Umberg/Zipser (U/Z) continues to be a proud supporter of the Public Law Center (PLC) Orange County and will again proudly sponsor this year’s Volunteers for Justice Annual Dinner being held June 14, 2018. Umberg/Zipser partner Carole E. Reagan has been a member of the board of directors of PLC for the past 17 years, and also serves on PLC’s Executive Committee. PLC is committed to providing access to justice for low-income and vulnerable residents. Now in its 33rd year of service, PLC’s 35 staff members work with over 1,500 Orange County lawyers, paralegals, law students and other volunteers annually to provide free civil legal services, including: counseling, individual representation, community education, and strategic litigation and advocacy to challenge societal injustices. Click here to read more about the event.
Orange County law firm
Dean Zipser Participates in OCBA Seminar
Dean Zipser was one of two presenters (with Todd Friedland of Stephens Friedland LLP) at the Orange County Bar Association’s (OCBA), Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Section program, “Growing Your Law Firm,” on May 17, 2018. The seminar covered topics designed to help lawyers identify the issues they must consider in growing their law firms and deciding whether growth is for them, as well as being inclusive in hiring. With Umberg/Zipser having grown from four to fourteen in just over four years, Dean had first-hand and very timely information to share.
Dean Zipser Serves as Co-chair of OCBA Leadership Roundtable and Reception
Umberg/Zipser (U/Z) co-founding partner Dean J. Zipser served as co-chair for the Orange County Bar Association’s (OCBA) Leadership Roundtable & Reception on May 16, 2018. The event brought current and former OCBA leaders together in a panel discussion on leadership opportunities within the OCBA. Among his many professional activities, Dean has served as co-chair (together with Michael G. Yoder of O’Melveny & Myers LLP) of the OCBA’s Leadership Development Committee since its inception – a group focused on identifying, recruiting, and training potential leaders of OCBA and the Orange County legal community.
Todd Smith Elected to CASA OC Board of Directors
Todd Smith has been elected to the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA OC) Board of Directors. Todd has been actively involved with CASA since 2015, including acting as a CASA mentor/advocate on behalf of foster youth.
CASA is a non-profit organization serving the county’s most severely abused, abandoned and neglected children through the recruitment, training, and supervision of community volunteers who advocate for their best interests. Click here to read more about CASA OC.
About Umberg Zipser
Umberg/Zipser is a premier business litigation and intellectual property boutique. Drawing on decades of experience in some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious law firms, as well as national and state government service, Umberg/Zipser provides clients with unparalleled legal services. Named one of the Daily Journal’s Top Boutique Firms, Umberg/Zipser is a go-to firm for litigation and intellectual property in Orange County and around the state.
Umberg/Zipser Attorneys Featured Prominently at OCBA Judges’ Night
Umberg/Zipser proudly sponsored and supported 2018 Judges’ Night & Annual Meeting hosted by the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) on Thursday, January 18, 2018 in Irvine. This event featured the installation of Nikki P. Miliband, Esq. as 2018 OCBA President, the installation of the OCBA Officers and Directors and the OCBA Charitable Fund Directors, and the presentation of the Franklin G. West Award, the highest honor bestowed by the OCBA.
The firm’s attorneys have decades of service to the OCBA, and the most recent Judges’ Night was an example. U/Z’s Scott Garner was sworn in as the 2018 OCBA Treasurer and a board member of the Charitable Fund, and Mei Tsang was sworn in as a board member of both the OCBA and the Charitable Fund.
U/Z’s co-founding partner Dean Zipser, a former OCBA President and the 2017 recipient of the Franklin G. West Award, spoke at the event. In addition, Zipser recently co-authored the OCBA article: January 2018 Cover Story – Nikki Presley Miliband: We’re Not Returning to Sender!, highlighting the accomplishments of the newly appointed OCBA president, Nikki Presley Miliband. Click here to read the full article.
About Umberg/Zipser LLP
Umberg/Zipser is a premier business litigation and intellectual property boutique. Drawing on its lawyers’ many decades of experience in some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious law firms, as well as national and state government service, Umberg/Zipser provides clients with unparalleled legal services. Named one of the Daily Journal’s Top Boutique Firms, Umberg/Zipser is a go-to firm for litigation and intellectual property in Orange County and around the state.
Scott Garner and Todd Smith to Present at OCBA Specialty Credit Night – Navigating the Perilous Waters of the Attorney-Client Privilege
Umberg/Zipser is pleased to announce that attorneys Scott Garner and Todd Smith will co-present on the topic of “Navigating the Perilous Waters of the Attorney-Client Privilege” to members of the Orange County Bar Association. The event will take place on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 in Costa Mesa. Click here for more information about the event.
Scott Garner represents clients in a wide array of complex business litigation matters with a focus on professional liability disputes and ethics counseling. He has represented large, mid-size, and small law firms, along with individual lawyers, in pre-litigation and litigation disputes concerning claims of legal malpractice, ethical violations, and securities fraud arising from their litigation, transactional, and IP practices. Scott also consults with clients on legal ethics issues, and has served as an expert witness on ethics and standard of care issues.
Todd Smith’s practice focuses on complex business litigation in state and federal courts. He represents companies and individuals in consumer and securities class actions, shareholder and derivative litigation, breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims, financial services litigation, real estate disputes, protection of intellectual property rights, and unfair competition claims. Todd also represents law firms and lawyers in legal malpractice actions. He is experienced in all phases of litigation, including trials, arbitrations, mediations, and appeals, as well as regulatory proceedings and internal investigations.
