The OCBA Charitable Fund’s recent annual “Raise Your Glass” event was once again a special experience. Umberg/Zipser (U/Z) continued to be a sponsor and our attorneys play a prominent role in the organization. Scott Garner is the Charitable Fund’s current president, Dean Zipser is a past president, and Mei Tsang has been a long-time board member. The OCBA’s mission is “To Enhance the System of Justice, To Support the Lawyers Who Serve It, and To Assist the Community Served by It.” The Charitable Fund supports programs and organizations who “assist the community served by it” through its grants. If you would like to learn more about the event, click here.
Scott Garner
Partner Mei Tsang Elected as Secretary of the OCBA
Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) is proud to announce partner Mei Tsang has been elected Secretary of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA.) Mei has served on the Board of Directors of both the OCBA and the Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund (OCBACF), the charitable wing of the OCBA for several years. Mei also co-chairs OCBA’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and as former chair of the Intellectual Property and Technology Section.
“I am honored to be elected as the 2022 OCBA Secretary, and I look forward to continuing to serve this great organization with the mission of enhancing the system of justice and promoting equal justice for all,” says Mei.
The firm continues to play a major role with the OCBA. Partner Scott B. Garner is the Immediate Past President of OCBA, and currently serves as the 2021 President of the OCBACF.
U/Z’s co-founding partner Dean J. Zipser has also previously served as OCBA President, and received the Franklin G. West Award in 2017, an honor given annually to an attorney or judge in recognition of lifetime achievements that have advanced justice and the law.
Scott, Mei, and Dean are part of a long history of service by the firm’s lawyers to the OCBA, as well a host of other professional and community organizations.
Umberg/Zipser Continues Its Prominence With Orange County Bar Association
Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) continues to play a major role with the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA). On January 21, 2021, OCBA held its annual Judges’ Night and Annual Meeting (for the first time virtually). At the meeting, partner Scott B. Garner, the Immediate Past President of OCBA, was sworn in as an officer of the OCBA and as 2021 President of the Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund (OCBACF).
After having led the OCBA through unprecedented times, Scott now takes the helm of OCBACF, which oversees and administers the charitable giving for the OCBA. It is dedicated to bettering the Orange County community and legal profession by facilitating access to justice. OCBACF raises and distributes monetary contributions to carefully selected Orange County law-related organizations.
Garner is immediate Past-President of the OCBA, has served on the Board of Directors for the OCBACF and as co-chair of the OCBA Professionalism and Ethics Committee. As a partner with U/Z, Scott represents clients in complex business litigation matters, with a focus on professional liability disputes and ethics counseling. He also frequently serves as an expert witness on legal ethics and standard of care issues.
“I am honored to serve as 2021 President of the OCBA Charitable Fund. I look forward to working with a dedicated group of professionals with the mission to enhance the system of justice and promote equal justice for all,” says Scott.
In addition to Scott’s leadership role, U/Z partner Mei Tsang was sworn in and will again serve on the Board of Directors of both the OCBA and the OCBACF. Mei also co-chairs OCBA’s Diversity Committee.
The annual meeting also recognized all of the recipients of OCBA’s highest honor, the Franklin G. West Award. Umberg/Zipser co-founding partner Dean J. Zipser, a former OCBA President, received the honor in 2017, given annually to an attorney or judge in recognition of lifetime achievements that have advanced justice and the law.
Scott, Mei, and Dean are part of a long history of service by the firm’s lawyers to the OCBA, as well a host of other professional and community organization.
Umberg/Zipser Again Named to Orange County Best Law Firms List for 2021
Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) is pleased to announce that the firm again has been ranked Tier One in the “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® for the Orange County metropolitan area. The firm has received this recognition each year since it was formed. The ranking showcases top law firms recognized by clients and peers for delivering professional excellence and for high quality ratings, and indicate a unique combination of quality in practice and legal expertise.
For 2021, the firm received four Tier One rankings, in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation. The firm also received recognition in the areas of Banking & Finance Litigation, Patent Litigation and Trademark Law.
