Stephen L. Smith

Ms. Kosch joined the firm in 1994 and is a partner in the Employment Law Practice Group. Her practice emphasizes the litigation of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage and hour matters, including class action defense. In addition to litigation, she regularly counsels employers on employment-related issues that range from hiring to firing of employees, writing and reviewing policies and handbooks, analyzing adverse impact and advising employers on mass layoffs, conducting...

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.

Michael Patrick Hernandez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael Patrick, who practices law in La Jolla, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

After two decades prosecuting white collar crimes in federal courts throughout the country, Eric Beste now represents businesses and individuals facing domestic and international investigations and enforcement actions. A seasoned trial lawyer with a natural aptitude for advocacy, Eric takes each client’s story and turns it into a compelling narrative to achieve the best possible result. Eric focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, internal investigations and compliance ma...

Nicola A. Pisano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. Nicola A., 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 Nicola A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mike (Mohammad) Kazerouni is one of the founding partners at Kazerouni Law Group APC. For over a decade Mike has dedicated his legal career to the representation of personal injury victims and consumer protection from dangerous and defective products. Mike has successfully represented thousands of clients and litigated hundreds of personal injury and consumer protection cases including wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, burn injuries, defective products litigation, lemon law, among other...

Mark Wicker provides strategic advice to companies and entrepreneurs to successfully exploit the latest technologies in a broad range of industries, including the life sciences, high technology, wireless, social media, clean technology, chemical, and materials sciences industries. Mr. Wicker has extensive experience developing innovative and effective business models, strategic alliances, partnerships, technology transactions and other business solutions for unique situations and problems. He...

Janice Walshok has experience primarily in the fields of personal injury, including wrongful death, product liability, and insurance bad faith. She had the distinct honor of serving as a judicial extern for the Honorable John A. Houston for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Janice has successfully tried several jury trials, argued before the Second District Court of Appeal, and prevailed at the Ninth Circuit in upholding a corporate client’s defen...

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...

Robert Zadek focuses his practice on matters involving factoring, asset-based lending, purchase order financing, commercial loan documentation, trade finance and letters of credit, loan workouts and bankruptcy. For the past 18 years, Mr. Zadek has been the keynote speaker at the Annual Convention of the International Factoring Association, the largest factoring trade association in the world. Bob has also been a frequent panelist at the Convention. Every year the IFA offers Bob’s two-da...