FIRM NEWS
Norman Pine honored as one of the Top 20 Plaintiff's Employment Lawyers in California
[Los Angeles Daily Journal, July 13, 2011]
Norman Pine once again named Top 100 Super Lawyer in Southern California:
Southern California Super Lawyer in Appellate Law 2004-2012
Top 100 Super Lawyers in California 2009-2012
Beverly Pine named a Southern California Super Lawyer in Appellate Law 2012
Norman Pine and Beverly Pine to speak at:
CAALA Convention, Las Vegas, September 2011
CAOC Convention, San Francisco, November 2011
CAOC Hawaii Seminar, Maui, November 2011
Stacy Tillett joins Pine & Pine
Stacy Tillett joined Pine & Pine as an associate attorney in 2011. Prior to joining Pine & Pine, Ms. Tillett was a litigation associate in the San Francisco office of Latham & Watkins where she acquired a wide range of experience in federal and state litigation matters including antitrust and intellectual property. Ms. Tillett received her law degree in 2008 from the Columbia University School of Law where she was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone scholar. Ms. Tillett was a member of the Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts, a Moot Court editor, and was active in the school’s Jerome Michael Jury Trial competition. During law school, Ms. Tillett externed for Judge Joseph F. Bianco of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and interned for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts as well as the Dramatists Guild of America. Ms. Tillett received her B.A. in English and Theater & Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Tillett serves on the Board of Directors for Brava! For Women in the Arts located in San Francisco, California.
Janet Gusdorff returns to Pine & Pine after giving birth to beautiful baby boy.
On August 31, 2011, Janet and her husband Noah welcomed their son, Joshua, into the world. We at Pine & Pine are happy to welcome Janet back. Janet will continue to play a major role in performing appellate services for our clients.
RECENT WINS:
Sallustio v. Kemper Independent Insurance Co. (2011)
PINE & PINE (as co-counsel with Christopher Whelan and David deRubertis) was successful in persuading the Third Appellate District to affirm the disqualification of a major law firm as trial counsel due to its improper disclosure and improper use of confidential documents concerning a third party witness which the law firm had inadvertently received. The case covered a wide range of disqualification issues, including a number of issues raised by the Supreme Court's decision in Rico v. Mitsubishi (2007) 42 Cal.4th 807.
Patrick v. City of Los Angeles (2011)
The Second Appellate District affirmed in full a judgment of approximately $1.2 million in favor of three African-American officers where race was a motivating reason contributing to the City's decision not to promote them.
Sanchez v. Caremore Medical Group (2010).
PINE & PINE convinced the Second Appellate District to affirm plaintiff’s $9 million judgment against defendant, Caremore Medical Group. The appeal focused upon agency and respondeat superior issues in the managed medical care context. The plaintiff suffered catastrophic physical damages after a Caremore-contracted neurosurgeon failed to properly treat her for a severely-infected shunt in her brain. The jury rejected Caremore’s claim that the neurosurgeon was an independent contractor, rather than an agent of Caremore, and it therefore held Caremore liable for the entire $9 million in damages.
South Beverly Park Homeowners Assoc. Inc. v. North Beverly Park Homeowners Assoc. Inc. (2010).
PINE & PINE convinced the Second Appellate District to affirm a judgment upholding an easement permitting guests, employees, and invitees of the residents of South Beverly Park access through the North Gate of North Beverly Park.
Hill v City of Los Angeles (2010).
PINE & PINE convinced the Second Appellate District to affirm in full a judgment of approximately $3.8 million, not including appellate attorneys fees, in favor of a police officer who was retaliated against for complaining about racist comments made by a superior officer. In affirming the judgment, the court applied the “cat’s paw” theory and rejected the claim that the decision-makers lacked illegal intent. The City vigorously fought this case, including seeking review by the California Supreme Court.
Bautista v. Park West Gallery 388 Fed.Appx. 635 (9th Cir. 2010).
PINE & PINE successfully defended the District Court’s denial of attorney’s fees and costs where the plaintiff’s action for breach of contract was dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction and her subsequent action was dismissed on the basis of collateral estoppel on the issue of personal jurisdiction.
Core Wealth Management, LLC v. Ronald Heller, et al. (2010).
PINE & PINE convinced the Second Appellate District to affirm a $4 million judgment based on breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets and other claims stemming from defendants’ leaving the plaintiff company and starting a competing business.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
Navigating around employers' favorite arguments by Beverly Tillett Pine [Advocate, Volume 38, Number 4, April 2011].
Trial Lawyer and Appellate Lawyer: Viva la Difference! by Norman Pine and Beverly Tillett Pine [Advocate, Volume 37, Number 12, December 2010].
Understanding – and proving – the separate and distinct claim of sexual harassment under the FEHA by Beverly Tillett Pine [Advocate, Volume 37, Number 4, April 2010].
Married to the Law - Couples who Practice Together [Plaintiff, Vol. 3, No. 12, December 2009].
