appeal attorney

Laura Lim

Laura Lim’s behind-the-scenes experience with the California and federal courts helps her craft effective, compelling arguments as an appellate advocate. Before joining GMSR, Laura was a research attorney for Justice John S. Wiley Jr. at the California Court of Appeal and a law clerk for

Jeffrey Gurrola

Jeff Gurrola discovered his passion for appellate practice while working as a litigator in a major international firm.  Having begun his career in this fast-paced environment, Jeff thrives under pressure and provides efficient, excellent legal analysis.  His time working as an in-house litigation attorney also

GMSR’s Ted Xanders and Nadia Sarkis discuss tactics for combating inflated non-economic tort damages in IMLA Municipal Lawyer

In a two-part series published in IMLA Municipal Lawyer, entitled “Reptiles, Picassos, and Stealth Bombers: Combating Inflated Non-economic Tort Damages,” Ted Xanders and Nadia Sarkis discuss various tips for combating tactics that plaintiffs’ lawyers are using in personal-injury actions to increase non-economic damages.  Part One,

Prime Real Estate

Legal writing, like any other type of writing, should strive to keep the reader’s attention.  But any reader faced with a huge stack of paper (or the digital equivalent) is likely to lose focus eventually.  That makes the first pages of any brief or other

Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship v. County of Riverside (9th Cir. 2020) 948 F.3d 1172

GMSR prevails in major land use appeal

GMSR prevails in major land use appeal

In Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship v. County of Riverside, the Ninth Circuit affirmed judgment for GMSR’s client, the County of Riverside, in a suit asserting that a County zoning ordinance was facially invalid under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) as purportedly disallowing religious organizations to operate in the zone. The Ninth Circuit held that the zoning allowed construction of special occasion facilities. Nothing on the face of the statute indicates that a religious group would not be granted a permit to construct such a facility and use it for religious purposes, so there was no violation of RLUIPA. The statute merely requires public entities to treat religious uses the same as secular uses.

Endurance American Specialty Insurance Company v. Bennington Group, LLC (Jan. 31, 2020, B285909) 2020 WL 502631 [nonpublished opinion]

Court of Appeal affirms summary judgment in favor of insurance carrier, foreclosing $11 million claim

Court of Appeal adopts GMSR’s arguments and rejects challenge to marital settlement agreement

Representing the husband in a post-dissolution family law proceeding, GMSR prevailed on wife’s appeal from the superior court’s order denying her motion to set aside their marital settlement agreement.  Wife and her counsel had prepared and presented to then-unrepresented husband all preliminary disclosures and the

Joseph Bui

Joseph Bui regularly briefs complex and novel legal issues before California and federal appellate courts, including the California Supreme Court. Joseph joined GMSR after clerking for three federal judges:  Judge Amos L. Mazzant in the Eastern District of Texas, Chief Judge M. Casey Rodgers in

David E. Hackett

David Hackett has a broad-based appellate practice and has served as lead counsel for numerous appeals, writ petitions, and dispositive pre-trial and post-trial motions in state and federal courts.  He frequently helps trial counsel, businesses, insurers, and individuals to navigate appellate and post-trial issues and