Justin C. Sonnicksen

Luke Ellis is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a past and current selection for California Super Lawyers as well as The Best Lawyers in America. In 2012, he was selected as one of the Top 100 Attorneys Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Mr. Ellis was named Lawyer of the Year for 2014-Personal Injury, by Best Lawyers of America. In 2014 he was selected as one of the ‘Lions of Litigation’ by Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall), University of California. Mr. Ellis has one of the...

Michael L. Rains is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice. Michael L., who practices law in Pleasant Hill, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Lisa Conforti is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Insurance. Lisa, who practices law in Oakland, California, has been recognized since 2026. 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.

Donna T. Gibbs is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Donna T., who practices law in Oakland, California, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Donna T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As a partner at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer, Rob Schwartz exclusively represents plaintiffs in employment, civil rights, and personal injury cases throughout California. Mr. Schwartz received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Michigan. An idealist, he decided to attend law school to focus on social justice and environmental issues. Mr. Schwartz attended the University of Oregon School of Law, receiving certificates in public service law, pro bono, ...

Mark L. Venardi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. Mark L., who practices law in Walnut Creek, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Shana has achieved hundreds of millions of dollars in recovery for classes in antitrust matters, and has been named a Northern California Super Lawyer and top California antitrust attorney. CURRENT ROLE Partner, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP Managing Partner of Hagens Berman’s Berkeley office Practice is devoted entirely to representing plaintiffs in complex litigation, and primarily in the areas of antitrust and unfair competition RECENT SUCCESS Ms. Scarlett has played a leading role...

Ralph Jacobson received his law degree from Stanford University in 1969. His concentration has been in personal injury and employment litigation for over 30 years. He has written numerous articles for the CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, a leading professional journal for attorneys. One such article was cited by the California Supreme Court in an opinion. Ralph has served as a consultant to Bancroft Whitney, a leading legal text publisher, for its California Civil Practice Series. He has lectur...

Bennett Lee is a founding member of Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino, and manages the firm's San Francisco office. Bennett is a recognized expert in federal government contracting on issues ranging from compliance, bid protests, to claim preparation, pricing, and dispute resolution. He has extensive experience in claim preparation, prosecution and dispute resolution on federal, state, municipal and private contracts.

Casey Kaufman only represents people who have been physically injured or financially wronged by the actions of others. He typically brings suit against insurance companies, government entities, large corporate interests, and product/medical device/pharmaceutical manufacturers. Casey proudly represents individuals, not corporate interests, in the many states where he practices law.Casey is very active in local and state legal associations focused on consumer safety and access to justice. He is...