David C. Boatwright

At Withers Bergman LLP, Steven focuses his practice on estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable giving and representing tax-exempt organizations. He has designed and used computer modeling to show the economic consequences of various estate planning and charitable giving techniques. Steven is also experienced in the area of executive compensation, focusing on compensation and intermediate sanctions issues for tax-exempt organizations. Steven has represented exempt organiza...

Douglas “Doug” Clifford is a Partner in the firm’s Class Action and Employment Law Practice groups. Doug has spent approximately twenty years practicing employment law in a variety of legal roles: litigator, in-house counsel, adjunct professor, mediator and a business owner. At Wilson Turner Kosmo, Doug represents employers for all their employment law needs. He advises clients on the full spectrum of employment law issues, including wage and hour issues, wrongful terminatio...

Laura Nichols is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s San Diego office, and a member of the Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice group. Ms. Nichols is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is also certified as an Accredited Estate Planner® by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. Only approximately five percent of California’s attorneys are certified as specialists...

Michael Patrick Hernandez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael Patrick, who practices law in La Jolla, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Kenneth M. Fitzgerald is a highly experienced trial lawyer, practicing business litigation with an emphasis on complex commercial cases and intellectual property disputes. Before joining the firm, Mr. Fitzgerald was a partner at Latham & Watkins, where he successfully tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal courts throughout the country. Mr. Fitzgerald has handled a wide variety of commercial litigation matters involving contracts, business torts, trademarks, trade dress, cop...

Donald Sheppard is certified as a legal specialist in immigration and nationality law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Sheppard’s typical clients are companies in the high tech and start-up industries seeking to hire the brightest and best talent which includes foreign nationals who need employment sponsorship in a variety of professional fields. He works closely with client companies’ HR professionals, talent partners, corporate legal counsels, ma...

Patricia Benke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Patricia, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patricia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ms. Kosch joined the firm in 1994 and is a partner in the Employment Law Practice Group. Her practice emphasizes the litigation of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour matters, including class action defense. In addition to litigation, she regularly counsels employers on employment-related issues that range from hiring to firing of employees, writing and reviewing policies and handbooks, analyzing adverse impact and advising employers on mass layoffs, conducting...

Brian M. Kramer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent and Patent Law. Brian M., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.