| Legal Talk Show, Law Firm Websites - Michael J. Pérez | |
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Michael J. Pérez is a highly accomplished lawyer who focuses primarily on complex business litigation and class action litigation in the areas of intellectual property and employment law. As lead counsel, Michael has successfully tried to verdict jury trials in the areas of trademark infringement, real estate investment loan class actions, employment-related matters, and Section 1983 actions on behalf of several municipalities. In this interview, he discusses his work in the case of Cantu v. Flannigan in which Billy R. Flanigan, a businessman from Houston, Texas, told a reporter that Mr. Garza Cantu was involved in illegal and dishonest activities. The reporter was with Proceso Magazine, which is a weekly political magazine that was circulated in both the United States and Mexico at the time. The jury concluded that Flanigan made statements to the reporter, verbally and in writing, and that Flanigan expected the reporter to publish those statements. Further, the jury concluded the statements were false. The jury awarded Cantu $38 million in economic damages and $150 million for humiliation, mental anguish and damage to his reputation. Prior to establishing Pérez & Wilson LLP, Michael was a partner in the business litigation practice group of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP. He is also a former Counsel to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. Prior to working in Washington, D.C., Michael served as General Counsel to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City for two years. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California where he conducted numerous grand jury investigations and indictments, international financial investigations, and public corruption and drug trafficking trials and appeals. As a native San Diegan and active member of the community, Michael serves on numerous non-profit boards including the MLK, Jr. All People’s Breakfast Committee, the UCSD Hispanic Scholarship Council, and Volunteers in Parole, Inc. He is also active with the Lawyers Club of San Diego and a Master in the William B. Enright Inn of Court. In 2001, he was appointed by the Mayor of San Diego to serve as a Commissioner on the City’s Human Relations Committee. In 2002, Michael was listed in San Diego Magazine’s “50 People to Watch”, and in 2004 he was listed in San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s “40 Under Forty” notable San Diegans. In 2008 Michael was named Attorney of the Year by the San Diego La Raza Lawyer's Association. Michael is a former member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees, and past President of the California La Raza Lawyers Association. He earned his JD from UCLA in 1990, and began his legal career at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP where he spent five years specializing in intellectual property litigation. He obtained his BA from Stanford University, graduating with honors in 1987. Michael provides expert commentary for NBC. He is also fluent in?Spanish. Michael Cavalluzzi is an extremely talented attorney who has defended clients in courts throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange Counties. In this interview, he discusses his representation of Bo Martinez who was on his way home from work on his motorcycle when he was hit by a drunk driver making a left hand turn right in front of him. Bo suffered severe injuries, including compound fractures to his right arm and leg, a fractured pelvis and several broken ribs. After 11 days at Cedars Sinai and three orthopedic surgeries, Bo was sent home to recover from his very painful injuries. Before the accident, Bo had just started a job with The Gas Co., which he had waited almost a year to get. Because of the accident, he was unable to continue this employment and would be forced to start the process all over without any guarantee of being re-hired. Six months after suffering his very severe injuries, Bo received his settlement check and was able to continue the healing process and get on with his life. Michael began his legal career in 1992 as a civil litigator for State Farm Insurance, the largest insurance company in the United States. After winning several jury trials, he decided to leave State Farm and focus on the practice of criminal defense. He joined the Public Defender's Office and quickly established himself as a fearless, creative trial attorney, defending clients in all types of cases, ranging from misdemeanor battery to homicide. Michael is also actively involved in civil litigation, successfully representing a number of personal injury cases. Roger Clark is the founding member and managing partner of Clark, Goldberg & Madruga www.clarkgoldberg.com. In his more than 25 years practicing law, Roger has earned a national reputation as a successful trial attorney representing insurers, cable television providers, and small and large businesses in a broad range of business litigation matters. “My philosophy has always been that the attorneys in this law firm must be prepared not just to ‘litigate’ a case, but to try it before a judge or jury, while at the same time keeping the client’s goals and objectives squarely within our sights.” Roger is rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating that can be bestowed upon an attorney. |
