West Broadway, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-8666

David E. Kleinfeld
Heller Ehrman
4350 La Jolla Village Drive, Seventh Floor
San Diego, CA 92122-1246
858-450-8400

John H. L’Estrange
Wright & L’Estrange
401 West A Street, Suite 2250
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-4844

Daniel G. Lamb Jr.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
SBC Building, 501 West Broadway, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-5000

William S. Lerach
Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins
655 West Broadway, Suite 1900
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-1058

Harvey R. Levine
Levine, Steinberg, Miller & Huver
550 West C Street, Suite 1810
San Diego, CA 92101-8596
619-231-9449

John F. McGuire
Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire
2550 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor
San Diego, CA 92103
619-236-9363

Gerald L. McMahon
Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek
Symphony Towers, 750 B Street, Suite 2100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-685-3003

David J. Noonan
Kirby, Noonan, Lance & Hoge
600 West Broadway, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-8666

Don G. Rushing
Morrison & Foerster
12531 High Bluff Drive, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92130-2040
858-720-5100

Jeffery M. Shohet
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

Robert G. Steiner
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps
600 West Broadway, Suite 2600
San Diego, CA 92101
619-236-1414

William F. Sullivan
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker
3579 Valley Centre Drive
San Diego, CA 92130
858-720-2500

Stephen P. Swinton
Latham & Watkins
600 West Broadway, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101-3375
619-236-1234

Reginald A. Vitek
Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek
Symphony Towers, 750 B Street, Suite 2100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-685-3003

Michael J. Weaver
Latham & Watkins
600 West Broadway, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101-3375
619-236-1234

Shirli Fabbri Weiss
DLA Piper
401 B Street, Suite 1700
San Diego, CA 92101-4297
619-699-2700

Robert C. Wright
Wright & L’Estrange
401 West A Street, Suite 2250
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-4844

CONSTRUCTION LAW

Peter J. Ippolito
McKenna Long & Aldridge
750 B Street, Suite 3300
San Diego, CA 92101
619-595-5400

Craig A. Ramseyer
Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch
530 B Street, 21st Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
619-238-1900

CORPORATE LAW

Craig S. Andrews
Heller Ehrman
4350 La Jolla Village Drive, Seventh Floor
San Diego, CA 92122-1246
858-450-8400

Lance W. Bridges
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Barry M. Clarkson
Latham & Watkins
600 West Broadway, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101-3375
619-236-1234

Thomas A. Coll
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Robert G. Copeland
Duane Morris
101 West Broadway, Suite 900
San Diego, CA 92101-8285
619-744-2200

Michael S. Kagnoff
Heller Ehrman
4350 La Jolla Village Drive, Seventh Floor
San Diego, CA 92122-1246
858-450-8400

Frederick T. Muto
Cooley Godward Kronish
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121-1909
858-550-6000

Cameron Jay Rains
DLA Piper
4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92121-2133
858-677-1400

Faye H. Russell
Latham & Watkins
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92130
858-523-5400

David R. Snyder
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
SBC Building, 501 West Broadway, Suite 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-5000

Scott N. Wolfe
Latham & Watkins
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92130
858-523-5400