“We are honored to again be recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in Orange County. We appreciate the continued recognition from our clients and peers, and our firm remains committed to pursuing our clients’ objectives by providing strategic and efficient solutions.” said U/Z co-founding partner Dean Zipser.
Once again, U/Z clients were effusive in their comments, responding to the U.S. News — Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” research process by commenting, among other things, “Umberg Zipser is a world class law firm exhibiting the highest level of competence and professionalism,” and that “Umberg Zipser asks the right questions and they make the most of every answer.”
In addition to the 2021 Best Law Firms ranking, attorneys Mark Finkelstein, Scott Garner, Carole Reagan, Adina Stowell, Mei Tsang, Thomas Umberg and Dean Zipser have been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© 2021. In addition, Mark Finkelstein has been recognized as the Orange County Attorney of the Year and Brent Colasurdo listed in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
Attorneys are ranked in the following practice areas:
- Finkelstein for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent and Trademark Law;
- Garner for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Intellectual Property;
- Reagan for Litigation – Intellectual Property and Commercial Litigation;
- Stowell for Litigation – Intellectual Property and Litigation – Real Estate;
- Tsang for Copyright Law;
- Umberg for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate;
- Zipser for Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Banking and Finance, Litigation – Intellectual Property and Litigation – Real Estate;
- Colasurdo – “Ones to Watch” list for Intellectual Property Law.
Public Service Corner – Scott B. Garner
Scott Garner is a partner at Umberg/Zipser where he represents clients in complex business litigation matters, with a particular focus on professional liability disputes and ethics counseling.
Scott currently serves as President of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA), and has shown remarkable leadership during the pandemic. He played a key role in guiding the OCBA during turbulent times through the introduction of several new initiatives, leading weekly calls with OCBA leadership and decisively implementing measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and to address racial justice issues. Those measures included establishing a COVID-19 task force and a Racial Justice task force, coordinating dozens of free educational webinars, and much more.
Scott also serves on the Board of Directors for the OCBA Charitable Fund, as co-chair of the OCBA Professionalism and Ethics Committee. He joined the OCBA as a member in 1992 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2011.
More about the Scott and the firm’s involvement in the OCBA can be found here.
Eight U/Z Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America 2021
Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) is proud to announce that attorneys Mark Finkelstein, Scott Garner, Carole Reagan, Adina Stowell, Mei Tsang, Thomas Umberg and Dean Zipser have been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© 2021. In addition, Mark Finkelstein has been recognized as the Orange County Attorney of the Year and Brent Colasurdo listed in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.
- Finkelstein was again selected in the fields of “Commercial Litigation,” “Litigation – Intellectual Property,” “Litigation – Patent” and “Trademark Law” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2016. Finkelstein was recognized as the 2021 Lawyer of the Year in Orange County for “Trademark Law.”. The Lawyer of the Year is awarded to individual lawyers with the highest overall peer feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is given this recognition per each specialty and location.
- Garner was again selected for “Commercial Litigation” and “Litigation – Intellectual Property.”
- Reagan was again selected for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Commercial Litigation,” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2013.
- Stowell was again selected for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Litigation – Real Estate,” and has been listed since 2019.
- Tsang has been selected this year for “Copyright Law.”
- Umberg has been listed since 2008, and was selected for “Commercial Litigation” and “Litigation – Real Estate.”
- Zipser was again selected for “Bet-the-Company Litigation,” “Commercial Litigation,” “Litigation – Banking and Finance,” “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Litigation – Real Estate,” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2008. Zipser has been recognized by Best Lawyers as the Lawyer of Year in Orange County for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” in 2017, and for “Bet-the-Company Litigation” in 2014.
- Colasurdo was selected this year to the Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list for Intellectual Property Law. These awards recognize extraordinary lawyers who have been in private practice for less than 10 years in the United States.
