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Legally Speaking….

I have practiced both as a litigator and a transactional attorney.  I use my legal background to provide my clients creative, practical, and long-term & financial-sensitive solutions. My wide range of experience includes employment counseling and litigation, health, real estate, landlord-tenant, executive compensation, business agreements, intellectual property issues, insurance coverage, admiralty, creditor’s rights and emerging tech & social media issues.

Admitted to the State Bar of California

Spoken fluency in Cantonese, familiarity with Mandarin.
 

Education

  • JD, UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall)
  • MA, International Studies & Diplomacy, (School of Oriental & African Studies) University of London
  • BA, East Asian studies, Washington University in St. Louis

Court Admissions

  • California State Courts
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • US District Court, Northern and Central Districts of California

Affiliations & Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Association for Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Bar Association of San Francisco
  • Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom
  • Real Property Section, California State Bar
  • National, California and San Francisco Associations of Realtors

Professional Experience

Law Offices of John T. Hendricks, San Francisco, CA

Of Counsel, October 2009 to January 2012

  • Providing business planning and consulting, contract drafting and litigation services to individuals and businesses. Competencies in: litigation and business paper drafting, employment law, real estate and insurance law.
  • Professional association with the Law Offices of John T. Hendricks as Of Counsel attorney to handle larger civil matters and larger client portfolios.
  • Experience also includes CRM, accounting, self-marketing and business development. Client service requires ability to assess, value and explain cases to clients so they can make informed decisions. Pro bono consulting work for Napa Valley classical music and arts festival.

Bullivant Houser Bailey, PC, San Francisco, CA

Attorney, October 2007 to September 2009

  • Represented individuals and companies of all sizes in: business matters, real estate disputes, employment & labor law, IP management/litigation, executive compensation, equity issues, commercial finance, information privacy, creditor’s rights, admiralty, and insurance coverage.
  • Transactions handled and contracts experience in: employee handbooks, severance agreements, employment agreements, settlements and releases, commercial leases, rights & property transfers, consulting & non-disclosure, vendor supply contracts, and HR policy documents.
  • Successful results in state & federal court, administrative settings both as plaintiff & defendant; drafted state and federal trial papers & pleadings; identified & retained expert witnesses; took & defended party & witness depositions; negotiated contracts & settlements; and managed case budgets and projects.

Barger & Wolen, LLP, San Francisco, CA

Attorney, July 2005 to May 2007

  • Strong client contact and service skills; served on firm’s Diversity Committee; extensive mentoring and professional development skills, business development & marketing training, and frequent author of legal news “e-alert” client bulletins.
  • Represented large commercial companies in a variety of settings such as: regulatory compliance, complex insurance claims coverage analysis, employment discrimination, employment practices insurance, legal audit, and contracts analysis.
  • Skills developed: oral argumentation, persuasive writing, legal document & pleading drafting; preparing coverage opinions and case valuations; witness & expert preparation for deposition & trial; complex litigation proceedings; discovery practice; regular client contact & relationship management; and, supervised junior associates.

International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

World Bank Group, Berkeley, CA

Law Clerk May 2004 to June 2005

  • Served as legal clerk to Arbitration Tribunal in a high-profile World Bank natural resources dispute involving the Republic of
  • Bolivia and multinational corporate entities of a Fortune 500 firm interpreting international agreements, corporate holding entities and multilateral treaties. Drafted legal research memos and early version of award document; case ultimately settled.

California Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Law Section, San Francisco, CA

Legal Intern, Summer 2003

  • Worked with California DOJ consumer-protection efforts in: federal and state consumer lending laws, consumer debt consolidation, and regulations (e.g., Regulation Z & California B&P 17200), predatory prosecutions, spam email prevention, and consumer privacy & identity theft protection.

Media Experience

CNET.com (CBS Interactive)

Blog Author, Summer 2007-Spring 2009

  • Blogged about the iPhone launch and the aftermath, technology/ telecom issues and the changes in social behavior device has generated and how it represents Web 2.0. See: https://news.cnet.com/living-with-the-iphone/.

