In Sheriff Deputies v. Ghost Gun Manufacturer, Sara Peters, Spencer Pahlke and Richard Schoenberger represented two law enforcement officers ambushed by a gunman. The gunman, a convicted felon, was legally barred from gun ownership and could not buy a gun through normal means, so instead obtained a “ghost gun.” Ghost guns are sold without serial…
In Senior Citizen v. Big Box Retailer (Ala. Co. Sup. Ct.) Matthew Davis and Clifton Smoot settled a claim against a national retailer and its door repair vendor after an electric door malfunctioned and closed on plaintiff, age 92, as she walked through the store’s entrance. Plaintiff fell to the ground and suffered a dislocated…
In Patient v. Anesthesiologist (Bay Area Sup. Ct.) Michael Kelly and Valerie Rose negotiated a seven-figure settlement on behalf of a patient who was given the wrong medication. While the patient was undergoing a routine hip replacement procedure, his anesthesiologist confused anesthesia medicine with a blood clotting agent, and inadvertently injected the blood clotting agent…
In Parents v. California Trucking Group (Central Cal. Sup. Ct.) Doris Cheng and Clifton Smoot obtained a policy-limits $3,000,000 settlement, as well as changes to the defendant trucking company’s safety policies. Plaintiffs were the parents of an unmarried adult child. The decedent was studying medicine at the time of the crash and planning a career…
Mike Kelly has been reappointed by Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero to the Judicial Council’s CACI Committee for a new two year term running through 2026. A member of the original CACI “plain language“ drafting committee, Mike joins Southern California’s Christine Spagnoli as the longest serving members of this important working group. During his tenure CACI…
In this issue of FOCUS we take the opportunity to start a new feature focusing on our associates. Here, we profile Tina Glezakos, Clifton Smoot and Martin Neira. Each has unique skills, talents and experience and all contribute to our team approach in complex personal injury and wrongful death case-handling. Before joining us, Tina Glezakos…
In April, partner Matt Davis was honored as the UC Law SF Alumnus of the Year. A member of the class of ’89, Matt has taken a leadership role in representing UC Law SF pro bono in a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco to improve conditions in the Tenderloin. At the…
The City of Sacramento is paying $4.35 million to the family of an unarmed Black man who died after police officers restrained him, handcuffed and face down, in his parents’ living room with no suspicion of any crime. This matter was previously reported on in our last issue of FOCUS. Since then Walkup litigators Khaldoun…
In Heirs v. Physician Specialty Group (confidential venue) Doris Cheng and Clifton Smoot negotiated a $4,000,000 settlement on behalf of the family of a patient who died of cardiac dysrhythmia secondary to mitral valve prolapse. The defendant primary care provider group member diagnosed decedent’s valvular disease beginning in 2017 and created a plan to conduct…
After more than 40 years of service, our friend and colleague, Diane Brychta retired on May 31, 2024. A native San Franciscan who grew up in the Castro District, Diane originally joined the firm as the legal assistant to Mike Kelly, for whom she had worked while he was an associate attorney at Sutton, Needham…
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