Frederick K. Taylor

In his three decades of legal practice, Sean Coughlin has focused his practice on complex business and real estate litigation, representing commercial real estate lenders and bankruptcy litigation matters. Coughlin approaches each matter with the goal of achieving the best possible business result. Coughlin has successfully litigated, arbitrated and tried hundreds of complex disputes in state court, federal court and bankruptcy court. He is admitted to all California Courts, several U.S. Dist...

Christine De Santis is a Partner at HFM and is certified as a legal specialist in family law by the State Bar of California. Ms. De Santis specializes in handling dissolution of marriage and paternity cases, child custody and visitation, child support and spousal support, and division of assets and debts, and mediations. She also handles step-parent adoptions and child support cases through the San Diego County Department of Child Support Services. Ms. De Santis has been named a San Diego Sup...

Christopher Conti is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Christopher, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Muñoz is the Managing Partner of Mission Personal Injury Lawyers in San Diego and Chula Vista. As an award-winning San Diego personal injury lawyer , Munoz represents victims of car accidents, motorcycle accidents , big rig accidents , and other motor vehicle accidents. With a background in pre-med, David used his medical education to advocate for those with injuries ranging from traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries to those with soft-tissue injuries, and fractures. Da...

Mary R. Robberson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Mary R., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mary R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael Neil, a trial lawyer and senior partner of the firm, specializes in civil litigation with emphasis in personal injury, professional liability, products liability, as well as business litigation. Mr. Neil has tried over 140 Superior Court cases to jury verdict. He is a past Secretary/Treasurer and the current President of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Mr. Neil is a past President of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and holds the rank of Diplomat...

Melanie Gold spent more than three decades as a research attorney for California appellate courts. She primarily worked with the justices of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego, but also with those of the Sixth District Court of Appeal in San Jose as well as the California Supreme Court in San Francisco. During that time, Melanie analyzed thousands of briefs, motions, and petitions, advised justices on hundreds of appeals, and developed a deep understanding of how appellate court...

In his practice, HFM Partner James “Jim” Peterson focuses on business and employment litigation. Mr. Peterson advises and litigates disputes for a number of business clients on various aspects of the employment relationship, including misappropriation of trade secrets and proprietary information, protection of customer lists and employees, discrimination, sexual harassment, breach of contract, wage and hour laws, and wrongful termination. Mr. Peterson is an expert on employment-re...

Amy L. Lessa is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Amy L., 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 Amy L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Janice Walshok has experience primarily in the fields of personal injury, including wrongful death, product liability, and insurance bad faith. She had the distinct honor of serving as a judicial extern for the Honorable John A. Houston for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Janice has successfully tried several jury trials, argued before the Second District Court of Appeal, and prevailed at the Ninth Circuit in upholding a corporate client’s defen...