Universal Music Group, Classical and Jazz Department, London, UK

Press Internship, November 2000 – June 2001

  • Eight-month internship included responsibilities for: classical artist interaction/management; contact maintenance with
  • leading UK classical music magazines and publications, and interface with various British arts organizations.

U.S. Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) in Washington, DC

Press Intern, Summer 2000

  • Coordinated press conferences, media appearances and local radio interviews for senator, who was ranking member on Finance Committee and Special Committee on Aging.
  • Reviewed and analyzed media coverage of senator’s initiatives including bankruptcy reform, budget and judicial nominations.
  • Authored press releases recounting senator’s efforts and initiatives; responded to national and local media inquiries.

The Daily Iowan, Iowa City, IA

Metro News Reporter & Arts Writer, Summers 1996 – 1999

  • Pitched, researched, wrote and edited more than 100 news stories covering wide-range of news and media events for a full- Associated Press member newspaper. Topics included presidential races, local spot news, arts and features articles.

 Publications

  • Article: “Think Twice Before You Tweet: Practicing Restraint in a Twittering LinkedIn Facebook World” San Francisco Attorney Magazine, December 2009.
  • Former regular blog columnist for CNET.com; former metro news & arts reporter.
  • “Trading Rights & Wrongs: The 2002 Bush Steel Tariffs,” Berkeley Journal of Int’l Law, 21 Berk. J. IL. 285, 2003.
  • “The Simpsons and the Law,” UCLA Entertainment Law Rev, 10 UCLA Ent. L. Rev. 275, 2003.

Professional Engagements & Successes

  • Successful representation of LGBT physician and his medical corporation in wrongful and constructive termination case against a public hospital district. Case featured public agency law, due process rights, medical license rights, medical billing abuse & fraud, business and personal disparagement. Defendant valued case at less than $30,000, final settlement in plaintiff’s favor was in high six-figures – an amount 30x than defendant’s initial settlement offer.
  • Successful sole representation of physician in water intrusion repair dispute in a high-end, high-rise residential building where my efforts obtained a five-figure settlement without resorting to arbitration or litigation; amount was 17x larger than developers’ initial compromise amount.
  • Successful appeal of U.S. Small Business Administration grant and disaster loan applications securing nearly $1 million in assistance for business clients (restaurant) when initially denied by SBA.
  • Successfully represented an electronic pay company in online disparagement case with a cease & desist letter for disparaging online reviews that were untrue.
  • General business and corporate formation advice for a new professional consulting company in six-figure contract negotiations with outside vendors and major airline client.
  • Provide general business advice for consultants and other related professional agreements.
  • Pro bono consulting for major Bay Area arts & music festival coordinating program expansion, fundraising, guest artist & venue agreements, potential broadcasting on national public radio networks
  • General representation of broadband telecommunications client in preparing commercial agreements with subcontractors, preventing litigation with former subcontractors, prevailing wage issues and handling negotiations with subcontractors and public entities, and business alliances with non-profit organizations.
  • Successfully represented emerging Internet ad Placement/origination Company in a $100,000 collections action and conversion matter against former employee.
  • Successfully defended medical device company in pregnancy discrimination FMLA/ADA case. The case settled at the start of trial in defendant’s favor as a result of our favorable partial summary judgment earlier in the case.
  • Counseled and represented noted restaurants in successfully dismissing wage and hour claims, seasonal closures, commercial agreement disputes and creating compliant intern programs.

Professional Recognition

  • Interviewed and featured in “Yeah, there’s a legal app for that!” in Plaintiff: The Magazine for Northern California Plaintiffs’ Attorneys (July 2010)
  • Interviewed and featured in the New York Times for creative real estate marketing skills for noted economist client (September 2010)
  • Winner of Community Boards (San Francisco) Certified Mediator Training Scholarship (October 2010)