Mahnaz Daruwalla

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...

Guillermo A. Escobedo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Guillermo A., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Guillermo A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Eric Acker is a partner and trial lawyer in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. Mr. Acker has tried more than 50 trials (including more than 47 jury trials) in courtrooms across the country. Mr. Acker’s recent trials have involved a variety of technologies and significant legal issues. In the high-profile SCO v. Novell case, following a three-week trial, the jury affirmed our client Novell’s ownership of the copyrights to the UNIX software code and rejected SCO’s c...

Anna R. Yum is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Anna R., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anna R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Caitlin M. Jones is a trial attorney focusing on business litigation, professional liability, and ethics. She has tried more than a dozen jury trials and over thirty bench trials to verdict. For business clients, Caitlin is adept at resolving a wide array of issues through every stage of litigation. Caitlin has represented corporate clients in such diverse matters as trade secrets litigation, breach of contract, fraud, partnership disputes, counterfeit and trademark infringement, injury to bu...

Christian Salaman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Christian, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steven Cologne was elected Managing Partner of the Firm in 2016. He devotes his practice to complex Tort and Commercial litigation in State and Federal Courts. In 2020, Mr. Cologne achieved the distinction of being certified as a Fellow in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) effective May 2020. On May 4, 2020, he was admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia. Mr. Cologne joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack in 1999 after previously enjoying 15 years as an associate, partner ...

Elizabeth L. Brann is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Patent. Elizabeth L., 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 Elizabeth L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John E. Wehrli is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice. John E., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mike Hird is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Securities / Capital Markets Law and Venture Capital Law. Mike, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mike is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.