Biography
Darryl, the founding partner of the Firm, is an experienced trial lawyer, mediator and arbitrator. He has tried over 40 jury and non-jury cases to verdict in state and federal courts as well as numerous arbitrations in complex commercial, banking, consumer finance, class action, real property, unfair competition, construction and intellectual property disputes throughout California. He has also represented clients in administrative proceedings before the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture (PACA), National Labor Relations Board, California Department of Fair Housing and Employment, Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board and Agricultural Labor Relations Board. He has been recognized as a top 100 Northern California Super Lawyer® for the past five years, been listed as a Northern California Super Lawyer® for over 10 years, holds an AV®-Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell, a perfect 10.0 rating from Avvo®, is a Fellow with the Litigation Council of America, and has been recognized as a Premier 100 Trial Lawyer by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers. Darryl works primarily out of the Firm’s Fresno and Los Angeles offices.
Practice Areas
- Agricultural Law
- Banking & Finance
- Collection & Creditor Rights
- Construction Law
- Environmental Law
- Intellectual Property
- Labor & Employment Law
- Litigation
- Real Estate
Education
- Western State University College of Law, Fullerton, California
- J.D.
- California State University
- B.A.
- Major: History
Bar Admissions
- California, 1981
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1982
- U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1981
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1989
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1994
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1994
Professional Associations
- Litigation and Law Practice Management Sections of the State Bar of California
- Fresno County Bar Association (Chair: Construction Law Section)
- American Academy of Trial Lawyers (Premier 100 Trial Lawyer)
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers (Member: Board of Directors)
- American Bar Association (Member: Litigation and Law Office Economics Sections; ADR, Construction, and Commercial Law and Banking Committees of the Litigation Section)
- Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow: Trial Lawyer Honorary Society)
- California Creditors Bar Association (Secretary)
- Southern California Mediation Association
Published Works
- An Introduction to E-Discovery, 2016
Representative Cases
- Obtained dismissal of shareholders derivative suit seeking to recover over $10M in damages for losses sustained in trading options and negotiated subsequent buy-out of transferee of a limited partnership on favorable terms.
- Obtained recovery of all amounts due to wholesale finance company of secured debt provided for inventory finance.
- Obtained favorable settlement in defense of an auto finance company sued by wholesale finance company for unpaid trade-ins and negotiated.
- Obtained dismissal by anti-SLAPP motion of action filed by buyer of numerous real property parcels in an action for fraud.
- Represented three defendants in a consolidated class action securities fraud action in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, where one defendant was dismissed by motion to dismiss and settlement was reached for the other two defendants on favorable terms prior to class certification.
- Represented debt buyer in consumer class action for violation of the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, where favorable settlement reached after class certification.
- Represented third party defendant in TCPA class action where client was dismissed following a successful motion to dismiss.
- Represented financial institution in successful defense of numerous consumer claims where client was either dismissed following pre-hearing motion or defense verdict obtained following hearing.
- Served as arbitrator on complex securities dispute involving claims in excess of $200 million.
- Served as arbitrator on complex securities dispute involving claims in excess of $5 million.
- Represented defendant in a class action suit filed in Fresno County and was able to secure a dismissal of the entire action without payment before class certification.
- Represented three financial institutions in a consolidated class action suit filed in Orange County in which the firm’s clients obtained a favorable settlement without the expenditure of significant fees.
- Represented subcontractor in dispute over construction of multiple units within a national park. Recovered monies due to client from payment and performance bond after contractor filed for bankruptcy.
- Defended material supplier in complex construction dispute over a structure in Las Vegas. Resolved matter for client with no payment to general contractor though other parties contributed to a multi-million dollar settlement.
- Represented grading contractor in binding arbitration in which client recovered funds due on a mountain road project.
- Represented the plaintiff in a complex residential construction defect action in Santa Cruz County in which the client discovered significant construction defects and in which insurance coverage was secured and a significant monetary settlement with the contractor and subcontractors obtained.
- Represented a company that was the subject of a secondary boycott and assisted in the prosecution of actions before the ALRB, the NLRB, state court injunctive actions and a federal court damage action.
- Defended numerous companies in unfair trade practices actions in which favorable settlements were obtained.
- Represented beneficiary in complex probate dispute and obtained judgment for over $2 million recovered based on opposing counsel taking funds from estate.
- Represented successful contractor in public contract bid dispute in action brought by losing contractor, obtaining dismissal that was affirmed on appeal.
- Represented agricultural lender in defense of shareholder’s derivative action, obtaining dismissal that was affirmed on appeal.
Honors
- AV® – Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell
- Top 100 lawyers in Northern California by Super Lawyer® Magazine
- Northern California Super Lawyer® by Super Lawyers® Magazine
- 10.0 rating from AVVO
- Top 100 Litigators in California by the American Society of Legal Advocates
- Premier 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Academy of Jurisprudence
- Fellow: Trial Lawyer Honorary Society by the Litigation Counsel of America
- Fellow of the American Bar Association Foundation
- Selected to Super Lawyers: 2007 – 2024
Classes & Seminars
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- the AGC of California
- Association for Conflict Resolution
- National Association of Women in Construction
- the CPA/Law Forum and Primerus