NORMAN DOWLER - Key Persons
Mr. Walker is the former County Counsel for the County of Ventura, the 13th largest county in California. As County Counsel, Mr. Walker led the 25-lawyer office that provides civil legal counseling to all facets of the 9,000-employee county government, including related special districts. Prior to serving as County Counsel, he was the Chief Assistant County Counsel for 11 years, overseeing the litigation and day-to-day legal operations of the office. While with the County Counsel's office, Mr. Walker developed expertise in public contracting, public works and transportation, public employment, land use, and the state's public records and open meetings laws, among other areas. Before joining the County Counsel's office, Mr. Walker was an associate and partner at Norman Dowler (to which he returned in May 2022) for 16 years. Mr. Walker is a graduate of the Pepperdine University School of Law and a past president and past member of the board of the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Walker's practice emphasizes local government counseling and business, employment, construction and real estate litigation and transactions.
mwalker@normandowler.com
Mr. Israel, a certified public accountant, obtained his law degree in 1978 from the Southwestern University School of Law and then went on to obtain his master of laws degree in taxation from Boston University in 1979. A former tax accountant with Arthur Andersen, Mr. Israel provides sophisticated tax, estate, business and real estate planning and counseling to corporations, partnerships and other businesses, as well as to individuals. He is a member of the American and Ventura County Bar Associations, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (Channel Islands chapter), and the American Society of Attorney/Certified Public Accountants. A frequent lecturer on tax and estate planning topics, Mr. Israel has taught in the Golden Gate University master of tax program. A strong supporter of civic volunteerism, Mr. Israel is active in a number of charitable endeavors.
Mr. Brian C. Israel is an associate attorney at Norman Dowler, LLP. He joined the firm in 2013, after having previously been a law clerk for Norman Dowler prior to and after law school. His practice emphasizes corporate law, estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Mr. Israel received his Juris Doctorate degree from California Western School of Law. At California Western, he received the Academic Achievement Award in Legal Skills I and in his Internship Seminar. Additionally, he was awarded numerous scholarships, was named to the Pro Bono Honors Society, and served as President of the Jewish Student Union
Mr. Israel is a member of the American Bar Association, Ventura County Bar Association, and the San Diego County Bar Association. He is an active participant in the Barrister's section of the Ventura County Bar Association. Mr. Israel has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz. In his free time, Mr. Israel enjoys playing basketball and volleyball, and supporting his Los Angeles Lakers.
Mr. Norman, a graduate of the University of Southern California Law Center, commenced practice with a nationally recognized Los Angeles based real estate and construction law firm where he specialized in construction litigation. He moved his practice to Ventura County in 1964. Mr. Norman is a trial attorney and his practice emphasizes business and construction litigation, shareholder and partner disputes, serious personal injury, insurance bad faith, will contests and trust litigation. He is also an experienced and well respected mediator and arbitrator. Mr. Norman serves as a settlement officer for the Ventura County Superior Court and as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"). Mr. Norman is a member of the American and Ventura County Bar Associations (past president), the Consumer Attorneys of California (past board member), Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association (past president), American Board of Trial Advocators ("ABOTA", past president of the California Coast Chapter), American Inns of Court and the American Arbitration Association. He has lectured frequently to lawyer groups on litigation, mediation and arbitration issues.
rnorman@normandowler.com
Sam Mojabi, a long-time Camarillo resident, previously worked as an associate family law attorney with another private law firm in Ventura County. He came to Norman Dowler in 2019 and is experienced in all phases of family law proceedings, including representing individuals in divorces, obtaining and enforcing support orders. He also handles guardianships. In 2021, Mr. Mojabi was named a Rising Star in Excellence by Super Lawyers, a distinction awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in California.
Mr. Mojabi earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration at California State University, Fullerton, and his law degree in 2017 from the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law. During law school he gained valuable experience interning as a mediator at the Ventura Center for Dispute Settlement, and for a United States Congressman. Mr. Mojabi also volunteers at the Conejo Valley legal clinic and previously volunteered at the Ventura County Veterans Military Clinic in Oxnard, California.
smojabi@normandowler.com
Thomas Hutchinson was a true gentleman and his fee was very accessible. I was very happy with him!
After having established a five-year law practice in Westlake Village, Mr. Hutchinson became associated with the firm in 1998. He specializes in family law litigation, collaborative family law and mediation. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1993. In addition to graduating with honors, he was a recipient of the school's Dean's Scholarship and winner of the American Jurisprudence Award in constitutional law, federal and state powers and advanced legal research. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and philosophy from Western Michigan University, where he graduated cum laude from the Honors College in 1976. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Hutchinson had a successful career in business, encompassing sales, marketing, finance, management and manufacturing. He is a member of the Ventura County Bar Association, past-president of the Ventura County Family Law Bar Association, Collaborative Family Law Professionals of Ventura County and the Jerome H. Berenson Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Mr. Hutchinson is very active in Rotary International and is a member and past-president of The Rotary Club of Ventura.