Concentration:
Personal Injury, Insurance Bad Faith,
Civil Trial Litigation, and Public Entity Liability
Background:
Born in San Luis Obispo County, began law in San Diego before moving to San Luis Obispo in 1976. Founding partner Ernst and Mattison in 1980 specializing in civil litigation. Extensive trial experience with over 100 cases tried to verdict including the largest personal injury verdict awarded in San Luis Obispo County. Highest rating for ethics and skill in premier independent rating service Martindale-Hubbell. "Trial Lawyer of the Year" in 1998 awarded by the Central Coast Trial Lawyers Assocation for obtaining multi-million dollar verdict for a brain injury client. "Trial Lawyer of the Year" again in 2002 awarded by the Cental Coast Trial Lawyers Association.
· Adjunct Professor of Law, Cal Poly State Univ. 1978-92
· President: Consumer Attorneys of California (COAC) 2008
· Member: American Board of Trial Advocates (AOBTA)
· Member: American Association for Justice (formerly ATLA) 1978 to present
· Member: Board of Directors for Consumer Attorneys of California 1989 to present
· Member: Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) 1980 to present
· Member: Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (TLPJ)
· Member: State Bar of California
· President: San Luis Obispo County Bar Association (2002-2003)
· Member: San Luis Obispo County Bar Association
· Founder, Director, & First President of Central Coast Trial Lawyers Assoc. 1991
· Taught & Sponsored over 50 continuing education programs in tort & insurance litigation 1988-1998
· Chairman, Consumer Attorneys of California State-Wide Education Seminar, Lake Tahoe 1996
· Authored articles for Forum Magazine and California Bar Journal regarding torts, civil procedure, and insurance litigation
· Member, San Luis Obispo County Health Care Court Committee