Articles from Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm attorneys have been elevated to equity partner: Karl H. Berger, Johanna N. Canlas, and Algeria R. Ford. Burke’s total equity partner count is thirty now.

A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP Eminent Domain litigation team obtained a jury verdict in a Los Angeles Superior Court that awarded under six percent above the taking agency’s expert valuation of the property, and less than the agency's final settlement offer prior to trial. The case, entitled San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments v. Sahagun, et al., LASC Case No. 1926CV22715, involved a full fee take by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) of commercial property that was needed to construct the agency’s grade separation project in the City of Montebello. The project is part of SGVCOG’s safety improvements and grade separations to multiple at-grade crossings involving Union Pacific Railroad tracks throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The project will reduce crossing collisions, queuing, and congestion as well as reduce vehicle emissions.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the firm was named by Best Lawyers® to the following National tier rankings in the 2025 United States edition of Best Law Firms®: Land Use and Zoning Law / Tier 1; Litigation – Intellectual Property / Tier 3; and Real Estate Law / Tier 3. Burke was also named in Best Law Firms® to the following ‘Metropolitan’ tier rankings: San Francisco – Land Use and Zoning Law / Tier 1, Real Estate Law / Tier 1, Environmental Law / Tier 2, and Litigation Intellectual Property / Tier 2; Oakland – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law / Tier 2; and San Jose – Commercial Litigation / Tier 3.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court issued a Statement of Decision on August 13, 2024 denying Petitioner Friends and Families for MOVE Culver City’s (“Friends and Families”) Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against the City of Culver City and the City Council of the City of Culver City (LASC Case No. 23STCP03833), finding in favor of the City on all causes of action. The Court subsequently entered a formal Judgment on September 3, 2024, denying the Petition and ruling against Petitioner and in favor of the City. The defense team was led by Burke Environmental, Land Use and Natural Resources practice partner Stephen E. Velyvis, and included Burke Associate Caitlin R. Eliason.

A Statement of Decision issued in a civil suit filed in Contra Costa County Superior Court advanced the findings of a unanimous jury verdict previously secured by a Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP inverse condemnation litigation team. The defense team was led by Burke partners Brenda Aguilar-Guerrero and Chad W. Herrington.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm attorneys have been named to the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®: Brenda Aguilar-Guerrero, Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation Law (Oakland); Michelle Marchetta Kenyon, Municipal Law (Oakland); Daniel W. Maguire, Insurance (Palm Desert); Joseph M. Montes, Municipal Law (Los Angeles); Elizabeth M. Pappy, Commercial Litigation (San Jose); Patricia L. Peden, Litigation – Intellectual Property (Oakland); Eric S. Phillips, Land Use and Zoning Law (San Francisco); Anna C. Shimko, Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning, and Real Estate Law (San Francisco); Eric S. Vail, Municipal Law (Riverside); and Stephen E. Velyvis, Land Use and Zoning Law (San Francisco).

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Michael W. Barrett, formerly the City Attorney for the City of Napa, has joined the firm’s Public Law practice as a partner. Barrett started his career in local government at the City of Oceanside as a law clerk and then began his practice of law with a private firm in San Diego, representing public and private clients. He then held in-house deputy and assistant city attorney positions at the City of Tracy and the City of Fremont.

A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP Law Enforcement Defense Litigation team has been distinguished in the 2024 edition of the Daily Journal’s ‘Top Verdicts’ supplement for securing a high-profile defense verdict in Rusanovskaya et al. v City of Los Angeles et al., 20STCV46024 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 2, 2020). The DJ ‘Top Verdicts’ supplement annually distinguishes the top trial outcomes in California, including the top 20 defense victories. Rusanovskaya entailed a $20 million claim against the City of Los Angeles and a Los Angeles Police Department officer for alleged excessive force as a result of the fatal officer-involved shooting of a knife-wielding man. Burke partner Nathan A. Oyster and associate Caylin W. Jones persuaded jurors to return a defense verdict following an emotionally-charged trial.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the firm will have eight Burke Labor and Employment Law teams featured at the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association 2023 annual training conference, taking place on November 14 - 17 in Monterey, California. CALPELRA 2023 will feature the following Burke presenters and topics:

A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP Litigation team representing the City of Los Angeles and LAPD officer Brandon Purece secured a high profile defense jury verdict in a Los Angeles Superior Court civil rights action (Bradley Steyn v. City of Los Angeles, et al., 20STCV34657). Plaintiff Bradley Steyn sued for battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violations of the Ralph Act and the Bane Act, and negligence arising from Steyn being shot in the groin by Purece with a less than lethal foam projectile. Plaintiff, a South African, alleged that the 40mm Less-Lethal Launcher was used to target him in an unauthorized manner, immediately after he violently kicked another LAPD officer during a fluid and rapidly evolving protest in the City’s Fairfax District on May 30, 2020. The protest was preceded by the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis five days earlier. Steyn’s kick of Officer Purece’s fellow LAPD officer was so severe that the officer’s pistol magazine fell out of his vest and he suffered injuries to his stomach, shoulder, and elbow.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm attorneys have been named to the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America: Brenda Aguilar-Guerrero, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law (Oakland); Robert W. Dickerson, Jr., Litigation – Intellectual Property (Los Angeles); Elizabeth M. Pappy, Commercial Litigation (San Jose); Patricia L. Peden, Litigation – Intellectual Property (Oakland); Eric S. Phillips, Land Use and Zoning Law (San Francisco); and Anna C. Shimko, Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law (San Francisco).

First paragraph, first sentence of release dated June 14, 2023, should read: Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have joined the firm’s Construction Law practice: Kevin P. McCarthy, Bryce D. Carroll, Craig A. Kisylia, Andrew R. Bogard, and Danielle E. Potestio. (instead of: Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have joined the firm’s Construction Law practice: Kevin O. McCarthy, Bryce D. Carroll, Craig A. Kisylia, Andrew R. Bogard, and Danielle E. Potestio.)

A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP litigation team won a unanimous defense verdict after a nine-day jury trial in Duffy v. City of Los Angeles (BC675781) in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The team was led by Burke partners Elisabeth A. Frater and Lisa W. Lee.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that, effective January 1, 2023, the following firm members have been elevated to equity partners: Brenda Aguilar-Guerrero, J. Leah Castella, Nira F. Doherty, and Gregory M. Murphy.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that Brenda Aguilar-Guerrero has joined the firm’s Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation practice group as a partner. Aguilar-Guerrero has represented public entities on complex eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters for more than 25 years and has assisted clients with large, complex multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects requiring hundreds of acquisitions, as well as smaller scale projects throughout California for a variety of clients. Prior to joining Burke, Aguilar-Guerrero served as chair of a statewide eminent domain and inverse condemnation practice group at her prior law firm. She is based in Burke’s Oakland office. Burke managing partner John J. Welsh noted that Aguilar-Guerrero “is a highly accomplished practitioner who will significantly add to the established and steadily increasing role Burke has in eminent domain and inverse condemnation law matters throughout California.”

On June 15, 2022, in an 11-1 verdict, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury found the City of Pasadena not liable for disability discrimination and retaliation claims brought by plaintiff Micko White, who had worked for the City’s Water and Power department for over thirty years. In Micko White v. City of Pasadena (19GDCV00855), White claimed the City had discriminated against him based on a physical disability. White also claimed retaliation, in the wake of his complaints about the interactive process. A Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP defense team presented evidence on behalf of the City to show that it had attempted to reasonably accommodate White’s disability, and that the plaintiff had voluntarily retired and was not constructively terminated by the City. The jury rejected White’s claims for lost wages and benefits totaling over $1.2 million. Burke Labor & Employment Litigation partner Elisabeth A. Frater and senior associate Natalie F. Price presented a defense case that secured the jury verdict following one hour of deliberation.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm attorneys have been elevated to income partners: Maxwell A. Blum, Eli J. Flushman, Kristin E. Charbonnier, and Temitayo Peters. Burke Managing Partner John J. Welsh highlighted, “Our firm is very pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these four dedicated Burke attorneys.” Welsh added, “Burke’s culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion affords every well-proven Burke attorney an opportunity for advancement.”

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is pleased to announce that the following firm members have been elevated to equity partners: Mark J. Austin, Thomas D. Jex, Kevin D. Siegel, Alan A. Sozio, Gregory B. Thomas, and Samantha W. Zutler. Burke’s total equity partner count now stands at twenty-five.