- GuardianshipStacy, a Certified Public Accountant, is the managing partner of the Firm’s Bakersfield office. She is one of the most sought-after probate and estate planning and business transactions lawyer in Kern County, with over 27 years of experience representing businesses, individuals, trustees and conservators in estate planning, trust and probate administration and litigation, conservatorships and guardianships. She also represents high net worth individuals in family law proceedings. With her CPA background, she has successfully represented businesses in all facets of corporate transactions including business formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and dissolutions.
- Criminal DefenseSheryl joined Coleman & Horowitt in 1999. Prior to joining the firm she was an accountant with the national accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche, LLP and the Fresno accounting firm of Baker, Peterson & Franklin. She also practice law with John Baker & Associates as a criminal defense attorney.
- Wrongful DeathDefended individuals, businesses, farms and commercial clients in cases involving wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, amputations and paralysis.
- FraudRepresented three defendants in a consolidated class action securities fraud action in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, where one defendant was dismissed by motion to dismiss and settlement was reached for the other two defendants on favorable terms prior to class certification.
- Theft
- MisdemeanorsRead and download the article HERE THE NEW YEAR BRINGS WITH IT NEW CHANGES TO LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWS THAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW By Steven C. Clark The California Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom have been busy this past year passing legislation which will directly affect California employers and employees. Below are some of the new laws that became effective January 1, 2022 (unless otherwise specified), which change or modify California’s labor and employment landscape. AB 1003: Wage Theft Can Be Grand Theft. Current law makes the violation of specific wage and gratuity provisions a misdemeanor in addition to providing for civil penalties and remedies. However, Assembly Bill 1003 now amends the definition of “grand theft” in the Penal Code to include intentional wage theft, punishable either as a misdemeanor or a felony. The new law provides that grand theft includes: • the intentional theft of wages in an amount greater than $950 from any one employee, or • $2,350 in the aggregate from two or more employees, • by an employer in any consecutive 12-month period, • for purposes of the new law, independent contractors are considered employees. AB 1033: The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) now applies to Parent-in-Laws. Current law makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to refuse to grant a request by an eligible employee to take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid protected leave during any 12-month period for family care and medical leave. It defines family care and medical leave to include, among other things, leave to care for a parent. AB 1033 will amend the California Family Rights Act to include protection for employees caring for a parent-in-law. AB 1023: Requirement for Public Works Contractors to Furnish Pay Records and Penalties for Failure. AB 1023 revises the requirement that contractors or subcontractors working on public works projects provide certain payroll records to the labor commissioner and requires: • that contractors are required to furnish records, in electronic format, every 30 days while work is being performed on the project, and • within 30 days after the final day of work, and • a failure to provide the records results in a penalty of $100 per day, not to exceed $5,000 per project. SB 62: Prohibits Garment Manufacturers from Paying Employees at Piece Rate. Senate Bill 62 provides for amendment of the Labor Code to prohibit, with certain noted exceptions, employers from paying employees engaged in garment manufacturing by the piece or unit, or by the piece rate. This bill also provides that anyone who contracts for the manufacture of garments is a guarantor for the unpaid wages and overtime of the workers making their garments, regardless of how many layers of contracting the person may use. This is intended to prevent someone from escaping liability by contracting with someone else, who in turn hires a subcontractor to perform the manufacturing operations. SB 606: OSHA’s Enf
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and AcquisitionsWilliam was admitted to practice in 1976. Prior to forming Coleman & Horowitt, LLP, he was a partner in the Fresno law firm, Lerrigo, Nibler, Berryman, Coleman & Bennett. He has represented clients throughout California in all facets of corporate transactions including business formation, mergers and acquisitions, dissolution, secured and unsecured transactions. He is certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law and has extensive experience in advising clients on business and estate planning. William works primarily out of the Firm’s Fresno office.
- Business Formation
- Business Disputes
- Business TransactionsAisha joined Coleman and Horowitt in 2022. She is an associate in the Fresno office, where she represents clients in intellectual property and business transactions including patent prosecution and enforcement; copyright, trademark, trade dress registration and enforcement; and business transactions.
- Limited Liability CompaniesEliot represents individuals and businesses in estate planning and business transactions including the formation, structuring, and advising of corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies; preparation and advice on trusts, wills, and estate plans; probate and trust administration; real estate transactions, including 1031 exchanges; buy-sell agreements; and sales, purchases, and mergers of business. He has extensive experience in sophisticated estate plans and complex probates.
- Construction Contracts
- Trade Secrets
- Intellectual PropertyGary will remain a principal with Ideaflood, but will provide representation to clients in the development, licensing, sale and funding of new technologies and business enterprises, the protection and enforcement of intellectual property and trade secrets and the prosecution and defense of complex commercial and intellectual property litigation. Gary works primarily out of the Firm’s Fresno office.
- Unfair CompetitionA key to success for companies in today’s marketplace is the ability to procure, protect and exploit intellectual property. Our IP department, which is highly integrated with our litigation and transactions departments, has the depth and experience to provide sophisticated and comprehensive solutions to any IP issues our clients face. We assist in the procurement of IP assets, provide representation in the negotiation and drafting of IP transactions, and litigate infringement actions and unfair competition claims.