Scott Garner Presents on OCBA eDiscovery Panel
Umberg/Zipser is pleased to announce partner Scott Garner will participate in a presentation titled What Every Attorney Needs to Know about eDiscovery: Necessary Skills, Best Practices, Emerging Issues, and Ethical Pitfalls. The program will be hosted by The Orange County Bar Association Education Committee on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 in Costa Mesa, CA.
Garner will provide the defense and ethical issues perspective. He will be joined by speakers Honorable David C. Velasquez (Ret.), Judicate West; Kevin J. Mooney, Minyard Morris LLP; and Shawn Kennedy, Modera Legal.
The presentation will discuss best practices for various aspects of contemporary e-discovery practice. The panel will bring together multiple perspectives on e-discovery issues, including from the standpoint of a plaintiff’s attorney, a defense attorney, and the view from the bench. In addition to providing practical advice, the panel will examine how ethical standards like the duties of competence and confidentiality apply in the context of e-discovery.
The event is approved to provide 3.0 CLE Credits (Including 1.0 Legal Ethics).
Click here to read more about the event.
Scott Garner represents clients in a wide array of complex business litigation matters with a focus on professional liability disputes and ethics counseling. He has represented large, mid-size, and small law firms, along with individual lawyers, in pre-litigation and litigation disputes concerning claims of legal malpractice, ethical violations, and securities fraud arising from their litigation, transactional, and IP practices. He also consults with clients on legal ethics issues, and has served as an expert witness on ethics and standard of care issues.
Umberg/Zipser Included in the 2017 Civic 50 Orange County List
Umberg/Zipser (U/Z) is honored to have been named one of Orange County’s 50 most community minded companies by Civic 50 OC in its inaugural 2017 Civic 50 Orange County awards, presented by the Orange County Business Journal, in partnership with OneOC.
The Civic 50 sets the standard for corporate civic engagement and is a roadmap for companies seeking to best use their time, talent, and resources to improve the quality of life in communities where they do business. Civic 50 Orange County companies are building the capacity of communities by giving their time and their talent, and are simultaneously measuring impact to ensure the sustainability and influence of their initiatives. In short, these companies are putting themselves at the center of change to create more enduring and sustainable business models.
“We are thrilled to be recognized in the Civic 50. It is in our firm’s DNA to give back wholeheartedly to our profession and our community. Our team feels a tremendous responsibility to make our community better and we demonstrate this belief through giving back in both action and dollars,” stated Tom Umberg, co-founding partner.
In addition to the Civic 50 Orange County List, special category awards will be announced at the Civic 50 Orange County Awards Luncheon on October 19, 2017 at the Hotel Irvine. For more information go to http://www.ocbj.com/bizevents.
The Civic 50 Special Report and List will publish on October 23, 2017 in the Orange County Business Journal.
Corporate Counsel Again Rank Umberg/Zipser as a Top Litigation Firm in BTI Litigation Outlook 2018
Umberg/Zipser (U/Z) is pleased to announce it has been ranked again among the top litigation firms in the country in the most recent survey of corporate counsel conducted by BTI Consulting.
According to the BTI Litigation Outlook 2018: Changes, Trends and Opportunities for Law Firms, corporate counsel rank Umberg/Zipser in the top 15% of all law firms for both Commercial Litigation and Securities and Finance Litigation. Umberg/Zipser is included among a host of leading national and international law firms, and is one of the few California litigation boutiques to make the list.
“We are proud to receive the BTI recognition again this year. It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the in-house counsel community for the work we have the privilege to do every day,” said Dean Zipser, co-founding partner.
About the BTI Survey: BTI taps into vast research and experience to conduct its annual study of the Litigation market. BTI combines a powerful, comprehensive analysis of client spending, goals, priorities and needs with unbiased, direct feedback from clients on more than 200 individual law firms. BTI Litigation Outlook 2018 is based solely on in-depth telephone interviews with leading legal decision makers. This comprehensive analysis trends data from more than 4,800 corporate counsel client interviews conducted over the span of 18 years. This research is independent and unbiased—no law firm or organization other than BTI sponsors this study.
Tom Umberg Named to the “OC 500” by Orange County Business Journal
Umberg/Zipser is proud to announce that co-founding partner Thomas J. Umberg has been selected by the Orange County Business Journal for the 2017 edition of “OC 500 Directory of Influence.” This list honors the most influential individuals from throughout Orange County. Honorees range from top executives at the largest publicly traded or privately held companies to up-and-comers, as well as a diverse group of governmental, philanthropic, religious and other civic representatives who contribute to the community of business.
Tom Umberg has extensive trial experience in both federal and state courts. He has successfully tried over 100 cases to verdict or judgment; including complex matters involving health care, real estate, work place harassment, construction defects, employee pension plans, etc. As a federal criminal prosecutor, he tried numerous white collar and civil rights cases, including tax evasion schemes. These include “Uranium for Tax Dollars,” “Marco Numismatics” (a nationwide fraud on seniors), and the “Westminster Cross Burning” cases. He has also been selected for the prestigious publication “The Best Lawyers in America®” in commercial litigation for 10 consecutive years. Tom is a retired Army Colonel, veteran of Afghanistan, and Bronze Star recipient.