Rebecca L. Van Loon

Troy Zander is the partner-in-charge of Barnes & Thornburg's San Diego office and a member of the Corporate Department. He focuses his practice on the representation of lenders and companies in documenting technology, life sciences and middle-market financing transactions, including traditional commercial leveraged debt financings, venture debt financings and bridge loans. Troy has represented agents, lenders, participants and companies in credit facilities aggregating in excess of $50 bi...

Ed Chapin is the Managing Partner in the San Diego office of Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP, a national law firm with offices in the District of Columbia, New York, California, Tennessee, and Maryland. Ed received his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law and his B.S. from Southwest Missouri State University. Ed is a veteran litigator whose practice spans class actions, unfair business practices, professional negligence, insurance coverage, bad faith, toxic torts, serious personal in...

Carolina Bravo-Karimi is a member of the firm's Employment Law group. Her practice is focused on representing employers in a variety of employment disputes, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage and hour litigation. Representing both public and private entities, Carolina is an expert in handling complex matters and balancing the needs of several high-profile stakeholders. Carolina also serves as Practice Chair of our recently launched Diversity, Equi...

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

James P. Frantz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. James P., 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 James P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Nicholas D. Brauns is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Nicholas D., 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 Nicholas D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

In his law practice, HFM Partner Bruce O’Brien’s focuses on all aspects of federal and state taxation, with a particular emphasis on tax controversies, partnerships, limited liability companies, and business planning. Mr. O’Brien represents taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, Franchise Tax Board, and State Board of Equalization. He also represents clients before the United States Tax Court, and he is a certified specialist in Taxation Law. Additionally, Mr. O&rsqu...

Frederick Schenk, managing partner of the Schenk Law Firm, achieved the largest verdict ever in San Diego against an asbestos manufacturer – Owens Corning Fiberglass – obtaining a $2.4 million verdict in punitive damages as well as economic losses.In addition, he is a specialist in auto collision litigation and co-author of the LexisNexis California Automobile Litigation Handbook. Over the years, Schenk has received numerous awards and honors for his work – including recogni...

Dan Stanford is the senior member of Stanford And Associates with over 4 decades of jury trial experience. Dan is a nationally-recognized expert in the prosecution of legal malpractice and malicious prosecution claims, and his practice is strictly limited to the representation of clients (plaintiffs) in such cases. He was one of the original California Certified Specialists in legal malpractice law, and Dan previously served as a Commissioner on the CA State Bar Board of Legal Specialization....