In addition, U/Z is consistently recognized as one of the “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. In 2020, the firm received three Tier One rankings in Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation, as well as recognition in the areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Banking & Finance Litigation and Patent Litigation.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. 105,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and they have received 11+ million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, millions of votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 65,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
Super Lawyers 2020 Selects Six Umberg/Zipser Attorneys
Umberg/Zipser LLP is proud to announce that five of its partners have again been included in the Southern California Super Lawyers list for 2020, a recognition reserved for only five percent of the lawyers in California. In addition, co-founding partner Dean Zipser has been recognized as a 2020 Top 50 Orange County Lawyer and Top 100 Southern California Lawyer.
The following Umberg/Zipser attorneys have been recognized in the 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers list:
• Mark Finkelstein for Intellectual Property Litigation;
• Scott Garner for Professional Liability: Defense;
• Carole Reagan for Business Litigation;
• Mei Tsang for Intellectual Property; and
• Dean Zipser for Business Litigation.
In addition, Priti Phukan, Ph.D. has been recognized as a 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star for Intellectual Property. Super Lawyers annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
Dean Zipser Leads OCBA Mentoring Program Networking Reception
Umberg/Zipser LLP (U/Z) co-founding partner Dean Zipser, co-chair Orange County Bar Association’s (OCBA) Mentoring Committee, took a lead role in the recent Mentoring Program Networking Reception.
The mission of the Mentoring Committee – which was formed while Dean served as President of the OCBA – plans and coordinates the OCBA’s Mentoring Program, providing more senior attorney mentors for OCBA attorneys who are admitted to practice five years or less. This Program provides new lawyers with a helpful, independent resource in their first years of practice.
Dean’s continuing involvement with the OCBA is part of the firm’s strong commitment to the organization. Both Mei Tsang and Scott Garner currently serve on the Board of Directors for both the Orange County Bar Association and its Charitable Fund and Scott serves as President-Elect of the OCBA. He will become President in January.
Umberg/Zipser Lawyers Selected Again as 2020 Best Lawyers in America
Umberg/Zipser is pleased to announce that attorneys Mark Finkelstein, Scott Garner, Carole Reagan, Adina Stowell, Tom Umberg and Dean Zipser have been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© 2020.
Finkelstein was again selected in the fields of “Commercial Litigation,” “Litigation – Intellectual Property,” “Litigation – Patent” and “Trademark Law” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2016.
Garner has been selected this year for “Commercial Litigation” and “Litigation – Intellectual Property.”
Reagan was again selected for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Commercial Litigation,” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2013.
Stowell was selected for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Litigation – Real Estate,” and has been listed since last year.
Umberg has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2008, and was selected for “Commercial Litigation” and “Litigation – Real Estate.”
Zipser was again selected for “Bet-the-Company Litigation,” “Commercial Litigation,” “Litigation – Banking and Finance,” “Litigation – Intellectual Property” and “Litigation – Real Estate,” and has been on the Best Lawyers list since 2008. Zipser was previously recognized by Best Lawyers as the Lawyer of Year in Orange County for “Litigation – Intellectual Property” in 2017, and as the Orange County “Lawyer of the Year” in the “Bet-the-Company Litigation” category in 2014.
Umberg/Zipser is recognized as one of the 2019 “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Real Estate Litigation and Banking & Finance Litigation.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. 83,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and they have received almost 10 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, millions of votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 58,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
Scott Garner Selected for New Ethics Committee
Umberg/Zipser partner Scott Garner has been appointed as a member of the California Lawyers Association’s newly formed ethics committee. The California Lawyers Association itself was formed in 2018 after the California State Bar was split into a mandatory bar and a voluntary bar association, with the CLA quickly becoming the second largest voluntary bar association in the nation (behind only the ABA). The Ethics Committee intends to issue advisory opinions, comment on a variety of legal ethics issues and offer educational programming. The Daily Journal’s recent article “California Lawyers Group Forms Own Ethics Committee,” discussed the committee and noted Scott’s selection.