James J. Kim

Lisa Ells is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Lisa, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lisa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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

Paul D. Tanaka P.C. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Paul D., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joseph Nicholson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Joseph, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Neil is a partner in Cox Wootton Lerner Griffin & Hansen, LLP (CWL), a regional law firm serving the Western U.S. and Pacific Rim. He practices maritime and transportation law. He’s been designated a Southern California "Super Lawyer" for 2012-2024 and been recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2021. He represents domestic and foreign insurers in first and third-party cases, and local maritime and transportation companies in business litigation. Neil has been featured in the L...

Spencer’s practice focuses on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases involving defective products, vehicular collisions, dangerous conditions of public and private property, and medical malpractice. Outside of his practice at Walkup, he also teaches at the University of California-Berkeley Law School as a lecturer in trial advocacy. In addition to his teaching, he directs Berkeley Law’s external trial competition program and coaches multiple trial advocacy teams. Un...

John Bartko is a Founder and a Principal of the firm. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil, criminal and regulatory matters. He has represented many executives ensnared in complex regulatory investigations and has been involved in significant international discovery and complex investigations requiring foreign court appearances, including conducting examinations in Switzerland and Japan through pioneering requests for civil judicial assistance. He has traveled to Euro...

John W. Lucas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. John W., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kevin represents people who are injured, or are the survivors of someone who was killed, as a result of the negligence of another. He has more than 25 years’ experience in handling cases involving car accidents (including “rideshare” accidents), big rig and truck crashes, bicycle accidents, pedestrian injuries, construction site incidents, MUNI crashes and defective products. Recognized by his peers as one of the top trial lawyers in the state, Kevin is a hard-working attorn...

Tom Burke concentrates his practice on media, entertainment and intellectual property litigation and counseling. He has over 23 years of litigation experience in the trial and appellate courts including multiple appearances in the California Supreme Court, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and California’s Courts of Appeal. Tom's clients include: Amazon.com, The Bakersfield Californian, California Newspaper Publishers Association, CBS, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Investigati...