- Wrongful TerminationWrongful Termination (The phrase “wrongful termination” is an umbrella covering a variety of situations and legal theories, all of which are united by a single common element: an employee who believes his or her employment was illegally terminated. This includes 132a actions brought under worker’s compensation claims.)
- Employment ContractMatthew practices in the transactions department of our Sonora and Fresno, California offices. He provides representation to clients in all facets of real estate and development including financing, entitlements, sales, exchanges, development and eminent domain. He also represents clients in business transactions including business formation and dissolution, buy-sell agreements, employment agreements, secured and unsecured transactions as well as estate planning, wills and trusts. He is the chairman of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. He is actively involved in the community, having previously served on the board for Habitat for Humanity. Matthew works primarily out of the Firm’s Sonora office.
- Employment LitigationOur litigation department seeks an attorney with 6 or more years of experience in labor and employment matters including employment counseling, labor and employment disputes and wage and hour claims, including the defense of class action disputes.
- Real Estate LitigationAndrea joined Coleman & Horowitt, LLP in 2021. Prior to joining the firm, she was at a boutique law firm in Fresno, CA where she practiced a wide variety of litigation matters involving complex real estate matters, to include claims of fraud stemming from residential solar contracts, commercial collections, and novel negligence and conversion claims. Before becoming an attorney, Andrea served in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Structural Mechanic for the F/A-18 Legacy and Super Hornets. Andrea is an avid advocate for our veterans and active duty service members and currently serves on the board of the D.A.V. Charities of Central California.
- Premises Liability
- Construction LitigationSince the firm’s inception, the firm has served the construction industry. The Construction Law Practice Group brings over 100 years of combined experience in representing public and private owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, insurers, design professionals, construction managers and testing laboratories in administrative hearings, mediation, arbitration and state and federal courts throughout California in the following areas...
- Real Estate TransactionsThe business department prides itself in its negotiation know-how and the structuring of business and real estate transactions. The department represents both entrepreneurs and established businesses in the following areas...
- Eminent DomainCraig is a partner in the litigation and transactions departments of the firm’s Fresno and Sacramento offices. He provides representation to clients in litigation matters involving agricultural law, environmental law, construction law, land use and natural resource law, water law, probate and estates, and eminent domain matters that involve the California High Speed Rail Authority. Craig also assists clients with regulatory compliance issues concerning the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Porter-Cologne Act, and the Clean Air Act (CAA). In addition to litigation, Craig also represents clients before the Regional Water Quality Control Boards and the State Water Resources Control Board, air districts, and the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Craig has representated clients in state and federal court litigation and arbitrations involving custom farming agreements, breach of contractual obligations, construction defect, the California Environment Quality Act (CEQA), the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and note issuance and security agreements (NISAs). Craig also provides counsel on entity formation, estate planning, and transactions.
- Land Use and Zoning
- Landlord-Tenant DisputesFred represents clients in complex litigation matters involving real estate, judicial foreclosures, construction, finance leasing, landlord-tenant, commercial collections, and probate litigation. He has successfully handled numerous trials, arbitrations, and mediation. Fred is licensed to practice in California and Washington.
- Property Damage
- Personal InjuryRepresented an architect in defense of a personal injury lawsuit arising out of the design and construction of an elementary school resulting in a settlement for no liability or indemnity payment on the part of the architect.
- Estate PlanningOur transactions department seeks an attorney with three or more years of experience in estate planning and probate. The successful candidate will have experience in the drafting of wills, trusts, probate, probate and trust disputes, entity formation, review and preparation of contracts.
- WillsSheryl is part of the firm’s litigation department and head of the firm’s collections department. She has tried numerous court and jury trials and has also served as lead counsel in numerous mediations and arbitrations. She represents clients in businesses and financial institutions in commercial and consumer collections (secured and unsecured), commercial, real estate, business and construction defect litigation, business and real estate transactions, wills and trusts, and creditor representation in bankruptcy and represents financial institutions. She is licensed as a C.P.A.
- TrustsMichael was admitted to practice in 1995. Prior to joining Coleman & Horowitt, LLP, he was a sole practitioner under his professional corporation, The Law Office of Michael P. Dowling, and was formerly a partner with the Fresno firm of Dowling, Aaron & Keeler. Michael is a partner in the transactions department in the Fresno office, where he provides representation to clients in business transactions, estate and business succession planning, probate and trust administration matters. Michael works primarily out of the Firm’s Fresno and Visalia offices.
- Power of Attorney
- ProbateEliot, a member of the business and personal transactions department, has significant experience in business and personal transactions. He is certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in estate planning, trusts, and probate law and in taxation law. Mr. Nahigian is also a certified public accountant.
- Bankruptcy
- Foreclosure
- Tax LawThe firm provides complete services in estate planning, probate, and tax matters. Attorneys in our estate planning and probate group include two who are certified by the State Bar as specialists in estate planning, probate, wills and trusts. Emphasis is given to the individual attention required for proper planning. Services include...