Kathleen Balatbat

HFM Partner Mitch Dubick concentrates his practice in tax controversy matters, representing individuals and business entities before the IRS and all state taxing authorities, and his work also includes business, real estate, and tax planning. Mr. Dubick’s years of experience and cost-effective solutions have made him the choice of clients, accountants, and other lawyers to handle their tax disputes, including audits, overdue returns, offshore accounts, appeals, collection matters (inclu...

Michelle Graham focuses her practice on estate planning and tax planning strategies for domestic and international clients. She advises U.S. and non-U.S. individuals on tax planning matters, including strategies to minimize global taxation and IRS compliance regarding foreign reporting. Michelle works with non-U.S. individuals investing in the United States and U.S. individuals residing abroad on their U.S. tax filings and global estate planning. Her cross-border experience spans Latin Americ...

Robert Wright is a founding partner of the firm and has a long history of successfully representing corporate, governmental, and individual clients in a wide range of cases involving unfair competition, product liability, antitrust, securities, corporate, banking, fidelity bond, real estate, trust and estate, and employment, constitutional, and admiralty law. He has considerable experience with complex procedural matters, including mass tort, coordinated, and class actions. In addition to rep...

Roland Achtel is a trust and estate attorney with extensive litigation experience. In his practice, Mr. Achtel prioritizes establishing clear expectations with his clients and maintaining close contact with them throughout each case. Though his legal expertise is highly specialized – trust and probate litigation, trust and probate-related elder abuse, probate conservatorships, trust administration, and general probate matters – his cases are highly diverse. His typical clients inc...

William P. Harris III is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. William P. practices law in San Diego, California Best Lawyers has recognized William P. Harris III 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 William P. Harris ...

Johanna Schiavoni is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California and has nearly two decades of appellate experience. She has argued more than 40 cases in the state and federal appellate courts, and has been the principal brief-writer in at least 100. Johanna is a leader of state and local legal associations. She was the 2020 President of the San Diego County Bar Association, which serves nearly 10,000 members of the San Diego legal community. In 2023, Johanna was...

John Rice, a former federal prosecutor, represents both individuals and corporations in a wide range of complex white collar matters, including SEC enforcement actions, anti-money laundering and bank secrecy act compliance matters, and foreign corrupt practices act investigations. Mr. Rice is an experienced litigator who has tried numerous cases to verdict, including dozens of federal jury trials, and argued cases before federal appellate courts. His practice focuses on white-collar criminal ...

After two decades prosecuting white collar crimes in federal courts throughout the country, Eric Beste now represents businesses and individuals facing domestic and international investigations and enforcement actions. A seasoned trial lawyer with a natural aptitude for advocacy, Eric takes each client’s story and turns it into a compelling narrative to achieve the best possible result. Eric focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations and compliance ma...

Jonah A. Toleno is Of Counsel at Shustak Reynolds & Partners PC in San Diego, California. She is licensed to practice law in California and Arizona. Her practice focuses on Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Banking and Finance, with additional experience in financial services law, securities arbitration and litigation, business disputes, and alternative dispute resolution. Ms. Toleno represents individuals and businesses in matters pending before state and federal courts, as well as ...

Benjamin J. Howard is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Litigation - Health Care, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Benjamin J. practices law in San Diego, California Best Lawyers has recognized Benjamin J. Howard since 2025. 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 Benjamin J...