Matthew J. Balotta

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...

Dick Semerdjian is a founding partner of Schwartz Semerdjian and heads up the firm’s litigation department. Dick’s clients range from Fortune 100 and 500 publicly traded companies to small businesses and individuals. Dick is also experienced in both plaintiff and defense side work which lends to his unique ability to formulate creative and effective legal and resolution strategies in even the most complex of litigation matters. Over the span of his over 31 year career, Dick has be...

Melanie Gold spent more than three decades as a research attorney for California appellate courts. She primarily worked with the justices of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego, but also with those of the Sixth District Court of Appeal in San Jose as well as the California Supreme Court in San Francisco. During that time, Melanie analyzed thousands of briefs, motions, and petitions, advised justices on hundreds of appeals, and developed a deep understanding of how appellate court...

Craig R. McClellan is the first and only San Diego personal injury attorney selected for admission to the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invitation-only group of top plaintiff's attorneys, limited to 100 members nationwide. Mr. McClellan has obtained more than 130 verdicts and settlements in excess of one million dollars, and is a three-time recipient of the "Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award" from the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego for cases in which million and multi-million dollar ...

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.

Thomas D. Luneau is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Thomas D., who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Amanda M. Mullane is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Immigration Law. Amanda M., 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 Amanda M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Shane P. Sanders represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative actions, securities fraud class actions, and mergers and acquisitions actions. Mr. Sanders has litigated a broad range of matters, including cases addressing stock option backdating, the subprime mortgage crisis, board entrenchment and elections, executive compensation, corporate takeovers, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and myriad forms of fraud, including violations of federal secur...

Christine De Santis is a Partner at HFM and is certified as a legal specialist in family law by the State Bar of California. Ms. De Santis specializes in handling dissolution of marriage and paternity cases, child custody and visitation, child support and spousal support, and division of assets and debts, and mediations. She also handles step-parent adoptions and child support cases through the San Diego County Department of Child Support Services. Ms. De Santis has been named a San Diego Sup...

Chris Hoffman is the founding and managing partner of the San Diego office. He has represented hundreds of employers in matters ranging from class action litigation, to traditional labor matters and general employment advice. While litigation remains a significant portion of his practice, Chris also spends a significant amount of time counseling clients regarding day-to-day employment issues and assisting them to find practical and proactive solutions to their legal problems. Chris was select...