Our Practice Areas
Real Estate
MMWB&R’s real estate practice encompasses a variety of transactions (purchase, sale and escrow), organization of real estate development ventures and representation of borrowers and lenders in transactions for commercial, office, industrial and residential projects. MMWB&R also represents clients before local and state governmental agencies on regulatory matters (with particular focus on real estate development entitlements and public contract disputes) and in land use transactions and disputes with governmental agencies. (See also “Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation,” below.)
Labor and Employment
MMWB&R comprehensively serves the needs of employers (and the occasional employee) in all aspects of employment law, from litigation to workplace training, corporate compliance, the development of personnel policies and procedures, representation in employment-related disputes, and litigation before federal and state courts and administrative agencies such as Cal-OSHA, the Department of Labor, California Labor Commissioner and the Employment Development Department. MMWB&R represents many of the largest employers in Central California in cutting edge disputes including class action cases, wrongful termination, sexual and other unlawful harassment and discrimination claims, False Claims Act litigation and unfair competition and trade secret misappropriation. MMWB&R also represents employers in union organizational efforts and elections, negotiations and the prosecution and defense of claims of unfair labor practice matters.
Health Care
MMWB&R represents health care entities such as hospitals, federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics as well as private practice health care providers with regard to corporate compliance, operational and organizational issues, fraud and abuse, HIPAA compliance, litigation, mediation and arbitration, and provider reimbursement and payment.
Finance
MMWB&R represents both borrowers and lenders in all types of secured and unsecured financial transactions, including bond financing. Attorneys at MMWB&R have negotiated loan commitments on projects in excess of $200 million and have dealt with unique situations involving personal and real property security in multiple states. MMWB&R attorneys counsel both borrowers and lenders in loan workout negotiation and documentation.
Intellectual Property
MMWB&R provides legal advice across most IP areas, including IP litigation, trademark and trade secret cases, unfair competition and trade restrictions. The firm also advises and assists in the creation, licensing and protection of trademarks, service marks, confidentiality agreements, software agreements and commercial transactions driven by IP.
Business Organization
MMWB&R counsels clients in all aspects of the formation, organization and dissolution of business enterprises, including partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies and joint ventures. MMWB&R is also experienced in corporate finance, real estate syndications, and mergers and acquisitions.
Business Litigation
MMWB&R represents clients in complex business litigation (including contract litigation, trade secret, confidentiality and unfair competition disputes, real estate disputes and construction litigation). The firm represents clients before all state and federal trial courts, as well as governmental and administrative entities.
Estate Planning
MMWB&R advises clients on all areas of estate planning, including estate tax avoidance or minimization, probate avoidance, transfers in trust and trust administration. The firm assists with designing and developing estate plans that accurately reflect our clients’ expectations. MMWB&R provides advice regarding lifetime services such as wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, charitable bequests and other planning tools, and postmortem planning techniques.
Environmental
MMWB&R advises clients in numerous areas of environmental regulatory law at federal, state and local levels, including CEQA, NEPA, CERCLA and other laws dealing with hazardous substances and pollution (water, air and noise). The firm is particularly knowledgeable in representing developers and builders against environmental challenges by project opponents.
Appellate Litigation
MMWB&R has proven appellate counsel who have successfully represented clients with cases on appeal before the various California Courts of Appeal, the California Supreme Court, the Ninth and Tenth Circuit U.S. Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. The firm has dozens of reported published decisions.
Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation
MMWB&R represents clients in actions involving the seizure of private property by government agencies, by direct eminent domain action and covert inverse condemnation. The firm has successfully handled novel issues in taking cases against both state and local agencies (e.g., loss of business goodwill, complex severance damages and impairment of access).