We Litigate Premises Liability Cases Throughout California

The Firm has extensive experience defending commercial businesses and retail establishments in premises liability and tort actions throughout California. We have an experienced team of acknowledgeable attorneys who provide clients with exceptional service, value and results in defense of these types of actions in some of the most plaintiff-friendly venues in the country.

We represent commercial businesses and retail establishments in litigation matters filed by individuals claiming to have been injured in slip, trip and fall accidents, physical and sexual assaults, as the result of negligent security, wrongful detention and other incidents on their premises.

We represent self-insured property owners, tenants, lessees and property management companies in premises liability cases, as well as those covered by insurance. Thus, we are accustomed to working with insurance adjusters, third party administrators, in-house risk managers and general counsel.

We Work Closely with Our Clients and Litigate With Our Clients’ Interests in Mind

We draw on our expertise in Premises Liability Litigation to evaluate each matter early, to assist with our clients’ investigations, to prevent additional exposure, and to determine whether an early resolution is appropriate. Commercial businesses and retail establishments sometimes face repeat litigation from the plaintiffs’ bar and not all of these cases are good candidates for early settlement efforts. Based on our significant experience, we identify the cases where an early resolution is the right approach, and we bring the matter to a conclusion swiftly and efficiently.

Where early resolution is not appropriate, or not possible in a reasonable range, we litigate. We assist our clients in identifying, gathering, and evaluating the necessary internal investigation materials without unduly burdening them. We use targeted early discovery to define and dissect claims, and to get plaintiffs to commit to their position early and on the record, to document and expose any factual inconsistencies. We also assist our clients in evaluating potential cross-complaints where applicable and tender such claims as early as possible.

We don’t just litigate for the sake of litigating. At each stage of each matter, we evaluate our strategy and our tactics critically, with our clients’ perspectives in mind, and we link our strategy to our clients’ objectives and to client value. Our clients have interests in resolving disputes efficiently, reducing exposure to liability risk, and reducing litigation distractions to business teams. Our clients also have interests in discouraging chronic meritless litigation and in defending their lawful practices. We define our litigation strategy, keeping all of our clients’ interests in mind, and we continually measure performance, and revise our strategy as those interests change.

When necessary, we have the experience necessary to prevail at trial, to arbitrate or mediate successfully, and to prosecute appeals successfully.

Representative examples of the Firm's experience in Premises Liability Litigation include:

• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of defendant Century Theatres on premises liability claims in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Lizano v. Century Theatres.


• Successfully defended several commercial businesses against personal injury and property damage claims made by third parties that occurred on their premises.


• Successfully defended a residential construction contractor in a wrongful death action involving an accidental electrocution of an employee.


• Successfully defended movie theater chain in a wide variety of premises liability actions across California involving personal injury claims, including all phases of discovery, dispute resolution and trial.


• Successfully defended an inflatable slide event operator in multiple actions involving an alleged failures of its slides resulting in personal injury claims.