Carmela Birnbaum

HFM Partner Susan Mercure specializes in representing high net worth clients in sophisticated estate planning and estate and trust administration. On the estate planning side, Ms. Mercure utilizes techniques to reduce the size of an estate for estate tax purposes and employs other techniques to accomplish the distribution goals of her clients. She effectively communicates technical concepts and is able to convey complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand. She also assists her client...

Erwin J. Shustak is the Founder and Managing Partner of Shustak Reynolds & Partners PC in San Diego, California. He leads the firm’s Litigation and Arbitration Department and has more than four decades of experience representing clients in complex business disputes and financial matters throughout the United States and internationally. His practice focuses on Commercial Litigation and Financial Services Regulation Law, including disputes involving securities, financial institutions,...

Kristin N. Reyna DeHart is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Kristin N. practices law in San Diego, California Best Lawyers has recognized Kristin N. Reyna DeHart since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Kristin N. Reyna DeHart is held by other lawyers.

Matthew C. Smith has extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation, including trials, arbitrations, and mediations. Matt represents individuals and business clients on a wide variety of professional and business litigation matters. He has served as lead counsel or co-counsel in more than a dozen trials and arbitrations. Matt also handled several successful appeals and has argued before the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Matt earned his Juris Doctor from Washington & Lee Univer...

Jim’s practice, throughout his career, has focused on defending and advising professionals, including attorneys, accountants, architects, engineers, construction management companies, doctors and other health professionals, real estate professionals, insurance agents and brokers, directors and officers, and financial advisors. He also has extensive experience providing general business representation, including risk management counseling and contract review/drafting, and handling comple...

David Sanford is the Chairman and co-founder of Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP. He has recovered more than one billion dollars for individual clients and the United States government since 2004. David represents C-suite executives and non-managerial hourly employees throughout the US. He has served as lead counsel in more than 50 class actions and numerous qui tam cases around the country and represented more than 100 general counsel and attorneys (in-house and outside counsel) in contract dispute...

Debra A. Riley is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Debra A. practices law in San Diego, California Best Lawyers has recognized Debra A. Riley since 2017. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Debra A. Riley is held by other lawyers.

Lindsay Stevens joined the San Diego, California, offices of Baron & Budd’s Environmental Litigation Group as a shareholder in 2025. Ms. Stevens’ desire to utilize her lifelong passion for writing as a tool for advocacy eventually led her to pursue a legal career where she is honored to have a positive impact on the lives of the people she represents. Ms. Stevens’ practice has focused on protecting what’s right by holding some of the largest corporations in the wor...

Caitlin M. Jones is a trial attorney focusing on business litigation, professional liability, and ethics. She has tried more than a dozen jury trials and over thirty bench trials to verdict. For business clients, Caitlin is adept at resolving a wide array of issues through every stage of litigation. Caitlin has represented corporate clients in such diverse matters as trade secrets litigation, breach of contract, fraud, partnership disputes, counterfeit and trademark infringement, injury to bu...

Kevin Cauley is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. Kevin practices law in San Diego, California Best Lawyers has recognized Kevin Cauley since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Kevin Cauley is held by other lawyers.