Salvatore Padula

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 ...

Erwin J. Shustak is the Founder and Managing Partner of Shustak Reynolds & Partners PC in San Diego, California. He leads the firm’s Litigation and Arbitration Department and has more than four decades of experience representing clients in complex business disputes and financial matters throughout the United States and internationally. His practice focuses on Commercial Litigation and Financial Services Regulation Law, including disputes involving securities, financial institutions,...

Tim L. Johnson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Tim L., 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 Tim L. 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...

David S. Casey, Jr., a senior partner in the firm, has practiced for over 30 years in the area of serious personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He has been recognized as Lawyer of the Year by the San Diego County Bar Association, listed in "Best Lawyers in America,” and named by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California. In 2003, Mr. Casey was elected by his peers to be the president of the 65,000 member Association of Trial Lawyers of America. (...

Jason Dawson 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. Jason, who practices law in San Diego, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Merrili L. Escue is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Merrili L., 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 Merrili L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andrew J. Deddeh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Andrew J., 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 Andrew J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Josh Franklin is a business trial lawyer who has tried nearly fifty jury trials in his career. His practice focuses on insurance coverage/bad faith litigation and business litigation. In the area of insurance coverage, Josh regularly represents policyholders in matters arising out of an array of insurance policies, including directors and officers liability (D&O), errors and omissions (E&O), employment practices liability (EPL), commercial general liability (CGL), and cyber. Josh has ...

Steven A. Goldfarb, a former longtime co-chair of Hahn Loeser’s national Litigation Practice Area , is a skilled and highly acclaimed trial lawyer practicing in California and Ohio with experience representing companies and individuals across the country in diverse business litigation matters. In addition to leading the firm’s well-recognized Class Action and Title Insurance Industry Teams, Steve has significant experience in unfair competition/trade secrets, insurance coverage/ba...