Mary V.J. Cataldo

Jeffrey Padilla is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jeffrey, who practices law in Encinitas, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey 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 ...

Regina Petty is a partner in the San Diego and Los Angeles offices. She practices in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels and is experienced in multi-district and class action litigation. Regina advises employers and public agency boards and handles litigation for private and public employers. She successfully argued Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership (2008) 42 Cal.4th 1158 before the California Supreme Court, a case noted on Bender's California Labor & E...

Joseph P. Reid is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Patent. Joseph P., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Scott Cummins is of counsel to Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield, LLP, a California law firm. He is an experienced product liability and insurance bad faith coverage lawyer who has handled several multi-million dollar cases against aircraft and product manufacturers and insurance companies. He successfully sued the manufacturer of a water brake cylinder (a device which stops the ram used to launch aircraft on aircraft carriers) which had seen twenty years of service on the U...

Emily J. Fox is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Emily J., 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 Emily J. 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...

Mike Hurvitz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Mike, 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 Mike is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Frederick W. Kosmo Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Frederick W., 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 Frederick W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...