The Firm Has Received Many Awards. Ranked by SuperLawyers As Among The Top 5% Of All Business Litigation Attorneys In Southern California For The Last Five Consecutive Years. “AV” and “Preeminent” Ranked by Martindale-Hubbell, One Of The Oldest And Most Respected Services, A Rating For The Top 5% Of All Attorneys. Ranked By Yelp As Among The Ten Best Real Estate And Defamation Attorneys in Orange County. Ranked As Among The Three Best Real Estate Lawyers by Three Best Rated. Ranked As “Superb” By Avvo. Ranked in “Top 100 Lawyers” in California. Ranked As “Best Defamation Lawyer” By Expertise. Over 120 5 Star Reviews On Google and Yelp. Recognized By Top Verdict With One Of The Largest Jury Verdicts In 2019 in California. Recognized In December 2023 In “Top 100 Lawyers” Nationwide In Real Estate. We Are An “Accredited Business” With The Better Business Bureau And Established In 2010.

Welcome! My law firm is known for winning high-stakes and highly complex lawsuits. We have first-chaired more than 30 trials, and achieved an astounding 85% win percentage. Check out our “About” page to see our stellar track record. Lawyers are not shy about their success. If you come across a lawyer who doesn’t mention their track record, you might want to rethink your position. You can read my article about why lawyers are like a box of See’s candies, as a lawyer is like that candy – unknown, possibly good (or terrible), and there’s a certain amount of risk when selecting it. We only take cases in five areas: 1) real estate transactional work and real estate litigation; 2) business litigation; 3) defamation; 4) appellate work in these areas; and 5) real estate expert witness. SuperLawyers – one of the most coveted awards out there – has named me for the fifth consecutive year as a top business litigation attorney in Southern California. Martindale-Hubbell, a rating service dating back over 150 years, notified me that I was rated “AV” and “Preeminent,” meaning my colleagues have considered me among the best in my field, and an “A” rating in legal skill and a “V” rating (the highest) for legal ethics. Only about 5% of lawyers obtain an “AV” rating. I have also been recognized as a top defamation and real estate lawyer by other publications. I have one of the largest jury verdicts (in a complicated stock fraud case where I cross-examined more than 25 witnesses myself), and largest court decisions (a reversal in Complex Court worth between $10M- $14M) in California. Read on!

What Is A Trial Lawyer? And Why Hire One?

You are wise to be asking yourself that question. Not all lawyers do the same things. That part you know. You don’t hire a heart surgeon to work on your foot. Sure, they are all doctors, but they focus and refine their skills in very particularized areas. There are doctors for your eyes, nose, and brain. Hell, there are doctors that only study your ass. Lawyers are no different. Trial lawyers are the ones you call when litigation starts, not some all-purpose “Home Depot” lawyer who can give you superficial answers about anything. We crush these guys in court. How does that happen? What is a “trial lawyer?”

We can all recognize each other – the trial lawyers and the posers. Far away stare, ready to fight, but calm with opposing counsel (unless they are an ass, then we’ll whip shit on them too). The really experienced trial lawyers pick their battles, and know when to fight. You might see them joking around with opposing counsel, and think, “Is this guy a wimp?” No, he’s not. If I am acting this way, it’s because I respect that lawyer, and he respects me. As a result, we make concessions to each other because we are damn good at what we do. That helps both sides. Real trial lawyers can abandon a claim simply because they know the other trial lawyer can shoot it down so fast that it’s not worth going into. If a trial lawyer sees that the other attorney is a poser, he’ll push hard and overwhelm him with objections and make it difficult for any evidence to be admitted. A poser lawyer will push hard, only for the judge to say, “Counsel, why is any of this relevant? What are you doing?” The idiotic lawyers put on a show for their client: cussing out opposing counsel, writing inflammatory letters, and yelling at them in the hallway. Do you know what judges think about this? They hate it, and they despise the lawyers who do these things too. Do you think that bodes well for you when the judge sees your lawyer as an ass? You’ll notice problems – no courtesy trial continuances, hard deadlines right after the holidays, sanctions being awarded, etc.

So, what is a “trial lawyer”?

We are the experts that get evidence admitted or excluded, and destroy the other sides claims on the stand through a carefully planned ambush. We file 631.8 motions, motions to dismiss, and make witnesses out to be liars. We lull the arrogant to sleep by pretending to be somewhat dense. We live for the lie! We expose the liar. We get the liar to believe his own lies. We find ways to impeach testimony that gets the main part of the case thrown out. This takes many years of practice. We make it look easy: “Objection your Honor, under the Amcal decision it is not being offered for its truth, but as original evidence.” “Objection your Honor, double hearsay.” Yeah, that only comes from practice. In a case I just handled, through my cross-examination of the plaintiff, I got the claims for “fraud,” “damages” and “accounting” tossed, the conversion claim dismissed for about $200K in rent and security deposit money, and the conversion claim dismissed for $500K in net sale proceeds from the sale of the property. I also made her out to be a total liar, and the judge commented on her “credibility” problems. After she testified, the entire case boiled down to just one claim. Now you know what trial lawyers do. Remember, lawyers are not shy about their accomplishments. If your lawyer isn’t listing trial court wins, then you have a “Home Depot” guy who will act menacing, but who inwardly knows that trials are not his game, and working toward negotiating your surrender as the matter goes to trial. A trial lawyer also knows when it is best to settle because that truly is in your interests.

For Immediate Release (3/4/25) – Firm Defeats Domestic Violence Restraining Order.

A person brought a DV restraining order against a client. The firm filed an anti-SLAPP motion, and exposed all of her lies in doing so. Case dismissed! No orders of any kind were entered against the client.

