John is a nationally recognized litigator with more than four decades of experience, having practiced in three major metropolitan areas: San Diego, Los Angeles and New York City. He has been involved in many complex federal and state court jury and bench trials and appeals, several resulting in published opinions. John’s business litigation includes cases involving receivers and creditors in Ponzi cases, unfair competition, fraud, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, insurance bad faith and related tax issues. His real estate cases include landslides, soil and water contamination, boundary disputes, inverse condemnation, construction and enforcement of property restrictions.

John also handles real estate transactions often as part of litigated cases, including the purchase and sale of developed and undeveloped land, securing entitlements and structuring transactions to defer taxation.

During law school, John clerked for Joseph L. Alioto, former mayor of San Francisco and renowned anti-trust attorney. In addition, while completing his master’s degree at Columbia University, he worked with Fred Friendly, the former President of CBS News, on the PBS series “Media Law & Society.” He was also staff attorney at the Legal Action Center of New York City, then chaired by Arthur Lyman, former counsel to the Senate during the Iran-Contra hearings.

Bar Admissions

California

New York

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Education

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 1978)
• Columbia University (M.A., 1983)
• University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1972)

• Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
• Judicial Review Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
• Best Lawyers in San Diego, San Diego Magazine
• San Diego Super Lawyers
• National Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Corporate Counsel Edition

• University of California Hastings Board of Trustees
• Downtown San Diego Partnership
• San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Association of Business Trial Lawyers