Practice Areas

Construction Defect, Construction Delay Claims, Insurance, Products Liability, Business Litigation,  Real Estate Disputes and Mediation.

 
Professional Background

 

March 1996 to Present: President, The Reed Law Firm, APC

September 2000 to Present: Independent neutral mediator

September 1999 to September 2000: Independent neutral with JAMS/Endispute

July 1984 - February 1996: Partner, Duke, Gerstel, Shearer & Bregante. Trial lawyer specializing in commercial, business and construction litigation.

May 1978 through June 1984: President, John B. Reed Construction. The company was involved in construction of privately funded and government funded multi-family and elderly housing, new commercial and commercial remodel projects.

August 1967 - May 1978: Attorney, General trial practice with emphasis in criminal law, business and financial fraud matters.

January 1966 - July 1967: Attorney, Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office, Deputy Public Defender

 
Education

Grossmont High School, June 1958

San Diego State University, B.A. June 1962

University of California, Berkeley, (Boalt Hall) J.D. 1965

Pepperdine University School of Law, Institute for Dispute Resolution, Negotiation and Settlement Advocacy 1990

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law, 1999

 
Licensed to Practice

All California Trial Courts, California Supreme Court Since 1966; United States District Court; United States Circuit Court (9th Circuit); United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Federal Claims

 
Special Licenses

General Building Contractor, State of California, License No. 418604

 
Representative Clients

Regents of The University of California

Trustee’s California State University

List of Homeowners Associations represented available upon request.

 
Representative Cases

Sunset Woods

Villa Dominique Courthomes

Sterling v Summers

Bodell v. CSU

Mission Hills v. Deane Homes

 
Published Opinions

Bodell Construction Co. v. Trustees of Cal. State University (1998) 62 Cal.App.4th 1508.

Erreca's v. Superior Court (1993) 19 Cal.App.4th 1475.

Cascade Gardens Homeowners Assn. v. McKellar & Associates (1987) 194 Cal.App.3d 125

 
Professional Affiliations

Consumer Attorneys of California

Consumer Attorneys of San Diego

Association of Business Trial Lawyers

Association of Trial Lawyers of America

 
Bar Admissions

California State Bar Association (January1966);

San Diego County Bar Association (1968);

 
Bar Association Activities

San Diego Area Construction Legislation Committee; Construction Litigation, Insurance & Surety Task Force; (American Arbitration Association); The California State Bar Association, Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure; May 1971 through 1974;The Board of Directors of the San Diego County Bar Association, March 1974 through December 1977 (Vice-president 1976 - 1977); San Diego County Bar Association Committees on: (a) Publicity and the Administration of Justice, (b) Fair Trial and Free Press, (c) Municipal Court Committee, (d) Criminal Justice Committee, (e) Future Planning Committee, (f) Sports Committee; Liaison to the Law and Society Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association and to be Legal Aid Society; member of the Board of Directors and Vice president of the three private nonprofit criminal defense organizations in San Diego County, (a) Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc.; (b) Defenders, Inc.; (c)Appellate Defenders, Inc.

 
Classes/Seminars Given

"The Safety and Security of Your Home" (Nov. 7, 1991); Westwood Village Rotary Club

Construction Defect Insurance Symposium (September 26, 1991); San Diego

"Construction Defect Mock Trial" ( May 9, 1992); San Diego

"Successful Litigation Strategies Using Computers" (March 1, 1995); U. S. Grant Hotel

"Changes in Nevada’s Construction Defects Law" (October 21, 1995); Reno & Las Vegas Nevada

"Legal Lessons Learned From Shallow Foundations on Fills"; (October 26, 1995); ASCE

"Architect and Engineer Malpractice" (January 17, 1996); Lorman Business Center, Inc.

"Legislative Update & Law Seminar" ( February 1998) CACM San Diego & San Francisco

Guest lecturer California Western University on "Trial Tactics and Strategy"

"Matter Management for Small Firms" 1998 Legal Tech, Los Angles, CA June 22 - June 24, 1998

 
Appointments and Honors

SDTLA - "Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award", March 1991;

Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rating

 
Community Activities and Affiliations

San Diego Country Club (1997 President)

Old Globe Theater

San Diego Zoological Society

YMCA

Mainly Mozart Club Amadeus

Boy’s & Girls Clubs of San Diego

Big Brothers of San Diego

Member Harbor Presbyterian Church

 


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