Steven S. Abern, a partner in the firm, is an AV-rated attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience as trial counsel in insurance defense. Mr. Abern has a diverse civil litigation practice, including insurance and casualty defense, premises liability, construction and real estate litigation, coverage and bad faith litigation, personal injury and general business matters. He defends policy holders in a wide range of cases including major property damage claims requiring aggressive defense. Mr. Abern is a certified Mediator serving Bay Area litigants in the areas of real estate, business, landlord-tenant disputes, and personal injury.

Mr. Abern specializes in catastrophic injury claims, landlord-tenant litigation, real estate and construction litigation, commercial and residential litigation, ADA claims, products liability, neighbor and boundary disputes, commercial transportation litigation, and business and employment litigation.

Mr. Abern’s experience includes numerous jury trials, arbitrations and mediations. In addition, Mr. Abern serves as Cumis counsel and has extensive appellate experience.

Admissions

The State Bar of California (1990)
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

Grinnell College, Iowa (1979)
University of San Francisco School of Law (1990)

Aaron F. MacLeitch is a partner with more than 18 years of litigation experience defending personal injury, premises liability and landlord-tenant actions in which a defense may be offered under an automobile, homeowners, landlord package, personal umbrella or commercial policy.

A large percentage of Mr. MacLeitch’s practice involves cases in which a reservation of rights has been issued by the insurer, and the insured is represented by either non-insurance retained or Cumis counsel. As such, Mr. MacLeitch is well-versed in navigating the tripartite relationship and the potential conflicts associated with handling such cases. Mr. MacLeitch also has expertise in handling state court appeals on behalf of the firm’s clients and has assisted insurers in resolving complex matters with unrepresented claimants, including preparations of minor’s compromises.

Mr. MacLeitch’s insurance defense practice includes auto cases (liability and first party uninsured/underinsured claims), product liability, wrongful death, landlord tenant and toxic tort claims.

Admissions:
The State Bar of California (1995)

Memberships:
Association of Defense Counsel
Alameda County Bar Association

Education:
University of California, Davis (1992)
University of San Francisco School of Law (1995)

Jody Struck is a partner with the firm and was admitted to practice in 1985. During law school, she interned for Superior Court Judge Stuart Pollak, now on the Court of Appeal.  Ms. Struck was selected to teach Moot Court, and coached students on writing briefs and presenting oral argument.  Ms. Struck also spent a summer studying International and Comparative Law in London, England, through the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Following law school, Ms. Struck worked for an AV-rated civil litigation firm in San Francisco.  She joined the firm in 1998.  She has defended her clients in a wide variety of actions, including breach of warranty, product liability, personal injury and wrongful death claims against Ford Motor Company, wrongful eviction and habitability actions against the San Francisco Housing Authority, medical malpractice claims against Highland Hospital, inverse condemnation and subsidence suits against the City of Oakland and the City of Vallejo, as well as personal injury, landlord/tenant, and other claims against individuals, corporations and public entities.  Her practice also includes the representation of insurers regarding claims for uninsured motorist benefits.  Ms. Struck has successfully resolved cases through dispositive motions, mediation, binding arbitration, trials, and appeals.

Ms. Struck has been an instructor in the Association of Defense Counsel’s Basic Training Series.

Admissions:
State Bar of California (1985)
United States District Court for the Northern District

Education:
University of California, Santa Barbara, with honors (1979)
University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1985)
Also attended Georg August Universität in Göttingen, Germany

Elizabeth Gong Landess is a Partner of the firm with over 25 years of litigation experience in the civil litigation and insurance defense arena.  Her practice is varied, ranging from defense of premises liability, commercial general liability, construction defect and personal injury matters to rental vehicle liability cases.  Ms. Landess also specializes in representing veterinarians and veterinary clinics in veterinary malpractice claims and license defense actions and veterinary practice consulting.

Ms. Landess has extensive experience in tort defense litigation, including neighbor/boundary disputes, catastrophic injury claims, landlord-tenant litigation, premises liability claims, product liability claims, restaurant/food-related claims and landslide/property damage claims.

A graduate of Santa Clara University and Santa Clara University School of Law, Ms. Landess began her legal career in the offices of the Santa Clara County Counsel and the Santa Clara County District Attorney in the Juvenile Dependency units of each office.  She has served as a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association’s Judiciary Committee, the Law Alumni Board of Directors for Santa Clara University School of Law and the National Board of Directors of Campfire Boys & Girls, as well as several local non-profit boards.  When not practicing law, she enjoys travel, reading, cooking and baking.

Admissions:

State Bar of California (1988)

United States District Court for the Northern District of California

Education:

Santa Clara University, California (1984)

Santa Clara University School of Law, California (1988)

Professional Memberships:

Association of Defense Counsel

Santa Clara County Bar Association

Ryan L. Dahm is an Associate Attorney and was admitted to practice in 2005. Mr. Dahm is experienced in civil litigation. Prior to joining the firm, he represented both Plaintiffs and Defendants in commercial breach of contract and debtor/creditor matters in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts. The majority of his practice prior to joining the firm was creditor rights litigation. Mr. Dahm has extensive experience with garnishments, liens, and the sale of real property for a wide range of clients, including individuals, public entities, and Fortune 500 companies.

Admissions:
State Bar of California (2012)
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Central District of California
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California

Education:
San Francisco State University (2005)
University of San Francisco School of Law (2011)

Tracy Warner is an Associate Attorney and has been practicing in the area of civil litigation previously as a paralegal and was admitted to practice as an attorney in 2019. Most of her experience has been in the area of landlord-tenant law.

In law school, Tracy was awarded Dean’s List recognition for high academic standing, and she completed an internship with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Outside of the office,  Tracy enjoys running with her running club and competing in races.

Admissions:
The State Bar of California (2019)

Education:
Windsor University, School of Law (2016)
Golden Gate University, School of Law (2014)
York University (1999)

Michael A. Karatov is an Associate Attorney with the firm and has been a practicing insurance defense attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area following his admission in 2004.

Mr. Karatov has extensive experience representing insurers in first and third-party matters, with an emphasis in property and casualty, health care litigation, and personal injury.  Mr. Karatov has also defended clients in the US Tax Court and before the IRS.

Mr. Karatov has successfully argued motions in both state and federal court, including motions for summary judgment and 12(b)(6) motions to dismiss.

Admissions:

State Bar of California (2004)
United States District Court, Northern District
United States District Court, Central District
United States District Court, Eastern District
United States Tax Court

Education:

University of California, Santa Barbara (2000)
Golden Gate School of Law, San Francisco, California (2004)

Harish Tangri is an Associate Attorney and has assisted clients in all phases of their litigation needs. Mr. Tangri’s practice experience includes a wide array of real estate and probate matters including breach of contract, landlord & tenant rights, nondisclosures, construction disputes, partitions, conservatorships and estate planning.

His current practice focuses on insurance defense in personal injury, landlord-tenant actions, and claims against public entities in civil and criminal state courts as well as Federal court in California.

Mr. Tangri has a passion for litigation and advocating for his clients. He is a skilled communicator and negotiator which has helped him settle many cases. He relishes a challenge and prides himself on being a creative problem solver.

Admissions:
State Bar of California (2019)
United States District Court for the Northern District of California

Education:
Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada (2011)
Santa Clara University School of Law, California (2018)