For Immediate Release (2/5/25) – Firm Defends Real Estate Broker. Jury Returns 10-2 Verdict In 40 Minutes!

A real estate broker was sued for “breach of fiduciary duty,” a serious charge that needed to be defended against. The firm took the matter to trial, and obtained a 10-2 jury verdict in his favor. In what other counsel described as a “brutal cross-examination,” Mr. D’Arcy got the plaintiff’s effort to completely change her opinion, and got her to agree that his client did a “good job.”

For Immediate Release (1/29/25) – Firm Defeats Motion For Summary Judgment Concerning 100,000 sf Of Downtown Office Space!

The firm is defending a business in downtown Los Angeles which rents about 100,000 sf of office space. The plaintiff brought a motion for summary judgment (“MSJ”), which is a motion that argues that no trial is needed, and judgment can be entered now against the client. The firm defeated the motion.

For Immediate Release (12/31/24) – Firm’s Second Anti-SLAPP Motion Defeats A $6.7 Million Lawsuit.

A lender was sued for over $6.7M. The firm filed an expertly drafted anti-SLAPP motion, and had the entire case dismissed against the lender. With the other defendant, the firm filed an anti-SLAPP Motion, which was so devastating that it went unopposed. That motion was also granted. Before that, the firm defeated both an ex parte and a motion to set aside the trustee’s deed. The Plaintiff lost both attempts to unwind the foreclosure, and then watched helplessly as the firm destroyed the lawsuit with two motions.

For Immediate Release (12/18/24) – Firm’s Ex Parte For Contempt Of Court Results In Orders Barring Any Further Entry On To The Property And Opposing Counsel To Withdraw From The Case.

An oil company and its owner continued to come on to a 30 acre parcel of land owned by the firm’s client, including the dumping of soil and grading of portions of the land. The firm appeared ex parte, and was awarded with orders barring them from any further entrance on the land. A violation of these orders would be deemed a direct contempt of court. The ex parte, which is part of a very large lawsuit involving a $20M piece of land, was a significant win. The firm also obtained a receivership order as well. In response to the ex parte, the plaintiffs’ lawyers filed a motion to withdraw from the case.

For Immediate Release (12/10/24) – Firm’s Pleading Challenge Results In Voluntary Dismissal of Four Of Five Claims. Opposing Counsel Withdraws Under Threat Of A Sanctions Motion.

A lender is being pestered and abused by a former foreclosed borrower. The latest salvo is a bullshit retaliatory lawsuit. The firm filed a demurrer, and the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed four of the five claims before it could be heard. The firm then demurred (challenged) the first amended complaint. The firm then threatened to file a 128.7 monetary sanctions motion against the lawyer, given the latest pleading (which has only three claims, all of which are frivolous). The lawyer then filed a motion to withdraw.

For Immediate Release (10/2/24) – Firm’s Defeats Motion For Summary Adjudication.

A neighbor isn’t so neighborly to the firm’s client. In addition to defeating the neighbor’s motion for a preliminary injunction, the firm had the case dismissed due to the failure to join an indispensable party. On October 2, 2024, the neighbor filed a motion for summary adjudication – claiming there was undisputed evidence that an “implied easement” existed. The firm filed a devastating opposition, and had the motion denied. These type of motions ask the court to simply give judgment to them now to avoid a trial.

For Immediate Release (9/24/24) – Firm’s Anti-SLAPP Motion Defeats A $6.7M Million Lawsuit.

A lender was sued for over $7M. The firm filed an expertly drafted anti-SLAPP motion, and had the entire case dismissed. Before that, the firm defeated both an ex parte and a motion to set aside the trustee’s deed. The Plaintiff lost both attempts to unwind the foreclosure, and then watched helplessly as the firm destroyed the entire lawsuit against the lender with one filing.

For Immediate Release (9/22/24) – Firm’s Sanction Motion Against Lawyer Forces Dismissal Of Multi-Million Lawsuit.

A lender was sued by a lawyer who had no case. Rather than screw around with such nonsense, the firm filed a rarely used 128.7 sanctions motion against the lawyer. If the motion were granted, and it would have been, the lawyer must pay the monetary sanctions as well as watch the lawsuit get dismissed. This lawyer had no problem dismissing the case when her own ass was on the line.

For Immediate Release – (7/24/24) Firm Defeats Motion To Set Aside Trustee’s Deed And To Unwind A Foreclosure.

A lender foreclosed. The foreclosed-out borrower filed a motion to overturn the sale of the property. The firm not only defeated an ex parte application to challenge the deed, but a motion to do so as well.

For Immediate Release – Win At The California Supreme Court, Upholding My Win At The Appellate Court

As a fellow human with feelings, I didn’t like fake “reviews” being posted about me online by anonymous trolls. I did what trial lawyers do: I sued and subpoenaed everything (and everyone) in sight. I unmasked eight of them. Two of the clowns filed anti-SLAPP motions, which I defeated. I then briefed and argued an appeal to the Court of Appeal, and prevailed. The matter was appealed to the California Supreme Court, given that the law had changed since I filed my case. The High Court sent it back to the Court of Appeal, where I defeated it again. The defendant appealed for a second time to the High Court, and I defeated the petition.

For Immediate Release – (3/18/24) Firm Files THREE Anti-SLAPP Motions, And Gets Entire Case Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit Thrown Out!

In downtown Los Angeles, three defendants were sued. The firm responded with three anti-SLAPP motions (which concern First Amendment protected activity). The first two anti-SLAPP resulted in the dismissal of those two defendants. The third one went to a hearing, and the firm prevailed again. Patrick D’Arcy briefed and argued the winning motion. It’s exceedingly rare to find an entire lawsuits tossed like this. A great victory!

A Brief Sampling Of Our Wins