Gary serves as Chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice. He is a State Bar approved Certified Appellate Specialist, handling writs and appeals in all of the California appellate courts, including the California Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. His practice also includes dispositive motions such as SLAPP, summary judgment, and post-trial motions. His appellate experience gives him unique insights into complex cases and esoteric disputes. He excels at issue spotting and arrives at thoughtful solutions to business problems. His practice includes risk management such as interpreting contracts, indemnity provisions, and more.

A passionate appellate lawyer and law professor, Gary has been on the faculty at U.C. Hastings College of the Law since 2001 teaching various appellate law courses and coaching intercollegiate moot court competition teams. Consistent with Hanson Bridgett’s commitment to pro bono work, Gary currently serves as General Counsel and Chief Supervising Attorney for U.C. Hastings’ Ninth Circuit clinical program: the Hastings Appellate Project. As General Counsel and Chief Supervising Attorney, he supervises law students in the pro bono legal representation of appellants. He is also a frequent lecturer at MCLE presentations throughout the Bay Area, and has taught hundreds of lawyers over the years on a vast array of appellate and litigation best practices.

Gary is also Chair of the Contra Costa County Bar Association’s appellate practice section. A prolific writer, Gary is a frequent contributor to the Daily Journal, The Recorder, and other legal publications, with over 75 published articles to date.

Published Opinions

McWhinney Centerra v. Poag & McEwen, No. 19CA0438 (Co. Court of Appeals 2021) (establishing that Colorado economic loss rule does not apply to intentional torts)

Diaz-Reynoso v. Barr, 2020 WL 4557855 (9th Cir. 2020) (administrative law)

Spencer v. Mowat (2020) 46 Cal.App.5th 1024 (anti-SLAPP statute & conspiracy)

Schwan v. Permann (2018) 28 Cal.App.5th 678 (trust interpretation)

Barrientos v. Lynch, 829 F.3d 1064 (9th Cir. 2016) (administrative law)

Medina-Nunez v. Lynch, 788 F.3d 1103 (9th Cir. 2015) (administrative law)

Velasquez v. Centrome, Inc. (2015) 233 Cal.App.4th 1191 (evidence law)

Castrijon-Garcia v. Holder, 704 F.3d 1205 (9th Cir. 2013) (immigration law)

Seabright Insurance Co. v. U.S. Airways (2011) 52 Cal.4th 590 (torts/administrative law)

Hernandez-Velasquez v. Holder, 611 F.3d 1073 (9th Cir. 2010) (administrative law)

Margaret W. v. Kelly R. (2006) 139 Cal.App.4th 141 (torts)

Perez v. Roe (2006) 146 Cal.App.4th 171 (constitutional law)

Bar Admissions

• Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• California Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
• California

Education
J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1997)
B.S., cum laude, California State University, Hayward (1992)

Professional Associations

• Contra Costa County Bar Association, Chair: Appellate Practice Section
• Member, California Lawyers Associationâ??s Committee on Appellate Courts
• Bar Association of San Francisco, Appellate Practice Section

Professional Activities and Experience
Accolades

• California Lawyers Association, Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Legal Services Award (2021)
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating
• Northern California Super Lawyers: Appellate (2011-present)

