Best Lawyers in California, United States for Litigation - Real Estate
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A seasoned trial attorney and skilled negotiator, Mark B. Wilson has won nearly every case he has tried and arbitrated. Mr. Wilson lost only one jury trial and obtained a complete reversal on appeal. He has 13 jury trials, 16 court trials, and 14 binding arbitrations under his belt. Mr. Wilson represents clients in federal and state courts in a variety of matters, including business litigation, legal malpractice, real estate, trade secrets, unfair competition, copyright infringement, construc...
Kevin Brogan specializes in the trial of real estate and business cases, with a particular emphasis on eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters. He has substantial experience in the trial of jury and nonjury matters in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative tribunals and other forums. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Chair of its Foundation Board.
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...
Josh Escovedo is a shareholder in Buchalter’s Sacramento and Los Angeles offices. He is a member of Buchalter’s Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate Practice Groups. With a keen focus on delivering exceptional legal representation, Josh’s expertise encompasses a diverse range of legal areas. Josh’s litigation practice focuses on complex matters involving breaches of contracts, fraud, shareholder and partnership disputes, and other business-related actions...
George Soneff is a partner in the Los Angeles office. He has over 30 years' experience in complex litigation in state and federal courts, and administrative tribunals. He has an extensive background handling real property litigation, including real estate development and valuation, land use restrictions and governmental regulation of property rights, eminent domain/inverse condemnation, ownership disputes, construction-related claims, water rights, and insurance. His clients have included maj...
Michael G. Balmages, Esq. is a mediator and discovery referee with decades of experience in civil litigation, corporate counsel matters, and transactional law. Based in Irvine, California, and serving through ADR Services, Inc. , Mr. Balmages works with parties and counsel to resolve complex disputes across a broad range of matters, including Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Real Estate. He has participated in the resolution of more than 1,500 cases and is known for his practical approa...
Ann S. Lee is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Ann S., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ann S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Betty Shumener is one of the three founding partners of Shumener, Odson & Oh LLP. Ms. Shumener represents some of the nation’s elite private equity firms, opportunity funds and financial institutions. As a commercial litigator, Ms. Shumener has protected billion of dollars of real estate and corporate assets for equity and debt investors dating back to the Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980’s and evolving into the opportunity funds and investment banking firms. Ms. Shume...
In his three decades of legal practice, Sean Coughlin has focused his practice on complex business and real estate litigation, representing commercial real estate lenders and bankruptcy litigation matters. Coughlin approaches each matter with the goal of achieving the best possible business result. Coughlin has successfully litigated, arbitrated and tried hundreds of complex disputes in state court, federal court and bankruptcy court. He is admitted to all California Courts, several U.S. Dist...
Gregory G. Brown, Esq. is an accomplished jury trial veteran and Certified Specialist in Civil Trial Advocacy, a distinction earned by only 140 lawyers in California. A trial lawyer for over 30 years, he has spent over 200 days as lead trial counsel in jury trials throughout California. A student of the jury trial, Brown has been awardedMartindale-Hubbell’s highest honor, an AV Rating, signifying that his legal abilities are of the “very highest standard” and his professiona...
Craig S. Rutenberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law and Litigation - Real Estate. Craig S., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Craig S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael Williamson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Michael, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Fairbrook is a shareholder of Trainor Fairbrook and Chair of the firm’s Litigation Department. Mr. Fairbrook is a highly regarded litigator having successfully tried, arbitrated, and resolved hundreds of real estate and commercial litigation matters throughout California. His litigation practice focuses on commercial real estate, leasing, construction and real estate development. Over the course of his 35-year career, Mr. Fairbrook has tried numerous jury trials to verdict, both in...
Lee A. Dresie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Lee A., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lee A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nathan M. Spatz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Nathan M., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nathan M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Vik Nagpal is the managing partner of Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara LLP’s San Diego offices, as well as directing the firm’s business development. He has practiced law in both Northern and Southern California since 2000. Mr. Nagpal is admitted to practice law before all State Court in California, as well as in the Central and Southern District Federal Courts. Mr. Nagpal has extensive experience in handling all general liability matters to trial and arbitration, including ...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.