Tessa Bernhardt

Tim Murphy is a partner in the firm's San Francisco office. He has been a jury trial lawyer for more than 40 years, trying cases involving a wide variety of subjects. Since 1985, his practice has focused upon jury trial cases concerning sexual harassment, race discrimination, whistleblower allegations, retaliation, wrongful discharge, trade secret protection, and disability discrimination. His clients have included banks, public utilities, universities, manufacturers, public entities, law fir...

T heo is a fourth generation trial lawyer – his great grandfather served as the Presiding Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, as well as a State Senator, his grandfather practiced law until he was 92, and his father served as president of both the Tennessee Trial Lawyers’ Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. Driving around with his dad during the holidays visiting clients made a lasting impression on Theo. Without fail, every person who came to the door during those...

Phong-Chau G. Nguyen is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco office specializing in consumer and defective product cases, as well as personal injury/mass tort matters. He is part of the leadership team in the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions multidistrict litigation, which secured an unprecedented $14+ billion in settlements on behalf of U.S. owners and lessees of Volkswagen diesel vehicles, won the California Daily Journal’s “California Lawyer of the Year” award, an...

Kerry E. Shea is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. Kerry E., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kerry E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael J. Shuster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice and Patent Law. Michael J., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Doug Straus is Shareholder and Chair of Litigation for Buchalter’s San Francisco office. He focuses his practice on high-stakes commercial litigation in the areas of financial services, real estate development and lending, solid waste management and healthcare. Mr. Straus represents both private and public sector clients in dispute resolution in business, real estate, and public sector conflicts.

Eunice Choi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law. Eunice, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eunice is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

After leading BigLaw teams for years in high stakes and precedent setting cases in U.S. courts and international arbitration tribunals, Mr. Chao in May 2019 launched a boutique enabling him to sit as arbitrator, mediator, and special master, and to handle selected litigation matters. He was a partner for 29 years at a 1,000 lawyer global firm, where he founded and led the international litigation and arbitration practice; and for 6 years, he served as the U.S. head of the international arbitr...

Richard S. Kinyon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Richard S., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 1987. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Robert C. Herr is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Robert C., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 1987. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.