"Recent SCOTUS Opinions on Arbitration Statutes," The Daily Journal (August 2022)
"Anti-SLAPP Motions and Hearsay," The Daily Journal (July 2022)
“Can Arbitration Be Forced on Indigent Parties?,” The Daily Journal (June 2022)
"Judicial Review of Arbitration Injunctions," The Daily Journal (April 2022)
“Disqualifying arbitrators under the California Arbitration Act,” The Daily Journal (February 2022)
“The Collateral Order Doctrine,” The Daily Journal (January 2022)
“Supreme Court to Resolve Split Over Post-Arbitration Motions,” The Daily Journal (December 2021)
"Appealing Orders Compelling Arbitration Under the FAA," USLAW Magazine Fall 2021 (September 2021)
"PAGA and FAA Preemption," Daily Journal (October 2021)
"May Arbitration Awards Violate Public Policy?," Daily Journal (July 2021)
"Case to Resolve Split on Stateside Discovery for Foreign Arbitration," Daily Journal (May 2021)
"Appealing Orders on Arbitration in Federal Court," Daily Journal (March 2021)
"Notice of Appeal: Back to Basics to Avoid Disaster," Appellate Insight (January 2021)
"Arbitrability: Searching for Assent," co-author, Daily Journal (January 2021)
"A Few 2020 California Supreme Court Cases for Civil Litigators," co-author, Daily Journal (December 2020)
"Consumer Arbitration Wrinkles," co-author, Daily Journal (November 2020)
“Appellate Myths & Realities,” Daily Journal (August 2020)
"Is It Time to Let Go of the Bar Exam?," The Recorder (July 2020)
"Evidence: An Eternal Struggle," co-author, Daily Journal (May 2020)
"Summary Judgment & Hearsay Objections: Viable Since Sweetwater?," Appellate Insight (May 2020)
"Summary Judgment After Sweetwater: More Motions Denied," Daily Journal (January 2020)
"Costs and Attorney Fees on Appeal," Appellate Insight Blog (February 2019)
"Ruling Says Denial of Costs Doesn't Preclude Fee Award," Daily Journal (January 2019)
"Anti-SLAPP Motions: Use It or Lose It," author, Appellate Insight Blog (September 2018)
“California civil litigators are SLAPP - happy,” Daily Journal (July 2018)
"People v. Sanchez, Hearsay, and Expert Testimony," co-author, California Litigation (June 2018) Republication by permission of California Litigation, the journal of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association
"Say Yes to Pro Bono," San Francisco Attorney (June 2018)
"California anti-SLAPP in the 9th Circuit: Can it survive?" Daily Journal (May 2018)
"Will California's Anti-SLAPP Statute Survive?" Appellate Insight Blog (May 2018)
"Navigating Appeals," Daily Journal (April 2018)
"Anti-SLAPP Statutes In Federal Courts," USLAW Magazine (March 2018)
"Searching for perfection," Daily Journal (December 2017)
"Expert Testimony, Hearsay, and Summary Judgment," Appellate Insight Blog (October 2017)
"Hearsay and expert witnesses: relying or relating?," Daily Journal (October 2017)
"A paradigm shift on experts
and hearsay in civil cases?," Daily Journal (September 2017)
"Ruling grapples with 998 offers, arbitration," Daily Journal (June 2017)
"Frivolous Appeals," Daily Journal (April 2017)
"New Year's resolution: filing appeals on time," Daily Journal (January 2017)
"Real estate duty decision could have big impact. Or not," Daily Journal (December 2016)
"2016 Opinions Provide 998 Guidance," Daily Journal  (November 2016)
"Settling, Dismissing and Prevailing," Daily Journal (March 2016)
"State High Court Takes on Anti-SLAPP," Daily Journal (February 2016)
"Contractual Attorney Fees Conundrum," Daily Journal (December 2015)
"Independent contractor doctrine limited in ruling," co-author, Daily Journal (July 2015)
"When’s an Action ‘On the Contract’ for Free Purposes?," Daily Journal (April 2014)
“Fly fishing and the appellate lawyering life,” Daily Journal (October 2013)
"What the Dickens is the Law?," Daily Journal (September 2013)
"Your Skills: Oral Argument – Going All Out," The Recorder (August 2013)
"Multiple settlement offers: blurry or bright-line rules?," Daily Journal (June 2013)
"Your Skills: Appellate Brief Writing, Before, During and After," The Recorder (June 2013)
"Judicial notice: effective weapon or misfire?," Daily Journal (May 2013)
"State high court to hear settlement offer fee-shifting arguments," The Daily Journal (April 2013)
"High court set to examine prevailing party attorney fees," The Daily Journal (February 2013)
"Immigrant gets another chance to stay in U.S. despite kidnapping rap, 9th Circuit rules," Daily Journal (January 2013)
“Prevailing party attorney fees: battle or war?,” Daily Journal (December 2012)
“Strategy in Section 998 offers to compromise,” Daily Journal (August 2012)
“The outer limits: When the facts are not taken as true,” Daily Journal  (February 2012)
"Supreme Court Rolls Back Nondelegable Duties," The Recorder (August 2011)
"Masquerade: Identifying the Genuine Judgment," Daily Journal (July 2011)
"Summer Blockbusters: Will the State Supreme Court Deliver?," Daily Journal (June 2011)
“Home Improvement: When There’s an Accident, Who’s at fault?,” Daily Journal (March 2011)
“Early 998 Offers: Wicked Weapon or Wise Tactic?,” Daily Journal (February 2011)
“Make Me an Offer,” Daily Journal (June 2009)
“Blood Sport,” Daily Journal (June 2009)
“Warning: Hard Hat Area,” Daily Journal (February 2009)
“Deconstructing Indemnity,” Daily Journal (August 2008)
“Strict Construction,” Daily Journal (May 2008)
“Arbitration: Be Careful What You Wish For,” Contra Costa Lawyer (March 2008)
“Obtain a Ruling or Else,” Daily Journal (February 2008)
“Damage Control,” Daily Journal (June 2007)
“Arbitrary Restrictions,” Daily Journal (February 2007)
“Home Alone,” Daily Journal (October 2006)
“Property Owners, Be Wary of ‘Imminent Peril,’” Daily Journal (August 2006)
“Analyzing Emotional Distress Damages,” Contra Costa Lawyer (April 2006)
“Interpreting Indemnity Agreements,” Contra Costa Lawyer (March 2006)

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