EDUCATION:

Legal:    University of West Los Angeles, School of Law

   Juris Doctor Degree, 1998

   Admitted to the State Bar of California June 6, 1999 SBN 201430

   Admitted to the United States District Court, Central District of California,

   June 6, 1999 

   Admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, May 20,    

   2006

 

College: City University of New York

   B.A. Political Science and Theater, double major

   Magna Cum Laude, 1993

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Law Offices of Pip N. Smits                                       April 2006 –  Present

Main areas of law: General civil litigation, medical malpractice, employment cases and contract matters.  Meet with potential client and phone intakes.  Pro Bono work consists of providing legal representation for the poor and underprivileged via Holy Family Catholic Church in Hesperia, CA.  Litigate cases from start to finish.  Conduct Mediations, Early Neutral Evaluations, Arbitrations and Trials.  Assist in dispute resolution in lieu of litigation.  Retained counsel for Modern Support Services, LLP, Glendale, CA, and contract- associate of STEPHEN DANZ & ASSOCIATES, Los Angeles, CA since January of 2008.

 

Desert Valley Hospital, Desert Valley Medical Group, Inc. and Chino Valley

Medical Center: General Counsel – Litigation    January 2005 – March 2006

                            Legal Consultant                        March 2006 – August 2007

In-house counsel for all three entities and related health care entities, main areas of law: General civil litigation, medical malpractice, employment issues and contract cases.  Meet with hospital staff, patients and experts, conduct Depositions, Arbitrations, Mediations and Court Appearances.  Assist in criminal investigations by State Offices.  In charge of Risk Management, Corporate Compliance and involved in the re-drafting of Policies and Procedures.  Administrative Law Hearings. Second chair Jury Trials.

 

Parker * Stanbury LLP: Senior Associate          October 2000 – January 2005

Wrote Complaints, Cross-Complaints, Answers, Demurrers, Motions, Oppositions to Motions, Declarations, Briefs, and Settlement Demand Letters.  Met with clients and experts, conducted Depositions, Mediations, Arbitrations and Court Appearances.  Conducted Bench Trials. Diligently advocated the clients’ rights. Completed a detailed accounting for a Guardianship which required analyzing financial data.  Translated. Brought in own clients.

 

Law Offices of Leonard Samuels: Attorney        October 1999 – October 2000

Wrote Complaints, Motions, Opposition to Motions, Declarations, Briefs, researched cases and statutes, wrote letters, met with clients and prepared all Trial papers, exhibits and evidence books.  Wrote an Appeal.  Wrote Settlement Demand Letters and diligently advocated the clients’ rights.  Made Court appearances, met clients in jail and sat second chair in Trials.  Conducted cross-examination in a Family Law Trial and in a Civil Jury Trial.  Conducted a Family Law Mediation and Criminal Arraignment.  Tentative Ruling on a Summary Judgment Motion in an employment law case was changed in my client’s favor because of my oral argument.  Defended Depositions.  Translated.  Brought in own clients.

 

Danz & Gerber Law Offices: Law Clerk/ Atty.   August 1998 – October 1999

                                                     Contract Attorney  March 2006 – January 2008

Worked as a law and research clerk.  Upon admission to the CA State Bar employed as an attorney for Mr. Danz and Mr. Gerber.  Wrote Complaints, Motions, Oppositions to Motions, Declarations, Briefs, and Settlement Demand Letters.  Researched cases and statutes, wrote letters, met with clients and prepared all Trial papers, exhibits and evidence books. Handle litigation matters. Translated.  Assisted in the certification process of a Class Action Suit.  Mediations, Arbitrations, Depositions & Court Hearings.

 

Los Angeles Sup. Court: Law & Motion Clerk     May 1997 – December 1997

Worked closely with the research attorney, the Honorable Judges Charles Lee and Charles Stoll of Glendale, and Carl West and David Schacter of Burbank.  Work entailed summarizing, researching, analyzing, and providing recommended written rulings to the Court for law and motion matters.  Met with the Judges in Chambers to discuss Trial matters, law and motion calendar and work progress. 

 

Bet Tzedek Legal Services: Law Clerk                January 1996 – August 1996

Volunteered as a law clerk, responsible for all assigned cases, interviewed clients, researched the law, wrote the Briefs, made house visits, made telephone calls, and worked closely with the supervising attorneys Mrs. J. Eicker and Mr. M. Bender.  Represented a convalescent home resident, favorably, in a hearing before an administrative law Judge on a wrongful termination of her residence.  

 

LANGUAGES:

Dutch, French, German, and Spanish

 

LAW REVIEW ARTICLE:

Defusing the Myth of Excessive Punitive Damages and Leaving Assessment to the Jury: The Easy Answer. University of West Los Angeles, School of Law, 1996

AWARDS:                                                                                                                            

Certificate of Class Attendance at the Temporary Judge training, Superior Court

  of California, County of San Bernardino, November 1, 2008

Certificate of Appreciation, Federal Correctional Complex Victorville, 2007

Certificate of Appreciation, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., January 16,

  2006

Certificate of Appreciation, Federal Correctional Complex Victorville, 2006

Certificate of Tribute, Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, September 29, 2004

Member’s Choice Award, PPL Services, Inc., May 2004

Member’s Choice Award, PPL Services, Inc., February 2002

Certificate of Tribute, Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, December 31, 2001

Certificate of Tribute, Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, December 31, 2000

Beverly Hills Bar Association Prinz Metal Competition Spring 1998, 5^th Place  

  Winner

Italian American Lawyers Association Scholarship Spring 1998

Imelda Rosenthal Scholarship by the State Bar of California 1998

Warren M. Gordon Scholarship for 1997-1998

The Joseph M. Perry Award for Parliamentary Advocacy 1997

Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity Outstanding Student of the Fraternity in the

  Nation 1997

American Jurisprudence Prize Award in Community Property 1997

American Jurisprudence Prize Award in Evidence 1997

American Jurisprudence Prize Award in Professional Responsibility 1997

American Jurisprudence Prize Award in Trusts & Estates 1997

The Ronald Allen Scholarship Award 1997

Jack & Geraldine Weichman Scholarship 1996

Law Review 1996 Graded A-  

Recognition Award for Volunteer Work by the University of West Los Angeles,

  School of Law 1996

The Wiley W. Manual Award by the State Bar of C.A. for Pro Bono Legal

  Services 1996

The Trustee’s Essay II Competition Award 1996

Dean’s list student 1995-1996 and 1996-1997

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

2007 – Present Member San Bernardino County Bar Association

2006 – 2008 Volunteer Federal Correctional Complex Victorville

2006 – Present Member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States

2005 – Present Member Federal Bar Association

2005 – 2006 Participant Basic Course of Management of Assaultive Behavior

2005 – Present Member Western San Bernardino County Bar Association

2003 – 2004 First Vice President Italian American Lawyers Association

2000 – 2004 Member Volunteer Attorney Team Harriet Buhai Center

1999 – Present Member American Bar Association

1999 – 2004 Board of Governors Italian American Lawyers Association

1999 – 2002 Member Beverly Hills Bar Association

1999 – Present Member State Bar of California 

1998 – 2005 Member Los Angeles County Bar Association

1998 – Present Member Consumer Attorneys of California