About the Authors
Jenny L. Doling, who earned her J.D. from California Western School of Law in San Diego, is the founding member of J. Doling Law, PC, with its main office in Palm Desert. Ms. Doling is a State Bar Certified Bankruptcy Specialist and represents clients in bankruptcy, insolvency, and tax matters throughout California. She is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in California and Nevada, as well as the Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and speaks nationally on bankruptcy issues.
Hon. Jeremy D. Fogel, who received his B.A. from Stanford University in 1971 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1974, is the director of the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, D.C., the education and research agency of the federal courts. For over a decade before his 2011 appointment as director, Judge Fogel was a district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Before his appointment to the federal bench, he served as a judge of the Santa Clara County Municipal and Superior Courts (1981–1998).
Susan J. Harriman, who received her B.A. from Brown University in 1976 and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1983, is a partner with Keker & Van Nest LLP in San Francisco and handles a wide range of business litigation. Since joining that firm in 1985, she has tried state and federal cases involving legal malpractice defense, commercial disputes, real estate, and wrongful termination. She also has arbitrated cases before the American Arbitration Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Ms. Harriman has been honored with numerous awards for her trial skills, including being repeatedly named to Best Lawyers.
R. Camille King, who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia in 1995 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 2001, began practicing law in Alameda County in 2001 and currently is a partner with the Law and Mediation Offices of Lovko & King in Berkeley, focusing on family law and mediation matters. She is a member of the State Bar Family Law Section and is an original contributing author of California Client Communications Manual: Sample Letters and Forms (Cal CEB).
Laura L. Lane, who earned her B.A. from Hunter College in 1988, her M.A. from San Francisco State University in 1992, and her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 1996, joined the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley as a supervising attorney in 1997 and has directed its housing practice since 2003. She has taught housing law and policy at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and at Golden Gate University School of Law. As a past recipient of an Echoing Green public interest fellowship, she founded and directed a project to provide free legal services to persons living with HIV/AIDS in Contra Costa County and has been recognized for her contributions to fair housing in the East Bay.
Lawrence E. Leone, CFLS, who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1969 and his J.D. from Loyola University of Los Angeles School of Law in 1977, is a Certified Family Law Specialist who maintains a solo practice in Los Angeles. A former partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Trope and Trope LLP, Mr. Leone is a former chair of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and currently is a Trustee as well as a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Foundation. Mr. Leone also serves as a Personnel Commissioner for Santa Monica College. He was appointed as a member of the Elkins Task Force. He has written extensively for and chaired the annual Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Symposium, edited the Los Angeles County Bar Association Monthly for many years, and is an ongoing editorial consultant for the California Family Law Monthly. Mr. Leone has also served as a judge pro tem in Los Angeles and Santa Monica as well as a family law mediator. He is a contributing author of the following publications: California Child Custody Litigation and Practice (Cal CEB), Dividing Pensions and Other Employee Benefits in California Divorces (Cal CEB), Family Law Financial Discovery (Cal CEB), and California Client Communications Manual: Sample Letters and Forms (Cal CEB).
Micha Star Liberty, who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1995 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 2001, maintains a law practice in Oakland, specializing in litigating serious injury, civil rights, sexual abuse, and employment matters in both individual and class actions. She also is a certified mediator. A frequent lecturer and published author, Ms. Liberty focuses much of her public speaking on trial practice, discovery techniques, the importance of mentoring, and the best practices for opening a law office and for law office management. She currently serves on CEB’s Advisory Board, formerly served on the California State Bar’s Board of Governors from 2008–2010, and formerly served as the Board of Governors representative of the California Young Lawyers Association. She currently serves on numerous other boards of professional associations and is a contributing author of California Client Communications Manual: Sample Letters and Forms (Cal CEB).
Justin M. Litvack, who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, is an associate attorney with Boxer & Gerson, LLP, in Oakland, specializing in workers’ compensation cases, representing injured workers. Mr. Litvack helps clients navigate the workers’ compensation system. He is a member of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association.
