Steven B. Bitter

Katherine M. McCray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Katherine M., 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 Katherine M. 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...

Benjamin J. Howard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Benjamin J., 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 Benjamin J. 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...

For more than 20 years, Jason M. Kirby has represented hundreds of clients in litigation cases in San Diego and throughout California. Kirby’s primary practice areas are business litigation and real estate litigation, but he has been involved in almost every type of civil case at some point during his career. Kirby is an experienced trial lawyer. Kirby handles both plaintiff’s cases and defense cases. As a plaintiff’s lawyer, he has had multiple jury verdicts in excess of a ...

Elizabeth L. Brann is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Patent. Elizabeth L., 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 Elizabeth L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James C. Fessenden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. James C., 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 James C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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.

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...

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 ...