Rae Lovko, who earned her undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University in 1989, her M.A. from the College of William and Mary in 1993, and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2000, where she was class valedictorian, is a partner with the Law and Mediation Offices of Lovko & King in Berkeley, handling personal injury, residential landlord-tenant, and employment law matters. As a practitioner for over a decade, Ms. Lovko has become both a skilled trial attorney and an effective negotiator and has represented hundreds of injured workers, consumers, and families. She has published articles in legal journals and worked for fair representation in the court system in both Florida and California.
Teresa A. McQueen, a senior partner at Pedersen McQueen, in Irvine, is dedicated to representing individuals in all areas of employment litigation, as well as providing general counsel services to small and medium-size companies. Ms. McQueen is a former Orange County Bar Association board member and a past chair of the California State Bar Solo and Small Firm Section and of the OCBA Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Section. She is a member of California Employment Lawyers Association, the California State Bar Labor and Employment Law Section, and the California State Bar Solo and Small Firm Section. Ms. McQueen is also an author and speaker on employment law, practice management, and water law. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho and her J.D. from Chapman University School of Law.
Stephen M. Murphy, who earned his undergraduate degree from College of the Holy Cross in 1977 and his J.D. from the University of San Francisco in 1981, maintains a solo practice in San Francisco, specializing in plaintiffs’ employment litigation. Mr. Murphy handles a wide range of employment issues, from wage-and-hour and similar claims to wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment. He has been honored as a top 100 Northern California Super Lawyer, listed in Best Lawyers, and honored as the “Trial Lawyer of the Year” for 2008 by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Murphy has lectured and contributed articles to numerous legal journals and is a contributing author of Wrongful Employment Termination Practice: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (2d ed Cal CEB) and Handling a Wrongful Termination Action (Cal CEB Action Guide).
Michael T. O’Halloran, who earned his B.A. degree from the University of California, San Diego, in 1976 and his J.D. from the University of Southern California in 1981, maintains a private law practice in San Diego. His firm specializes in insolvency counseling and all types of bankruptcy representation. He is a Certified Specialist in Consumer and Small Business Bankruptcy (California State Bar certification) as well as a Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy and Consumer Bankruptcy (American Board of Certification). He is active in many community and bar association activities, including the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program. He received the State Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award in 2014. Mr. O’Halloran is a former contributing author of California Domestic Partnerships (Cal CEB).
Virginia Palmer, who received her B.A. from California State University, San Francisco, in 1975 and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 1980, is a partner with the firm of Fennemore Wendel in Oakland. She focuses her practice on estate planning, probate, trust administration, and elder law. She has particular expertise in estate planning for both married and unmarried couples (including domestic partners), premarital and postmarital agreements, representation of individual and professional fiduciaries in the administration of living trusts, and conservatorship. In addition, she serves as a judge pro tem in the Alameda County Superior Court as well as a court-appointed guardian ad litem for children and incapacitated adults. Ms. Palmer is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and other issues for domestic partners and has been listed as a Northern California Super Lawyer. She is a contributing author of California Domestic Partnerships (Cal CEB) and Crossover Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law (Cal CEB).
Bonnie B. Park, who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California Los Angeles and her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, is an associate attorney with Boxer & Gerson, LLP, in Oakland, specializing in workers’ compensation cases, representing injured workers. Ms. Park helps clients navigate the workers’ compensation system. She is a member of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association and the Alameda County Bar Association.
Howard L. Pearlman, who earned his undergraduate degree from Reed College in 1980 and his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1986, has practiced real estate law for more than 30 years. After 24 years as a shareholder of the San Francisco firm of Bartko, Zankel, Tarrant & Miller, Mr. Pearlman opened a real estate practice in Oakland in 2012. He has litigated, arbitrated, and mediated a wide range of matters involving purchase and sale transactions, commercial leases, construction contracts and defects, common interest developments, broker liability, nondisclosure/fraud claims, and adjoining landowner disputes. He also counsels clients on environmental aspects of real property transactions and has represented clients in environmental litigation and regulatory matters. Mr. Pearlman is an active member of the National Roster of Arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association. He is a contributing author of California Real Property Sales Transactions (4th ed Cal CEB) and Ground Lease Practice (2d ed Cal CEB).
Neil Pedersen, the principal at Pedersen McQueen, in Irvine, is dedicated to representing individuals in all areas of employment litigation, as well as providing general counsel services to small and medium-size companies. Mr. Pederson has been an adjunct professor at Western State College of Law teaching Employment Law. He also co-created and taught the school’s first Law Practice Management course for 8 years. Mr. Pederson is a prolific author and regular lecturer on subjects of employment law, law practice management, and general litigation. Mr. Pederson served as executive committee member and Chair of the OCBA’s Insurance Law and Solo & Small Firm Practitioner sections. He was also an active member of the Executive Committee of the California Lawyers Association Law Practice Management & Technology Section for 8 years. Mr. Pederson has been selected as a Top Attorney in Southern California for the last 9 years, has repeatedly been named one of the Top Employment Law Attorneys in Orange County, and has been identified as a Southern California Super Lawyer from 2015 to the present. In 2016, the State Bar Solo and Small Firm Section named Mr. Pederson as its Attorney of the Year. Mr. Pederson graduated magna cum laude from Western State College of Law in 1988 as co-Valedictorian and Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. He was inducted into that school’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dennis A. Popalardo, Jr., who earned his B.A. from Fairfield University in 1989 and his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1992, is with the firm of Boxer & Gerson LLP in Oakland. Since becoming an attorney in 1992, he has practiced exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation law and is a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law. Before joining the Boxer & Gerson firm, Mr. Popalardo was a managing partner of a nationwide insurance defense firm. He has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer by San Francisco Magazine.
Shanon K. Quinley, CFLS, who earned her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2000 and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 2004, maintains a solo law practice in Pasadena, with an emphasis on family law. Ms. Quinley is certified as a specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She is an active member of the Family Law Sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the State Bar as well as a member of the Pasadena Bar Association. In addition, Ms. Quinley has been a member of CEB’s Family Law Advisory Committee and consulted on the needs of newer attorneys. She is a contributing author of the following publications: Family Law Financial Discovery (Cal CEB), California Child and Spousal Support: Establishing, Modifying, and Enforcing (Cal CEB), Basic Practice Handbook (Cal CEB), and California Client Communications Manual: Sample Letters and Forms (Cal CEB).
Maria E. Schopp, who received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1989 and her J.D. from City University of New York School of Law in 1995, maintains a solo law practice in Walnut Creek, handling both family and criminal law matters. Her practice includes mediation and collaborative negotiation in addition to traditional litigation. She is a past chair of the Family Law Section of the Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco as well as a former president of the Queen’s Bench Bar Association of the San Francisco Bay Area. Ms. Schopp was an original contributing author of California Client Communications Manual: Sample Letters and Forms (Cal CEB).
Judith Y. Tang is a partner and co-chair of the Trusts and Estates department at the firm of Fennemore Wendel in Oakland. She earned her B.S. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1995. Ms. Tang is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law and provides comprehensive estate planning and legal services in those areas. She has lectured on estate planning issues in both legal forums and before civic groups. Ms. Tang has been included in the Northern California Super Lawyer magazine for the years 2010 through 2020. She was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Trusts & Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association in 2020.
Carrie D. Wipplinger, who earned her B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1999 and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2010, is an associate attorney with the firm of Boxer & Gerson LLP in Oakland, with a focus on workers’ compensation law. Before joining that firm, Ms. Wipplinger interned for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office (Workers’ Compensation Team) and clerked for Bay Area Legal Aid.
